02/09/2026
Even if you were aware that death was coming, such as in a hospice setting, it’s still a tough blow when it does happen. No matter the circumstances, you’ll likely feel overwhelmed with all sorts of emotions. Your to-do list just exploded and it may hurt so much trying to think about moving forward through life without this person in it.
Grief hits everyone differently, and plenty of feelings may be cycling. You may feel calm and clear-headed one minute and unable to form words or make a decision. It may be hard to think about what you’re supposed to be doing and feeling now or later.
Bixby Funeral Home has worked with plenty of individuals and families in these situations, so we know that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed with everything that’s happening. Some people have also been raised to always be stoic and keep their emotions bottled up, a strategy that unfortunately doesn’t always work well in these difficult circumstances. Others may want to stay calm so not to upset other family members. What we like to tell people is “its OK!” Part of being respectful is to allow people to grieve. When meeting with family members to discuss arrangements, pushing people is the last thing we do.
Since 1983, we’ve been working with grieving families in our community so we’re always patient and professional. We have no problem pausing our discussions if you need to step outside or have a good cry. We may even have sone laughs together when appropriate if you want to share fun memories. We enjoy hearing what was special about your loved one, which could guide us in helping you make a choice in things like urns or headstones.
Most of our clients haven’t had a lot of experience dealing with death, so they’re not quite sure what to say, how to act, or what to do next. But since this is what we do – every day – we’re happy to provide guidance and different options and reassure them that what they’re going through is normal and we’ll be glad to help.
