The Family Plot Blog
Patrick (Paddy Mae) Heckler
Patrick Heckler was also known as Paddy Mae – especially when he donned wig, makeup and costume as a drag queen. He was a hair dresser, a bartender, a leader in Albuquerque’s gay community, and he was a Catholic.
Randy Staggs Memorial Service
In a way, Randy Staggs’ mother Opal paved the way for his memorial service. No one knew he would have a fatal heart attack a month later.
David Frederico Balderrama Graveside Service
As the family gathered for the burial of David Frederico Balderrama, guitarist Vernon Reza played “Amazing Grace” and Spanish songs of faith.
Phil Jaynes Memorial Service
Sometimes you can’t make it to a memorial service in person. Sometimes, the memorial service comes to you.
Freddie Drake Junior Motorcycle Funeral
It was standing room only at the funeral home chapel for Freddie Drake’s motorcycle funeral.
Brian Frieder Unitarian Memorial Service
Brian Frieder and his wife Pat were long-time members of the First Unitarian Church of Albuquerque. His peaceful death in his sleep at the age of 74 came as an unexpected shock.
Charles and Claire Fenolio
Charles "Chuck" Fenolio and his wife Claire "went home to be with their Heavenly Father" within 20 hours of each other on August 29 and 30. They would have celebrated 65 years of marriage on September 10. Today their life celebration was a standing room only event at their church, Glory Christian Fellowship. The first thing I noticed about this large, loving family: the men were wearing white shirts and blue jeans. The women were wearing blue...
Amanda Dillon Life Celebration
Amanda Nicole Dillon died too young at the age of 36.
Bernice Greer Seventh Day Adventist Celebration
Bernice Greer was a real life Church Lady, and I say that with the greatest admiration.
Everyone Dies: Lessons From Six Feet Under
Everyone Dies: Lessons from Six Feet Under By Gail Rubin From 2001 to 2005, the award-winning HBO television series Six Feet Under took viewers behind the scenes at the Fisher & Sons Funeral Home in Los Angeles. Over the course of the series, the program explored themes of death, grief, mourning and transformation. In spite of its emphasis on death, Six Feet Under offers important life lessons. I just spent my summer vacation watching all...
Remembering Annie Jones Hogan
Annie Jones Hogan spent the last ten years of her life at a senior living center, and that’s where her grown children held a gracious memorial service in her honor.
Ralph Perea: A Victory Celebration
A victory celebration for Ralph Perea coming into the radiant presence of his heavenly Father filled the funeral home chapel with family and friends gathered to remember and pray for a man who died too young.
Kimberly Marie Sauter Funeral
Purple was the color scheme for Kimberly Marie Sauter’s funeral.
Celebrating Ernest Garcia: Artist, Teacher, Activist
The memorial celebration for Ernest Garcia took place at the Albuquerque Museum of Art – a place he loved to visit every week.
Celebrating Ellie Sanchez
When Ellie Sanchez’s intriguing obituary drew me to her memorial service, I didn’t know she had been a neighbor who lived two blocks down the street from me.
Elements of a Jewish Graveside Service
Jewish traditions at a graveside funeral services include specific prayers, ribbon tearing, and placing earth on the casket in the grave.
Paul Holcomb Celebration of Life
Paul Holcomb was only 42 when he died in his sleep on Saturday night, but he had lived three decades longer than doctors predicted.
Vernon Garcia Rosary and Wake
Vernon Garcia faced death ten years ago when he suffered a massive heart attack at age 54. Quadruple bypass surgery saved his life. On Sunday morning, another heart attack took him to be with the Heavenly Father.
Clotine B. Irvin: An Intimate Family Funeral
Clotine Irvin, a.k.a. Nanny, did her own funeral planning and pre-paid for her arrangements. Nanny's plan was to have family and friends come together and tell stories. The intimate family funeral that occurred to remember her did just that. As the family gathered, I met her son Jim outside the funeral home. He said his mom, at age 81, was ready to go. Her husband had died 20 years ago, her boyfriends had died, and she herself almost died a...
Orlando Muller Visitation and Rosary
Orlando "Orlie" Muller loved to smile, loved to cook, loved to golf. He ran the celebrated El Camino Restaurant in Albuquerque until he sold it and retired in 2002. He died of kidney failure at the age of 72. The visitation and Rosary service for him at Holy Family Catholic Church brought about 150 people to pay their respects and comfort his widow Mary Ann and his six daughters Janet, Lillian, Rachel, Josephine, Anita, and Elizabeth. The duo...
Pat and Connor Porter Life Celebration
As I pulled out of the driveway to attend Pat and Connor Porter's celebration of life service, the song "Spirit in the Sky" by Norman Greenbaum came on the radio. That set the tone for a true celebration of the lives of a father and son taken too soon in a private plane crash on July 26. The extensive obituaries for two-time Olympian Pat and his son Connor (included at the end of this post) detail their achievements, their personalities, and...