Funeral Consumers Alliance of the Finger Lakes

Many people die in ways inconsistent with their values and wishes. Planning ahead provides an opportunity to think about and communicate what you do and don’t want at the end of life.

Join us at Talking About Death Won't Kill You. This collaborative event brings together several area organizations that specialize in advance care planning and end-of-life topics. April 25th, 1-4 PM at the First Unitarian Society of Ithaca.
More info: https://theartofdyingwell.com/

I'm going to put the “fun” back in funeral. #lawyer #funeral #attorney #friendship

Monty Python’s “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” wasn’t written with funerals in mind, it was born as a piece of sharp satire. Eric Idle composed it for the final scene of Life of Brian (1979), where characters sing cheerfully while being crucified. The absurd contrast between the upbeat melody and the bleak situation became the joke, and that tension is exactly what later made the song resonate with the British public. Its message, dark humor as a coping mechanism, fit neatly into a national tradition of meeting hardship with wit.

Over time, the song escaped its comedic origins and became a cultural shorthand for resilience. It turned into a football chant, a pub singalong, and eventually a staple of public life, long before it entered funeral halls. When The Co‑operative Funeralcare analyzed tens of thousands of services, they found it had become the most‑played funeral song in the UK, surpassing hymns like “The Lord is My Shepherd” and “Abide With Me,” as well as pop anthems like Queen’s “Don’t Stop Me Now”TIME. The choice reflects a shift in how many families want to be remembered: not with solemnity alone, but with a wink, a grin, and a bit of irreverence.

Its popularity also reveals something deeper about British attitudes toward death. Rather than treating funerals as purely somber occasions, many people now use them to celebrate personality, humor, and the quirks that defined a life. “Always Look on the Bright Side of Life” offers a final moment of levity, an inside joke shared between the deceased and the mourners, a reminder not to take the end too seriously. In a way, the song has become a modern ritual: a last laugh, delivered with affection, at the edge of the grave.

How Civil War Deaths Advanced America’s Funeral Industry Embalming advanced as a way to preserve and disinfect remains.

If you've ever wanted to know more about green burial, join us on November 1.
Dying Green: Environmental, Spiritual & Practical Considerations for a Green Burial

When: Saturday, November 1, 2025 – 2:00-3:30 PM
Where: Ithaca Friends Meetinghouse, 120 Third Street, Ithaca

Join us for a panel discussion about green death practices. The focus will be on Greensprings, both its history and what you will find there, as well as the ecological stewardship of a natural burial ground that is dedicated to habitat preservation and conservation. The panelists will also talk about:
-what qualifies as a green way to dispose of a body,
-what options are available in New York state,
-why cremation isn’t green, and
-other logistical natural burial considerations.

Our speakers include:
-Michelle Menter: Executive Director, Greensprings Natural Cemetery Preserve
-Kyle Sharp: Funeral Director, Lansing Funeral Home and certified green burial provider with the Green Burial Council
-Lynn Leopold: a lifelong crusader for the environment, former Trustee of Greensprings and wife of co-founder Carl Leopold.

Brought to you by the Funeral Consumers Alliance of the Finger Lakes and Sustainable Finger Lakes