October marks the end of any remnants of summer and officially rings in the holiday season, the 90 day count down to Christmas has begun. Change is in the air. Many are thinking about change this season and as 2015 approaches, interesting conversations come up… especially in my family. My mother updates her will and burial requests 2-3 times a year. Recently, she told me she wants a simple, green, natural burial… that’s what she feels most comfortable with at this point. She is one of the multitude of baby boomers that will turn 65 this year. That’s right, if you were born in 1950 you will by a part of the massive bell curve bonanza of folks hitting 65 like a ton of bricks! Burials plans, mausoleums, family plots, headstones and crematoriums are a hot topic for the 55 and older crowd these days. Ellen McCarthy, of the Washington Post recently wrote that more and more environmentally conscious baby boomers are “Going Green” with their end of life plans. The 60’s are still alive and a non-invasive, filled with love, all natural burial is very popular these days. Many folks aging into retirement want a no-fuss funeral under a beautiful tree or in a rose garden. “Wrap me in a clean sheet and bury me under a tree. Don’t bother with expensive, toxic embalming chemicals.” Some say.. “Return me to the earth from whence I came… ashes to ashes, dust to dust, and all that…” literally, that’s what many retirees want when they pass peacefully on to the next stage. One young woman wrapped her mother in a saffron, silken shroud and buried her in a wicker casket lined with lavender.  She hoped the all natural fiber ritual would please her earth conscious mom and help her pass on  peacefully.

Here in Corvallis, Oregon, we are renowned for our eco-friendly culture and above average life-span. Green living runs deep here. We recycle, eat local, organic, sustainable and humanely raised and will travel long distances for happy healthy chicken eggs. Death is no different for this community. We want to be conscientious of the earth and compassionate toward our loved ones when we pass after a long and fruitful life. We know where we are going and we want to leave a small green foot print behind when we go.

If you are looking for a compassionate funeral home that can help you plan your funeral the way you would like it to be go see Barb Bang out DeMoss-Durdan Funeral Home and Crematory http://www.demossdurdan.com/. As a family owned, licensed funeral home in Corvallis for more than 100 years, DeMoss-Durdan Funeral Home and Crematory has developed a reputation for caring and dignified funeral service in this community.  They offer ALL preservation/ cremation options from green, eco-friendly to traditional burial funerals and celebrations of life services; complete pre-arrangements and pre-financing services.  Their on-site crematory ensures that your loved one stays in their care until they give them back to you, their family. Their staff specializes in brief, straightforward arrangement conferences so you can spend more of your precious time in the comfort of family and friends. Give Barb a call at (541) 754-6255  and plan how you would like to be returned to the earth.