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Team Member Spotlight

Thu, 10 Aug 2023 13:50:01 GMT

Get To Know Mikala

1.) Where were you born? I was born in Borger, TX and moved to Oklahoma when I was 10.

2.) What is one thing that brings you happiness? My family

3.) How does this job give your life purpose? I find purpose in caring for families and getting to connect with them during a difficult time.

4.) Tell us about your pets. I have three cats, one dog, and one snake. Their names are Percy, Phantom, Ash, Sasha, and Echo.

5.) What is your favorite restaurant in Shawnee? Sakura

6.) Where would you go if you could visit anywhere in the world? Ireland

7.) What are some of the things you enjoy doing outside of work? Being creative (fine arts) helping with mom's business, video games, and baking.

8.) What is your dream car? 1979 Stingray

9.) Tell us about the photo you chose for this spotlight? My dad and I explored Gorman Falls in Austin, TX.

Team Member Spotlight

duda@aftercare.com (Tukios Websites) — Fri, 07 Jul 2023 20:25:26 GMT

Get To Know Mark

1.) Where were you born? Rose Hill, Kansas

2.) What is one thing that brings you happiness? Being with my family doing something outside.

3.) How does this job give your life purpose? Caring for those who cannot care for themselves and the families of those who've lost loved ones allows me to know I'm not just here for myself, but to serve others as well.

4.) Tell us about your pets. Short-haired cat named Scorcho and a long-haired cat named Cletus.

5.) What is your favorite restaurant in Shawnee? Theopolis and The Owl Shoppe

6.) Where would you go if you could visit anywhere in the world? Today it is rural Japan, but that will probably change again sometime soon.

7.) What are some of the things you enjoy doing outside of work? Running, lifting weights, hiking, and skiing

8.) What is your dream car? 1949 Cadillac Series G2 Fastback Coupe

9.) Tell us about the photo you chose for this spotlight? I love spending time sailing with my friends. This photo is from Lake Hefner.

Team Member Spotlight

duda@aftercare.com (Tukios Websites) — Fri, 16 Jun 2023 16:27:40 GMT

Get To Know Erin

1.) Where were you born? I was born and raised in Fife, Washington.

2.) What is one thing that brings you happiness? My family and my faith.

3.) How does this job give your life purpose? I am able to be present with and assist people going through a difficult time.

4.) Tell us about your pets. I have two black cats. One is a boy cat named Cletus who is sweet and snuggly, but an avid hunter. The other is a girl named Scorcho who is the queen of her castle.

5.) What is your favorite restaurant in Shawnee? The Owl Shoppe.

6.) Where would you go if you could visit anywhere in the world? Israel

7.) What are some of the things you enjoy doing outside of work? I enjoy spending time with the people I love. I also enjoy reading, yoga, hiking, and eating delicious food.

8.) What is your dream car? 1963 Buick Riviera

9.) Tell us about the photo you chose for this spotlight? I love visiting my family. This picture was taken when I met my sister's pet goat, Thor.

Team Member Spotlight

duda@aftercare.com (Tukios Websites) — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 14:44:20 GMT

Get To Know Celia

1.) Where were you born? Shawnee, OK

2.) What is one thing that brings you happiness? My family and my pets.

3.) How does this job give your life purpose? It helps me focus and gives me pleasure in helping people in their time of need.

4.) Tell us about your pets. I have two chihuahuas and two cats. They are so much fun and bring me joy. It's like having 4 children!

5.) What is your favorite restaurant in Shawnee? Abuelita's Mexican Restaurant

6.) Where would you go if you could visit anywhere in the world? Florence, Italy

7.) What are some of the things you enjoy doing outside of work? Working in my yard, shopping with my girlfriends, painting, and spending time with my animals.

8.) What is your dream car? 1968 Camero

9.) Tell us about the photo you chose for this spotlight? I was eating a hot dog in Switzerland sitting outside of the Bucherer gift store.

Team Member Spotlight

duda@aftercare.com (Tukios Websites) — Wed, 31 May 2023 14:16:09 GMT

Get To Know Maliyah

1.) Where were you born? I was born in Toledo, Oregon and raised in Shawnee, Oklahoma.

2.) What is one thing that brings you happiness? My dog, Alpha.

3.) How does this job give your life purpose? I enjoy giving back and being there for my community .

4.) Tell us about your pets. I have a Siberian husky named Alpha. He is funny, dramatic, and loving. He loves to play in the park & meet other dogs. He turns 4 this year.

5.) What is your favorite restaurant in Shawnee? Don Ciros

6.) Where would you go if you could visit anywhere in the world? Bora Bora

7.) What are some of the things you enjoy doing outside of work? I enjoy hanging out with my family, going on weekend vacations, shopping, church, and taking my dog out for lunch.

8.) What is your dream car? My Audi I drive now.

Team Member Spotlight

duda@aftercare.com (Tukios Websites) — Wed, 24 May 2023 16:12:39 GMT

Get To Know Jamie

1.) Where were you born? Joplin, MO

2.) What is one thing that brings you happiness? Working out! I love physical fitness, testing my abilities and pushing my own mental and physical limits. I also enjoy gardening and working in my yard.

3.) How does this job give your life purpose? I find purpose in caring for others. The funeral process if foreign to most, but not me. I like being able to walk families through the arrangement process, learn about the deceased, and make this time as calm, meaningful, and as easy as it can be for grieving families. Grief can be very overwhelming, chaotic, and painful. Families benefit from having a calm professional to listen to their requests, anticipate some of their needs, and ensure all details and requests are carried out perfectly. To get a "Thank You" from a grieving family is the highest honor a funeral director can receive. In those moments, I know I did something that mattered for someone else.

4.) Tell us about your pets. My better half is a hairless cat named Pauley Ray. She's 12 years old and has turned me into a cat lady. I also have two hairless guinea pigs named Jim and Mr. Larry.

5.) What is your favorite restaurant in Shawnee? Theopolis and the Thai Restaurant. I'm also a big fan of The Lunch Box!

6.) Where would you go if you could visit anywhere in the world? Tokyo

7.) What are some of the things you enjoy doing outside of work? Bowling, working out, working in my yard, gardening, working on house projects and doing nothing with my cat.

8.) What is your dream car? The one I have. It gets me from point A to point B and that's all I need.

9.) Tell us about the photo you chose for this spotlight? This photo was taken in June 2022 after my first ultra-marathon. It was a 50K (31 miles) in War Eagle Mills in NW Arkansas. It took me just over 8 hours to complete, and it will forever be one of the best days of my life.

It's Never Too Early to Secure Your Final Place

jreed@walkerfuneral.com (Jamie Reed) — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 14:44:48 GMT

I'm 36 years old, and I have a cemetery plot.

Last year I encouraged my parents to pick out cemetery plots. We had already discussed our deaths as a family one Christmas a few years ago. We are a family of planners, and death has been a topic my mom and I discuss from time to time. My parents had considered a cemetery in Kingfisher, Oklahoma, to be near family. Finally, my mom set an appointment with the city to pick out and purchase cemetery plots. While they were at the cemetery, she called me, “Hey, do you want us to get you a plot too?” It made me laugh to think about, but my answer was a firm, “Yes!” Weeks later, I received the deed to my cemetery plot in the mail. Again, I smiled and giggled as I placed it in safekeeping with other important papers.

I should let you in on another set of feelings I had when I received that deed in the mail. I felt relieved. I felt calm. I felt peaceful. If I die tomorrow, I have a plan and a place. I have a place for my body to rest after my mind no longer tells it to lift heavy, run fast, work hard, and play harder. My great-grandma is buried at that cemetery, and I have such fond memories of visiting her in Kingfisher. Her home had a dirt cellar, which fascinated my brother and me. She was always concerned that someone would become trapped in the dirt cellar, so she lined the stairs with gallons of drinking water and stocked plenty of canned vegetables on the shelves. We always enjoyed visiting grandma’s home because it was as though we were stepping back in time to experience how she grew up and raised a family during the Depression. Her bathroom also had a padded toilet seat, which entertained us as little kids.

I wish I could have had more years with her, especially as an adult. But, when I die, my body will rest at the same cemetery as hers, which brings me comfort. Having a plan in place does not increase my chances of dying. But it ensures that in the event of my death, I have a plan and a place.

I encourage you to make a plan and find a place as well. Even if cremation is your intent, burying the urn and creating a final resting place is important. The cemetery serves as a place of remembrance and legacy. It is a place to feel connected to family and honor those who came and went before you. The soul flourishes in those connections.

The Dictionary Project

Fri, 03 Mar 2023 22:22:38 GMT

Dictionaries and Death

As part of the Shawnee Rotary Club, Mark and I recently had the opportunity to meet with third-grade students at a local elementary school to hand out dictionaries to the children. The Dictionary Project was founded in 1995 to help promote literacy. This has allowed Rotary and other organizations to provide resource books for more than 31 million students nationwide! We spoke with almost 70 students about service and how we serve ourselves by serving others. We had the kids look up the word service in their brand-new dictionary.

Of course, we couldn’t leave our group without sharing a little about what Mark and I do as funeral home owners. Children are naturally curious about most things, including death and dying. We asked the students if they knew what a funeral director was, and most of the group raised their hands. We also asked them if they had ever experienced the loss of a loved one, such as a grandparent, and most of them raised their hands as well. We started with the word death, had the students look up the definition, and called on one to read the definition allowed to the class. At this age, kids can understand the finality of death, especially when we ask about a pet or a grandparent.

We continued our discussion by looking up the word funeral. Many students said they had attended a funeral. Children should be involved in the death rituals specific to each family. This is how they learn how their family cares for their dead. Third-grade students should be encouraged to attend the funeral and/or viewing of a friend or loved one. One important thing to note is the language we use around death with children. It’s important to answer their questions honestly and with age-appropriate language. For example, it is usually best to use the word “dead” or “died” when describing a loved one who has passed away instead of “they are sleeping.” We do not want to equate death to sleeping because sleeping is what we all do every night, and just because you go to sleep, does not mean you will die. We also want to avoid euphemisms for death as much as possible. Yes, grandma may be in Heaven with the angels, but she died first.

Our final word for the morning was grief. Again, the students looked up this word using their new dictionaries. I spoke briefly about sadness and that it is okay to be sad, especially after someone we love dies. I told the kids that sometimes when we are sad, we cry, and that is okay, especially at a funeral. When we cry, it lets those around us know that we may need extra help, comfort, or support. The funeral is a place to cry and be supported by friends and family.

Although our time with these students was brief, we enjoyed every minute. They had numerous questions for us but one of my favorites was, “How long does it take for a person to turn into a skeleton after they die?” In the future, we hope to have more opportunities to talk with students in our community about death and dying. A culture that does not shy away from death and understands its place in life will find less death anxiety and will have a higher level of respect for human life.

Let's Talk About Death

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 01:37:20 GMT

Let's Talk About Death

Welcome to the beginning of the Walker Funeral & Cremation Service online blog. My name is Jamie. I am one of the funeral directors, embalmers, and owners of our funeral home. Although I am new to the Shawnee area, I am not as new to funeral service. I grew up in Joplin, Missouri, and attended Missouri Southern State University, where I earned a bachelor’s degree in biology. I planned to become a doctor. More specifically, a medical examiner. I wanted to care for the dead by performing autopsies. However, plans don’t always work out. Life doesn’t always go how you think it will, and adjustments must be made.

The year was 2010, my dog died, and I was not successful in my first semester of medical school. One could say I put all of my eggs in one basket and dropped it. I did not have a plan B. My college advisor and I met to brainstorm options for “What now?” We threw around many different ideas and paths of study, none of which seemed exciting. Then, with no warning, he leans back in his chair and says, “Why don’t you be an embalmer?” I was excited by this idea. This was the only idea we had come up with that interested me. I did my research and decided to attend mortuary school in Kansas City. Still, in the back of my mind, I considered this as something to do while I studied for the MCAT (medical school admissions exam) and took another stab at medical school.

I served my apprenticeship in Kansas City at a mortuary service. There, we worked on behalf of other funeral homes picking up decedents, embalming, and transporting them to the appropriate funeral homes. Learning to navigate Kansas City traffic and the many different hospitals was intense! But it was a significant first step. I enjoyed the embalming side of funeral service and took an interest in cosmetics and trauma repair. I considered care of the dead human body to be my forte and did not expect I could do much else.

That changed in 2015 when Mark Riley, our other funeral home owner, hired me for a funeral director position at a funeral home he was managing. I was frank about my lack of funeral director experience and relayed my hope for embalming and caring for decedents. But, Mark needed a director to meet with families and considered my inexperience a plus because I did not have any bad habits. I was a blank canvas.

Funeral service is one of those professions where the only way to learn is to jump right in, and the water is deep and hot! There is nothing comfortable about learning how to care for grieving people. It is scary, intimidating, and sometimes traumatic. After only six months of meeting with families, I wasn’t ready to plan a funeral for a thirteen-year-old girl. I wasn’t prepared for the trauma that death brings. I wasn’t ready to bear witness to that much sadness. It is one thing to care for people who have died in various ways, naturally or tragically. It is something entirely different to care for surviving family members.

While learning to care for families, I let go of my dream of becoming a doctor. Looking back, I didn’t have a strong enough “why” for this dream. The road to becoming a physician is long, challenging, and expensive. I thought that was the only path that would bring me a sense of fulfillment and purpose. Oh, how wrong I can be! I worked five and a half years with Mark up in northern Oklahoma. Not only did I learn all aspects of working at a funeral home, but I began to look deeper into funeral service and our role as funeral directors.

At the top of 2015—right before I began working—I enrolled in a Master of Science program in Thanatology. Thanatology is the study of death, dying, grief, and bereavement. Over eight years (I had to take some semesters off when work became too hectic), I studied all things death and dying. This blog was part of my capstone project to finish my degree. One of my goals as a thanatologist is to contribute to death education, especially for my community. I asked a simple question: Who are the death experts in Shawnee, Oklahoma? In fact, who are the death experts in any given community? Who is keeping up on current death-related research and providing information to our community? The answer last month was no one. The answer now is me. I am a forever student and have always loved going to school. Now the time has come to put my education to use in serving others.

This blog will be a source of death education for the community we serve and anyone else interested in learning about death. Death isn’t taboo; it’s uncomfortable. Do you know how things become more comfortable? By talking about them. Death is uncomfortable because we do not discuss it, think about it, or understand how it fits into our lives and what purpose it serves. The more we talk about death, the less scary it becomes. Trust me; if talking about death led to actual death, I would have died years ago!

If you’re reading this, you made it to the end. Well done! Let’s make a pact: I will continue researching all things death-related and provide easy-to-read death and funeral content on this blog, and you, as a reader, will stay open to death. Whether we like it or not, we will all be affected by the death of a loved one, and we will all one day die. There is so much to discuss, so let’s do it! I am interested in any questions or topics you may want to discuss. Please feel free to email me at jreed@walkerfuneral.com.

Pressing Pause Part 5

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 16:26:46 GMT

Pressing Pause Part 5

Here is the series finale of Pressing Pause. In this video, we discuss the importance of pressing pause in your life after losing a loved one.

We must give much credit to our micro-internship team from OBU: Beth, Lucky, and Allison for their hard work in creating these videos for us. It was an honor to meet and work with such wonderful young adults who I believe will go on to do excellent work in the future.

Click here to watch the series finale.

Pressing Pause Part 4 & Video

duda@aftercare.com (Tukios Websites) — Mon, 05 Dec 2022 17:32:02 GMT

Pressing Pause Part 4

In Pressing Pause Part 4, Mark and I share a little about how we became funeral directors and what motivates us in our profession. Click the link here to watch Part 4 of our web series, Pressing Pause.

Pressing Pause Part 3 Video

duda@aftercare.com (Tukios Websites) — Fri, 25 Nov 2022 17:26:54 GMT

Pressing Pause Part 3 Video

Check out our latest video, Pressing Pause Part 3 on our Facebook page Click Here

Pressing Pause Part 2

duda@aftercare.com (Tukios Websites) — Thu, 24 Nov 2022 17:09:41 GMT

Pressing Pause Part 2 & Video

In Pressing Pause Part 2, we asked OBU students if they were close with their families. We also asked how they wished to be celebrated at the end of their lives.

Your relationship with your family growing up and as an adult significantly affects how you react during difficult situations. Families who openly discuss death with one another, such as how they want to be remembered and celebrated, can be better prepared when a loved one dies. Conversations with your family about death don't have to be sad or gloomy. Last Christmas, my family and I discussed each of our deaths. We ended up laughing so much thinking about good times and left appreciating each other more.

Check back next week for the complete video and challenge yourself to have one conversation about death with a family member this week.

Pressing Pause Part 2 Video

Check out our latest video, Pressing Pause Part 2 on our Facebook page Click Here

Pressing Pause Part 1 Video

duda@aftercare.com (Tukios Websites) — Tue, 22 Nov 2022 17:09:41 GMT

Pressing Pause Part 1 Video

In Pressing Pause, part 1, we asked OBU students about the difference between a funeral ceremony and a celebration of life. We also asked them how they wanted to be remembered.

What about you? What do you think is the difference between a funeral and a celebration of life? And how do YOU want to be remembered? Comment below with your thoughts!

Use this link to watch our first video on our Facebook page. https://fb.watch/gYWnCuCmdl/

Pressing Pause

duda@aftercare.com (Tukios Websites) — Wed, 16 Nov 2022 17:09:41 GMT

Pressing Pause

"A funeral service is a time to honor a person and just remember all the things that [you] loved about that particular person, and just be able to encourage the family." –Oklahoma Baptist University's Student Body President, Hannah DeMoss.

In our five-part online series, Pressing Pause, we will explore how some local OBU students view death and funeral service. Mark Riley and I will also weigh in on similar topics and why pause is necessary after the death of a loved one.

This project was made possible by the fantastic efforts of Allison, Lucky, and Elizabeth, three marketing students from Dr. Daryl Green’s Marketing Analytics and Intel class at OBU. This video series will begin our new mission to foster healthy conversations about death within our community.

Be sure to like our social media pages (Facebook and Instagram) and check back weekly for new videos and blog content.

Welcome to Walker Funeral & Cremation Service's blog for death and funeral-related content

My name is Jamie. I am a funeral director, embalmer, one of the funeral home's owners, and most recently, a thanatologist. After graduating from mortuary school and beginning to work as a licensed professional, I realized there was much more to this career than what I had been presented in mortuary school. Caring for the dead human body is one crucial aspect of our job. However, caring for grieving family members is the heart and soul of funeral service. I felt there was much more to learn about death and grief to serve grieving families better. In December 2022, I will graduate with a Master's degree in Thanatology, studying death, dying, grief, and bereavement. I realize death is an uncomfortable topic to discuss, so, let's talk about it! This blog will provide funeral and death-related content to those interested in the subject. We will all experience the death of a loved one, and we will experience death ourselves one day. To contemplate death's purpose and place in our lives is a life-long journey. Let this space serve as a source of information to help have conversations about death with your friends and family.