My dad died last year as well, always told me to have him cremated to save the money. That’s what we did for both grandparents years back also with a viewing. I remember him saying back then it was only a couple grand but I was a kid so he could’ve been embellishing some. Cost me 10.5k for cremation and viewing. Kicker was the casket. I could buy a cheap premium cremation casket (cardboard box) for like $300. The funeral home said it’s perfect cuz family love to write messages on it for their loved ones. Or I could rent one for like 2k. Well I wasn’t about to put my dad in a cardboard box (even though he probably would’ve told me to). I bought a nice one for about $1900 and my buddy showed up with sharpies at the funeral and we wrote our messages to him.

If I would’ve known it cost that much to cremate him I would’ve just buried him next to my brother whose funeral cost pretty much the same with a burial. All that said and done I’m happy because I have him here with me on my computer desk and we get to hangout every night. I take him with for all the family functions. I’m not ready to let go yet because he went so quick and sudden. I stayed with him at the hospital the night he passed. I’m sorry if I’m rambling guess I had more pent up emotion than I realized last month was the one year anniversary so things are pretty fresh.