Healthy grieving

According to the National Funeral Directors Association, roughly 35% of all cremations occur without any form of traditional memorial service. What a sad trend.

We believe that every life deserves to be celebrated and remembered. Since 1954, it’s been an honor for us to work with local families in their time of grief and need. We feel the most meaningful funerals are the ones that are personalized to the decedent, how they lived and what and who they loved. No two are alike. Things such as photos from family vacations, golf clubs, military medals, and hunting or fishing gear are curated and presented.

I take time with the family to learn about the person’s life, what mattered most to them and the traditions they held dear.

Those details might appear in a video I create filled with photographs, a display of keepsakes reflecting favorite hobbies, personalized music or other touches that bring back memories and spark stories among family and friends.

Personalization is about more than creating a beautiful tribute. The gathering itself plays an important role in grieving.

Funerals are really for the living. Having family and friends come together, pay their respects and support one another can be an emotionally healthy part of the grieving process.

That gathering might be traditional calling hours and a church Mass or a more personalized celebration of life. There is no single formula because grief itself is deeply personal.

I’ve experience this firsthand, both professionally and within my own family. When my father’s brother died at only 50, I remember seeing my grandfather cry for the first time. That stayed with me. Losing someone is never easy, no matter their age. 

That’s why I approach every family with patience and compassion, recognizing that people express loss differently.

Remembrance isn’t about dwelling on how a life ended. It’s about gathering to celebrate everything that came before—the people, passions, traditions and everyday moments worth carrying forward.

Orlando-Donsante-Previte Funeral Home is located at 29550 Euclid Avenue, Wickliffe. Call 440-943-2466 or visit OrlandoDonsanteFH.com for more information.