Holidays are filled with traditions, but when someone you used to share those moments with has died, managing grief during the holiday season can be particularly challenging. Mental and physical preparation are your best tools for managing the feelings that may accompany holidays. While family members, particularly children, may want things to be as they’ve […]
Imagine you’ve just gotten an important phone call from a friend that one of your favorite coworkers just died. You’re in disbelief. You just talked to them! What happened?? No one seems to know. It is a heartbreaking situation, and you don’t want to sound insensitive, but you want to know what happened. You check […]
O’Connell Family Funeral Homes knows families have the best intentions when having to plan a funeral, but sometimes people have different opinions on what they think their loved ones might have wanted – thus causing conflict. Intense emotions, personality conflicts, and financial pressures to pay for services can bring additional stressors. Pre-arranging your funeral assures […]
The funeral industry is built with rituals and consistency. Funeral rites are as old as the human race itself. But today, the funeral industry is one of constant change and trends. An exciting trend happening is women entering the field to become funeral directors. Several decades ago, it was very uncommon for women to be […]
The O’Connell Family Funeral Homes Blood Drive The O’Connell family has a long and proud history of serving the communities of Hudson, Baldwin and the greater St. Croix Valley. That’s why we are so excited to host a Red Cross blood drive on August 28th at our Hudson funeral home; 520 11th Street South. But […]
Their memories live on! Kaila Fouks, the beloved daughter of Gary and Nancy Fouks of Hudson, died tragically in 2015 as a result of an auto accident. Kaila’s free spirit, infectious smile, and sweet nature touched the lives of those around her. She loved the outdoors and was active with animals and nature. Her grave is […]
Farewell flag ceremony The O’Connell Family Funeral Homes, which includes our onsite Countryside Crematory, continues their veteran and United States flag honor with their Farewell Flag Act of Reverence. A meaningful and unique way to honor those who served Families of veterans are seeking meaningful and unique ways to create a lasting memorial tribute to their […]
This month was very special and very difficult at the same time. We said goodbye to our patriarch, Thomas ‘Tucker’ O’Connell. After 91 years, his body was tired, his mind gave all it had, and he missed mom more than life. But it wasn’t until after the funeral and seeing the wonderful tribute, that I […]
“Grieving is as natural as crying when you are hurt, sleeping when you are tired, or eating when you are hungry… It is nature’s way of healing a broken heart.” ~Doug Manning The death of someone we love changes our lives forever. And the movement from the “before” to the “after” is almost always a long, painful […]
Funerals and cremation. Funerals and cremation have changed tremendously in the past 10 years. Most of the changes have come as a result of families not wanting the “traditional ritualistic” funeral. Families want to make their loved ones funeral personal. The O’Connell Family Funeral Home staff has played an integral role in this evolution and […]