Bible Verse of the Month
Be strong and of a good courage,
fear not, nor be afraid of them:
for the LORD thy God, He it is that doth go with thee;
he will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.
Deuteronomy 31:6
Meet Sibley Jankoviak – Funeral Director at Clayton Stevenson Memorial Chapel in Wolf Point, Montana
Sibley was born in Bismarck, ND where she lived for a short time before her family moved to Cheboygan, a small country town in northern Michigan. She grew up there and graduated from Cheboygan High School in 2000. Her road to becoming a Funeral Director was an interesting one. From one end of the spectrum to the other, her interests went from wanting to be an Interior Designer to a Homicide Detective. She finally found her true calling as a Funeral Director after her grandma passed away. She went on to Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago, IL – graduating in 2005. From there she continued her career in Chicago until October of 2014 when she took a job with the Stevenson’s working at their chapel in Wolf Point, MT. She continues to serve the Wolf Point community, trying to fit in her hobbies and interests which include traveling, a growing interest in photography and an occasional nap, as best she can in her free time.
Finding Family
A gentleman, Nick, found some long-lost relatives here in Montana and came to visit from the UK. He contacted us about helping with his search and about finding and his parent’s grave. We got to visit with him a good bit here at the Bell Mortuary. Scott spent a great deal of time helping Nick with names, locations, etc. The two of them became friends. Below is an email from Nick about his adventure, along with some photographs. Sherry Berger, Bell Mortuary
Dear Scott
I am now back in the UK, thankfully COVID free.
I just wanted to thank you, everyone at Bell Mortuary and the VFW for being so kind and welcoming during my visit with Deborah my new big Sister.
You went above and beyond from the presentation surprise evening and of course cake on the evening and for breakfast. The arranged visit to see my father’s grave and the many coffees was really appreciated.
Bottom line is you are a star and I will never forget your kindness.
Kindest,
Nick
Below are some photos about the above story.
Financial Assistance
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought overwhelming grief to many families. At FEMA, our mission is to help people before, during and after disasters. We are dedicated to helping ease some of the financial stress and burden caused by the virus.
Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020…
If you lost a loved one due to Covid-19, you may qualify for financial assistance for your family’s funeral expenses. Click here to find out more information.
Grief Support
Many people do not have the time to locate a proper grief counselor. Others do not live in an area where there are any grief counselors available. And finally, many people are not prepared to pay a professional for grief counseling. Fortunately, the internet provides some solutions for those who wish to seek grief counseling or to interact with groups of people who are also coping with grief. Many such services exist, as do professional counselors who will assist people privately on line, hence eliminating the need for travel. Not all services are the same, nor are all chat rooms/groups. You should research what you are interested in and follow-up on the leads you believe will be most helpful to your personal situation until you locate exactly what works best for you. In your search engine look for terms like “grief chat rooms” “bereavement support groups” “professional grief counseling” or “grief management.” Good research is the path to successfully linking up with what, or who, will work the best for you. Another option would be to start your search at the Mental Health American website. Lots of information, and many places to research groups, centers and more.
Supporting Others
If you know someone who would benefit from the uplifting messages and support information we provide in these monthly newsletters, they can sign up to receive their own copy here (https://stevensonandsons.com/news/sign-up/). It’s a great way to lend your support to a friend or a family member.
