“He told us his wishes and it includes playing Ring of Fire by Johnny Cash as the last piece of music … so that is what we will have to do!”

I recently had the privilege of sitting down with a fantastic Exmouth family to plan the funeral of their beloved patriarch, John: husband, father, grandad, friend to so many in the town in which he lived his whole life. And this much-loved man had left this wish, his mischievous side still at play. 

Over the years, families have laughed as they told me the last requests of their loved ones. One vibrant older gentleman who had spent his life on the railways wanted a final ‘all aboard!’ whistle to be sounded at the words of committal, signifying that he had departed. 

Planning our funerals while we are still alive and kicking doesn’t hold much appeal. We’d rather live while we have the chance. Less than 1% of people know all their loved one’s final wishes; 39% of over-45s haven’t given their funeral any thought at all. 

And yet it makes sense on so many levels, from the emotional, practical and financial point of views. 

When someone close to us dies, we can feel utter bewilderment at what to do. A whole heap of responsibility lands at our feet and we want to get it right. So when that person has taken out a funeral plan and we can place their final wishes on the table, knowing this is what they wanted, the relief is audible. 

It makes sense financially, too. The average cost of a funeral has increased by over 28% in ten years and it is predicted to rise again. A funeral plan gives people the opportunity to fix the cost of the funeral director’s services included in the plan at today’s prices. 

When people step into the office to enquire about a plan, the overwhelming reason is that they don’t want to burden their family with the responsibility of organising and paying for their funeral. To coin a phrase, they want peace of mind. 

We played Ring of Fire at the end of John’s service and what a way to end the ceremony! The smiles, foot tapping and nods to his sense of humour were very moving, as were the sentiments of those in the packed chapel who had come to pay their respects. “That was so John,” many said to me as they left. “It was so right.”

Let’s start a conversation. What will be just right for you? What are your final wishes?

Dedicated in loving memory of John Kenneth Huntley, 1944 – 2024.