Posts Tagged: "deceased"

Finding New Homes for Old Photos, Post Cards, Letters & Mementos

Queen Darlene - July 13, 2017 - $20 or Less, Family

When people pass away, they leave behind their possessions which include old photos, post cards, letters and mementos. When it’s you who has to sort through it all after a parent, grandparent or siblings dies, it can be overwhelming.

My mother-in-law broke her hip and we had to move her to a memory care nursing center. I am going through her keepsake photos and some of them she has kept for 70+ years.

I’ve done this before with my grandmother’s, mother’s and brother’s things after they passed away. It’s definitely hard and emotional.

I felt if they held on to it for so many years, then it must have been a sweet memory or a special place in their heart. I just couldn’t throw them in the trash! Continue Reading

What Gift Makes Sense for Someone Who Recently Passed Away?

Princess Diana - July 1, 2014 - Condolence

My co-worker Elise is one-of-a-kind. Any time she says something, I’m either cracking up laughing or shocked (but trying my hardest not to show it.)

Of all the crazy stories she has told me, the one I most remember is when she straight up quit her job because they wouldn’t let her off work to go to the Oklahoma State Fair.

I’m thinking to myself, “And she works in human resources…” That’s Elise in a nutshell for you though. A total hoot! And I’m lucky to work with someone who regularly livens up our office!

The other day she told made me something that made me say “Whaaat?” one second and “That’s a thoughtful gift! I’ll blog about it!” the next.

A Baby Lamb – Condolence Gift Idea

Queen Darlene - January 7, 2014 - Condolence

My son’s childhood friend passed away just before Thanksgiving. Travis was only 33 years old. The boys were best friends in elementary school when we lived in Albuquerque, New Mexico. They spent a lot of time together at each other’s homes until we moved to Oklahoma when the boys were eight years old.

Travis’s grandmother, Helen, and I kept in touch these past 25 years. When she called with the news that Travis had passed away, my heart broke. We spoke for a few minutes and hung up. It can be difficult to find just the right words to say when wanting to express your heartfelt sympathy and to give comfort to someone who has experienced death in their family.

Even standing in front of the sympathy cards section, reading and trying to find the right healing words is not always easy. It just so happened I was in a gift shop and I saw a baby lamb stuffed animal with a cross on its hoof. I immediately knew I had to send it to Travis’s grandmother. In the sympathy card, I explained when she felt the need to hug Travis to hug the baby lamb for comfort.