Valley of Life | Online Memorial Blog

Wills for Young People: Considerations to Keep in Mind

admin — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:00:20 +0000

As a young adult in your 20s or 30s, sometimes the last thing you want to think about is death or planning a funeral for yourself. However, being young doesn’t mean you should wait to write a will, even if you only have a few assets. As an adult, you know what you do and [...]

Dos and Don’ts for Writing an Online Memorial

admin — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 17:00:11 +0000

When you want to create an everlasting online memorial for a loved one, it can be easy to encounter writer’s block. You want the online obituary to reflect the individual correctly, but not shed a negative light on his or her life. When you create a memorial website, consider making the online memorial a celebration [...]

LifeGem Diamonds: Memorial Diamonds Created From a Lock of Hair

admin — Wed, 20 Jul 2011 17:00:38 +0000

Jewelry to remember a loved one is one of the most unique ways to keep the memory of that person close. Valley of Life has partnered with LifeGem Diamonds so readers have the chance to create memorial tributes for themselves or as gifts. With a loved one’s lock of hair or ashes, LifeGem uses a [...]

Funeral Wreaths: A Tribute to Life

admin — Mon, 02 May 2011 21:47:47 +0000

In times of bereavement, funeral arrangements not only honor the deceased but remind the grieving to celebrate life. They are also symbolic: The color, shape and types of flowers used can all convey a personal and meaningful message about the deceased. Of all types of arrangements, funeral wreaths offer the deepest history and symbolism. Funeral [...]

Elizabeth Taylor Dies at 79

admin — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 22:37:17 +0000

Fashion icon and legendary beauty Elizabeth Taylor died peacefully today at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles, her publicist announced. She was 79. Taylor, an two-time Oscar-winning actress and style maven, was hospitalized six weeks ago with congestive heart failure. “Though she had recently suffered a number of complications, her condition had stabilized and it was [...]

Shine on Brightly (Guest Post)

admin — Mon, 06 Dec 2010 23:36:21 +0000

For anyone who hasn’t yet discovered Shine On Brightly, the innovative, compassionate company that features artist-made memorial products, including cremation urns, memorial jewelry, memorial portraits, hand-bound guest register books, memorial poetry, and memorial glass, you’re in for a treat. More than 30 artists are represented on the site at www.shineonbrightly.com. The idea for the company [...]

Mother’s Grief Motivates Fight against Drunk Driving

Flora — Thu, 09 Sep 2010 14:00:54 +0000

On a 1984 Easter Sunday, a drunk driver killed Arlene Victor’s son and daughter-in-law. The only survivor of the collision was Victor’s granddaughter, who went to live with Victor, her husband and their 9-year-old son on their Iowa farm. Victor told “The Des Moines Register” that she initially did not have a support system as [...]

Parents Give Books in Daughter’s Memory

Flora — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 14:00:54 +0000

The H1N1 virus hit close to home for the Gibson family, whose daughter died on October 2009 because of complications from the virus. The parents of little girl created The Catherine Elizabeth Gibson Endowment for Children’s Books in their child’s memory. Catherine’s mother, Kristen, states on the Dell Children’s Medical Center fundraising page, “Catherine loved [...]

Political Cartoonist Paul Conrad Dead at 86

Flora — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 01:51:43 +0000

Popular political cartoonist Paul Conrad died on September 4, 2010 in his Los Angeles home at the age of 86. Conrad began cartoon while attending the University of Iowa for the “Daily Iowan.” After graduating college with a degree in art, Conrad worked for the “Denver Post” for 14 years before joining the “Los Angeles [...]

Memorials Honor Victims of Hurricane Katrina

Flora — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 19:42:17 +0000

Five years ago, Hurricane Katrina, one of the costliest and deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history, devastated the lives of thousands of people on the Gulf Coast. Families gathered on Sunday, August 29, 2010 to remember loved ones lost and put the past behind them, as abandoned homes in their neighborhoods still bear the spray-painted symbols [...]

Tony Blair Shares Memories of Princess Diana in His Memoirs

Flora — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:58:07 +0000

August 31 marked the 13th anniversary of the auto collision that ultimately took the life of Diana, Princess of Whales in 1997. In his new memoir, A Journey: My Political Life, former Prime Minister Tony Blair recounts the death of the “People’s Princess” was a turning point for the British Monarchy and the British government. [...]

Doctor Shares Grief Experiences Online

Flora — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 18:49:21 +0000

Physician and author Elisa Medhus, M.D., recounts her grief after the loss of her son Erik, 20, after he took his own life in 2009 on her personal blog, Channeling Erik. She wrote an article for the Huffington Post stating her life split into two distinct sections after tragic event: “The Before and The After, [...]

10 Tips to Make Funeral Planning Easier, Part 2

Flora — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 14:00:22 +0000

Continued from 10 Tips to Make Funeral Planning Easier, Part 1 Create a Living Trust If you cannot take care of your own financial affairs, make sure your money-sucking relative does not do it for you by creating a living trust. In a living trust, which you can create online, you appoint a financial planner [...]

10 Tips to Make Funeral Planning Easier, Part 1

Flora — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 20:44:03 +0000

When it comes to preplanning your own funeral, it may be hard to know where to start or what steps to take. Use the following checklist to help you get started with one of the most important plans you will make in your life. Today we’ll examine the first five tips. Write it Down Use [...]

Fantasia Barrino’s Recent Overdose Intentional

Flora — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 20:54:10 +0000

“People” magazine reports “American Idol” winner Fantasia Barrino’s recent overdose on aspirin and sleeping pills was a suicide attempt. Barrino, 26, confirmed this in a recent interview with the magazine and stated she knew exactly what she was doing. Years of battling depression and a complicated relationship with Antwaun Cook led to Barrino’s desperate attempt [...]

Fatal Asthma Attack Led to Harold Dow’s Death

Flora — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 22:57:29 +0000

Veteran CBS News Correspondent Harold Dow, 62, died unexpectedly on the morning of Saturday, August 21, 2010 of an apparent asthma attack. His wife, Kathy, and three children survive Dow. In a media statement, Dow’s family relayed the following: “At the time of Harold’s death, he was suffering from adult onset asthma. On Monday, Aug. [...]

Oprah Assists with Funeral Expenses

Flora — Thu, 19 Aug 2010 14:00:02 +0000

After the death of Sgt. Paul M. McAlister II, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” contacted the bereaved family’s funeral home and offered to pick-up the tab on any unpaid funeral expenses, which was more than $3,000. Oprah interviewed McAlister at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C., for a special February 2009 program. The [...]

Labeling Grief as a Major Depressive Disorder

Flora — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:00:11 +0000

If you felt sad following the death of a loved one for a few weeks, would you say you had a psychiatric problem? “The New York Times” reports the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (D.S.M. 5) may label the emotion of grief after the loss of a loved one [...]

Fans Celebrate the Anniversary of Elvis Presley’s Death

Flora — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:00:31 +0000

August 16 marked the 33rd anniversary of The King of Rock and Roll’s death. Elvis Presley died in 1977 at his Graceland home, where the rock icon is also interred. Although the temperatures were well above 100 degrees F, fans flocked from all over the world so they could wait in line to gain entrance [...]

2 Jazz Greats Die Over the Weekend

Flora — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:59:53 +0000

Singer Abbey Lincoln and photographer Herman Leonard, both icons in the world of jazz music, died on August 14, 2010 of unrelated causes. Lincoln was 80, and Leonard was 87. Abbey Lincoln’s Life and Career Lincoln, born Anna Marie Wooldridge, was known for her unique phrasing and for writing her own lyrics. Influenced by jazz [...]

Teen Writes Book to Help Young Grievers

Flora — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 14:00:13 +0000

At the age of ten Jerome Biroo lost his mother to cancer. Six years later, the teen has let his guard down as he recounts his experiences about dealing with death at a young age as he offers young people advice about this process in a book titled Chances: A Teen Reshapes His Life After [...]

Memorial in Honor of Whitesville Miners

Flora — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 14:00:28 +0000

An official memorial to honor the miners who lost their lives in the Upper Big Branch mines is planned for the city of Whitesville, West Virginia. On April 5, 2010, a group of 29 miners tragically lost their lives after an explosion trapped then inside a mine and exposed them to toxic methane gas. Whitesville [...]

A Special Place for Grieving Families to Support Each Other

Flora — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 19:11:15 +0000

People in the Las Vegas, NV area who have never met each other are brought together at Adam’s Place by one common event: death. Kelly Thomas-Boyers founded Adam’s Place: A Grief Center for Children and Families as a house of healing after she lost her own son, Adam, 21, in a 2007 auto collision. Adam’s [...]

Trader Joe’s Co-Owner, Theo Albrecht, Dies at 88

Flora — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 19:56:46 +0000

German entrepreneur Theo Albrecht died on July 24, 2010 in Essen, Germany. Along with his brother, Karl, Albrecht started the popular grocery store chains ALDI and Trader Joe’s. These business ventures ranked Albrecht, who had a net worth of $16.7 billion, as the 31st richest person in the world by “Forbes” in 2010. Early Years [...]

9 Dead After Distraught Former Employee Opens Fire

Flora — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 18:24:56 +0000

Distraught employee, Omar Thornton, who was facing a disciplinary hearing at a family-owned beer distributing company, Hartford Distributors Inc., opened fire at his former place of employment on Tuesday, August 3, 2010. The shooting occurred shortly after 7:00 a.m. Thornton, according to MSNBC, who asked to resign, was at the Connecticut warehouse for a meeting [...]

Orchestra Conductor Mitch Miller Dies at 99

Flora — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 23:19:14 +0000

“Rock ‘n’ roll is musical baby food: it is the worship of mediocrity, brought about by a passion for conformity.”–Mitch Miller in “New Musical Express,” January 1958 American conductor, musician, singer and record company executive Mitch Miller died on July 31, 2010 at the age of 99. Miller is known as one of the most [...]

Don’t Count on Life Insurance to Pay for Your Funeral Expenses

Flora — Thu, 29 Jul 2010 14:00:19 +0000

Life insurance, according to insurance sales people, is something parents who truly love their families purchase. While life insurance can tremendously help your family financially after you die, don’t expect your family to receive any money right away. One of the biggest sales pitches agents use to get people to purchase life insurance is that [...]

Mistaken Identity with Bittersweet Results

Flora — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 17:48:57 +0000

About a week ago, the evening for a group of young adults from Arizona ended tragically after a fatal car accident. Abby Guerra, age 19, and four of her friends were returning from Disneyland when their car crashed on the way home. Officials reported that Guerra and her friend, Tyler Parker, died as a result. [...]

Veteran Journalist Daniel Schorr Dies at 93

Flora — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 20:44:29 +0000

Daniel Schorr, who covered the news for more than 60 years and won three Emmy Awards, died today of a “short illness” at the age of 93, according to the Associated Press. Schorr career began as a print journalist when he worked on his high school newspaper. He later worked for the Jewish Daily Bulletin [...]

Online Memorials Can Help Facebook Users Truly Memorialize Lost Friends

Flora — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 14:00:03 +0000

Facebook has a problem with ghosts. Facebook users keep receiving prompts to send a message to people on their friends who have died, which is disturbing to many. It is Hard to Reconnect The New York Times reports that more individuals over the age of 65 are creating accounts on the social networking site more [...]