
Funerals & Memorial Ceremonies
John Clarke - Civil Celebrant
I don't want to die on a sunny day; it would be such a waste! However, I am going to die and like others through the centuries that thought occasionally crosses my mind. I think about my family and friends and the varying levels of grief they will experience; I fear how hard some will find it to move on, but I know as time passes they will become better able to deal with the grief. The rawness abates, the memories stretch out to being those of a life time rather than the two-or three weeks surrounding the death. The people around us re-discover how to talk with us and step by step, what we call "normality" returns. Not that we ever forget; there will always be Christmas, birthdays and anniversaries to deal with; that song, a taste or smell that sends our mind hurtling back to the one we've lost. But we do learn to cope.
So how does this relate to my role as a Civil Celebrant? Often, within days of the death, I am sitting with a grieving family, helping them craft a funeral ceremony, that is truly representative of the person they have lost. I stress the importance of creating a ceremony where family and friends can join in, in a way that helps them say farewell. I try to design and deliver a ceremony that begins for all a journey of healing and renewal, whilst respecting the memory of the one who has passed.
John Clarke - Civil Celebrant
Kiama, lllawarra Region and Bowral
Testimonial
"We tell people how much we liked your presentation for the service and would recommend you to anyone looking for a celebrant."
Dawn and Merle
