In Loving Memory
TRIBUTES TO OUR LOVED ONES
How to express your condolences when someone dies
Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult and devastating life events a person will experience. While there’s nothing you can do to remedy the situation, you can certainly let your friends or loved ones know that you’re there for them in their time of need. Even if you’re not sure what the appropriate behavior is when someone else is grieving, there are several things you can do to show that you care.
Make initial contact
When you first learn that your friend or loved one has suffered a loss, consider how close you are to the grieving person.
If you are more of an acquaintance, wait a day or two to pay your respects. It may be more appropriate to send a letter, email, or card of sympathy if you are not close with the bereaved.
If you are very close, phone or visit them as soon as possible to offer support. Keep the call or visit brief and express your sympathy at that time. Remember that they are likely overwhelmed at this time, and may not have time or energy to spare on social graces.
Offer assistance with practical matters
During a time of loss, it’s often difficult for the person who’s left behind to tend to their daily needs. Offer to run errands for them or help with them housework. Something as simple as picking up a prescription, getting a few groceries or picking up dry cleaning can be very helpful during this period of time. Most likely their time will be taken up with making the final arrangements for the deceased and it maybe hard for them to take time out to keep the household running. Don’t put pressure on them to accept your help, or take it personally if they decline. They may simply want to be left alone, and you should respect their wishes.
Drop off some food
Preparing and dropping off food is another way that you can show you care when someone close to you has lost a loved one. Make oneor two dishes that you can drop off to the grieving person to help feed the friends and family who will most likely gather before and after the funeral. Casseroles, soups and stews are all dishes that are easy to heat up and taste just as
good even when eaten a day or two later.
If cooking isn’t a skill you possess, you can have food delivered or pick up something at a local deli or bakery.
Send flowers
Families often appreciate receiving floral arrangements when they’ve lost someone. It lets them know that you’re thinking of them and shows respect for the person who’s passed away. Flowers are also a simple reminder of life and beauty during a dark time.
A florist can help you select an arrangement that is tasteful and will work with you to find something that’s within your budget. Sign the card with a heartfelt sentiment.
Attend the viewing and funeral
Another way to be there for a friend or loved one is to attend the viewing and funeral service. If the deceased observed a different religious tradition from your own, simply ask the clergy member what is an acceptable level of participation in the service for someonewho isn’t a member of the religion. For example, everyone is welcome at a Catholic funeral, however, non-Catholics are not permitted to receive Holy Communion during the service.
Learn the proper etiquette beforehand to avoid any uncomfortable moments.
Support the bereaved aft erward
After the funeral, life goes back to normal for those who weren’t as close to the deceased. But for those who deceased person best, the grieving process is just beginning. It is during the weeks, months and years following the loss that the bereaved person will needsupport the most. While they were probably carried forward on a sea of momentum and adrenaline during the funeral preparations and service, now they are left alone to learn to live with their loss.
Visit them periodically for a chat, invite them to get out to some low-key events with you when they feel up to it or telephone to let them know that they’re on your mind.
While words can never truly express the deep sense of sympathy you feel for someone’s loss, actions can go a long way to let them know you care. By reaching out to the bereaved and assisting them in any way you can, you can show how much you feel for them during this time. -
Gloria Lillian Aarhus 1938-2026 Orange, CA In Loving Memory
In Loving Memory
Paul (Paulie) Abato 1933-2025
Laguna Niguel, CA
In Loving Memory
Sally A. Adamson 1946-2026
Fullerton, CA
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Roberta S. (Bobbi) Adler 1945-2026 Fountain Valley, CA
Karl Spencer Aiken 1961-2025 San Clemente, CA
James “Barber Jim” Anderson 1945-2025
Lake Forest, CA In Loving Memory
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Haidee Marie Barker 1950-2026
Costa Mesa, CA
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Robert Joseph Birschbach 1950-2026 Orange, CA
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Phillip David Anderson 1944-2025
Laguna Beach, CA
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James Beck 2020-2026 San Clemente, CA
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Nancy Bollinger 1937-2026
Costa Mesa, CA
Beverly Brauer 1929-2026
Tustin, CA
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Thelma Anderson 1925-2025
Anaheim, CA
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Sara (Sally) Stewart Bergstrom 1937-2026 Fullerton, CA
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Carole LaVonne (Ferguson) Bouska 1924-2025
Costa Mesa, CA
Viola Brelje 1923-2026 Orange, CA
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Christina Brown 1928-2026
Temecula, CA
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Jo Ann Margaret Ardanaz 1938-2026
Yorba Linda, CA
Mary Ann (Parent) Berkuta 1947-2026 San Clemente, CA
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Lillian L. Bowers 1935-2026
Buena Park, CA
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1928-2025
CA
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Carol Ann Arritt 1939-2026 Coto de Caza, CA
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Charles Dexter Bialowas 1942-2025 Fullerton, CA
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Scott Steed Brandes 1967-2026
Costa Mesa, CA
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CA
Edward Buono 1934-2026 Laguna
Helen Sayoko Kawamoto Buono
Laguna Hills,
Hills,
In Loving Memory
Richard K. Burdick 1946-2026 Orange County, CA
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Henry Eugene (Gene) Cantwell 1950-2026 Fullerton, CA
In Loving Memory
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Patricia A Davis 1954-2026 Las Vegas, NV
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John Henry Burton III 1973-2025 San Diego, CA
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Wayne Carlson 1951-2025 Laguna Woods, CA
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Charles John De Groodt 1955-2025 Huntington Beach, CA
Cathy Driscoll 1945-2025 Santa Ana, CA
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Richard William Faher 1957-2026
New Port Richey, FL
In Loving Memory
John Bushman 1941-2025 Placentia, CA
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June Louise Dugmore 1930-2026 Huntington Beach, CA
Bill W. Carter 2025 Garden Grove, CA
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Sandra Lee Denny 1939-2026 Tustin, CA
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Linda Engen 1948-2026 San Clemente, CA
Virginia Featherstone 1930-2025 Auburn, CA
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Marilyn Camps 1930-2026 Bozeman, MT
Aura Elena (Ortiz) Chetkovich 1937-2026 Oklahoma City, OK
Jerry Cannon 1932-2025 Westminster, CA
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Judith Clarke 1935-2026 Orange, CA
Mary Ann (Amato) Dolley 1928-2026 Santa Ana, CA
Clint Ferguson 1939-2026 Mission Viejo, CA
Elsie Greenwood Everett 1937-2026 Orange, CA
Esperanza “Hope” Canales Dorame 1937-2025 La Habra, CA
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Cheryl Eyjolfsson 1944-2026 Anaheim, CA
Patricia Flaherty 1926-2025 Waco, TX
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Marie Fletcher 1952-2025 Laguna Beach, CA
Jeanine
Caring for an ailing parent with confidence
Reversing the roles of caregiver and dependent is complicated and emotional. Adult children can become caregivers of their parents inthe blink of an eye, and it can lead to doubt and anxiety for all.
As unfortunate as it may be in the moment, taking over the care of ailing parents is simply a part of life. It is the natural progression that most have to face.
Here are some tips to help you deal with progressing from someone’s child to their caregiver:
1. Accept what is happening. As difficult as it may seem, it is important to know the facts of the illness or condition that needs to behandled. If it is an illness that will eventually
lead to death (whether immediate or long-term), making arrangements for a written will, funeral, and legal determinations is crucial. Completing these steps will reduce future stress and worry.
2. Have open communication with your parent. Explain that you will be handling the situation and stepping up into the caregiver role, so that there is no question or uncertainty. It is important to take over this responsibility while also aff ording your parent dignity, respect and any autonomy they can still have over their own care.
3. Prepare yourself. It will be a rough road to travel. Surround yourself with a reliable support system, plenty of positive energy, and tissues. Know that you will shed tears; you will fall; you will get back up; and you will do what needs done for your parent.
4. Approach your parent with love. Be gentle, loving and understanding, but be strong and courageous. When you are in the last moments with your parent, show them how much you love them. Let that message overshadow the message of fear. Assure your parent that they have had a wonderful life, and their pain will soon end.
5. Reach out to others. There are a number of helpful organizations whose mission
is to help caregivers. Don’t hesitate to reach out for help. Investigate your local social services organizations and speak to representatives about your situation. Take the help theyoffer. The stronger you are, the better you will take care of your parent during this difficult time.
You have a window of opportunity to make lasting memories and to develop your parent’s hardships into a unique loving and bonding
experience. Your parent brought you into the world, nurtured and enabled you to become the adult that you are today. This can be yourturn to nurture them in return.
Caring for your ailing parent may seem unnatural and stressful, but being prepared and approaching the situation with a full toolbox can help turn it into a natural, even beautiful, experience.
- TRIBUTE TECHNOLOGY
In Loving Memory
James Flood 1941-2025 Irvine, CA
Debra “Debby”¬ùGibbs 1951-2025 Irvine, CA In Loving Memory
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Trudy Harwell Gray 1952-2026 Fullerton, CA
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John Robert “Bob” Holt 1934-2026
Newport Beach, CA
In Loving Memory
Sandra Kay Flournoy 1931-2026 Fullerton, CA
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In Loving Memory
Mildred (Millie) French-Torres 1931-2026
Laguna Woods, CA
Carl Glover 1946-2026 Huntington Beach, CA
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Karla Gordon 1950-2024
Laguna Woods, CA
Matthew Todd Hagen 1962-2026 Mission Viejo, CA
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Elaine G. Hooke 1934-2026 Menifee, CA
Margie Hubbard 1940-2025
Corona del Mar, CA
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Helmut Gabel 1929-2026 Placentia, CA
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Jim Hall 1941-2025
Laguna Beach, CA
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Richard (Dick) Hughes 1933-2026 Huntington Beach, CA
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Patricia Budd Grable 1925-2026 South Jordan, UT
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Marianne Hinsberger Horan 1935-2026 Anaheim, CA
Wyatt Tipton Hart 1936-2026 San Juan Capistrano, CA
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Chester E. Horton Jr. 1932-2026 Santa Ana, CA
Carmen Ivanov 1948-2025 Irvine, CA
Nancy Ganio 1928-2026 Dana Point, CA
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Ida Louise Grace 1936-2026 Westminster, CA
Irene L. Head 1942-2025 Placentia, CA
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Joan Ann Howe 1935-2025 Anaheim, CA
Frank Jordan 1941-2026 Orange County, CA
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Bob Kavanagh 1969-2025 Placentia, CA
La Mirada, CA In Loving Memory
William Keith 1937-2025
Newport Beach, CA In Loving Memory
David B. Kuhn, Jr. 1943-2026
In Loving Memory
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Charles P Leo, PhD 1942-2026
Huntington Beach, CA
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John (Jack) Kirkorn 1939-2026
Huntington Beach, CA
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Amy Ladwig 1958-2026
Laguna Niguel, CA
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Marilyn Littrell 1932-2026 Garden Grove, CA
Mary Kay Meier 1934-2026
Buena Park, CA
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In Loving Memory
Richard Joseph Kociela 1938-2026
North Tustin, CA
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Mark S. Millard 1938-2026
Newport Beach, CA
Glenn C. Myers 1944-2026
Ojai, CA
Nancy Lavigne 1951-2025
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Lawrence P. Kraemer, Jr. 1934-2025 Orange County, CA
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Joseph S. Lawton, M.D. 1934-2025 Fullerton, CA
Herbert Hover Maxwell 1928-2026 Irvine, CA
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Virginia Miller 1942-2026 Santa Ana, CA
Patricia Neal 1930-2025 Brea, CA
Warren Kraft 1928-2026
Yorba Linda, CA
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James Christopher Layton 1944-2026
Santa Ana, CA
Douglas McAuliffe 1954-2025 Soldotna, AK
Loving Memory
Barbara Lee Albertson Mitchell 1936-2025
Newport Beach, CA
Steven A. Newman, MD 1945-2026 Osprey, FL
Larry Eugene McKnight 1937-2025
Yorba Linda, CA
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Mona Morgan 1935-2026
Costa Mesa, CA
George Nikolaos Nikas 1927-2026
Long
CA
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1940-2026
Beach,
Dr. Othniel A. Oakley Jr. (Sydney)
Garden Grove, CA
In Loving Memory
Norma Jean Franke Ohnemus 1934-2025 Cypress, CA
In Loving Memory
Kenneth Oku 1944-2026
Laguna Woods, CA
In Loving Memory
Eugene O’Rourke 1929-2025
Corona Del Mar, CA
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John J. Pantle 1935-2026 Fullerton, CA
William E. Pearce, Jr. 1934-2026 Huntington Beach, CA
Olivia Virginia Warehime Perine 1946-2025
La Habra, CA In Loving Memory
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Linda Mae Rexroth 1934-2026
San Clemente, CA
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Michael Schliebe 1955-2025
Puyallup, WA
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Bonnie Bebe Shaddock 1933-2026
Laguna Woods, CA
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Rosemarie Theresa Persek 1939-2025 Orange, CA
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Cecil E. Ricks, JR. 1939-2026 Fullerton, CA
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LeRoy (Lee) Dean Schmaus 1942-2026 Canyon Lake, CA
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Jerome Pierce Jr. 1944-2026
San Juan Capistrano, CA
Suzanne Rosen 1933-2026
San Rafael, CA
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Beverly Schmidt 1947-2026 Lake Forest, CA
Patricia Baldwin Shields 1937-2025 Concord, CA
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Andy Plisko, MD 1956-2026 Las Vegas NV
Mary Jo Sarrao 1941-2026
Mission Viejo, CA
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Paul Schroeder 1928-2026 Tustin, CA
Patricia Marie Shuff 1941-2025
Fullerton, CA
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Philip E. Rasch 1941-2026 Orange, CA
Sharron Schauperl 1942-2026 Springville, CA
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Lyla M. Selva 1929-2026 Newport Beach, CA
Gloria Skripko 1937-2026 Brea, CA
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Jerry Andrew Smithey 1943-2025
Sand Spring, OK
Lowell Sneathen 1941-2025 Tustin, CA
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In Loving Memory
Al Steinberg 1931-2025 Laguna Woods, CA
Clarence Thummel 1929-2026 Placentia, CA
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Richard “Dick” Allan Wallace 1939-2026 Santa Ana, CA
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Larry Meno Wilhelms 1947-2025 Newport Beach, CA
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Stephen Trerotola 1947-2026 Irvine, CA
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Susanne Wedemeyer 1944-2026 Glendale, AZ
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In Loving Memory
Merle Tabor Stern 1942-2025 Corona del Mar, CA
Marie Bridget Turley 1932-2026 Newport Beach, CA
Lynn Irene Williams 1947-2025 Seal Beach, CA
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Peter Sullivan 1939-2025 Newport Beach, CA
David Weilmuenster 1944-2026 Orange, CA
B. Lewis Avera Jr. 1933-2025 San Clemente, CA
Sarah Uberuaga 1946-2026 Meridian, ID
Wayne Kenneth Zaradnik 1936-2026 Irvine, CA
Commander John Gatley 1958-2025 Huntington Beach, CA
Nancy Tarnutzer 1940-2026 Newport Beach, CA
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Kenneth Francis Walker 1961-2026 Corona, CA
Thomas L. Welch II 1940-2025 Huntington Beach, CA
Karen Beecher (Kuntz) 1943-2025 Fullerton, CA
Dana Zeigler 1964-2026 North Tustin, CA
Sue A. Wildrick 1936-2025 Huntington Beach, CA
Sally Ann Sprout Mallard 1936-2025 Fallbrook, CA
Al Arciniaga 1960-2025 Middlesex, NC
Robin McDonald 1947-2025 San Clemente, CA
William Louis McIntyre 1946-2025
Newport Beach, CA
Ivica “John” Vukovic 1932-2026
Woodland Hills, CA
In Loving Memory
Alyce de Roulet Williamson 1930-2026
Pasadena, CA
May the constant love of caring friends soften your sadness. May cherished memories bring you moments of comfort. May lasting peace surround your grieving heart.
Writing a Sympathy Note
Writing a sympathy note is a thoughtful way to express your condolences when someone you know has suffered a recent loss. However, it is essential to strike the right tone and off er your sympathy with sensitivity.
Use this list of do’s and don’ts to guide you as you craft the perfect note of sympathy.
Do
Write that note, even when you feel awkward. Skipping the note might be interpreted as a sign that you don’t care about the family’s sorrow. This is never the message you want to send.
Do
Send the note as soon as you hear about the death. The first days and weeks after a loss are often the worst. This is the time to offer your heartfelt sympathy.
Do
Send a stock printed card if you barely knew the deceased or the family. If the relationship was closer, be sure to write a personal note or letter. When in doubt, send flowers along with your note.
Do
Remember the note is for the living, not the deceased. Even if you didn’t get along with the deceased or didn’t know the person at all, it’s always appropriate to offer sympathy to the family.
Do
Tell them you’re sorry they suffered a loss. This is the essence of your message. It doesn’t need to be fancy, but it always needs to be said. Let them know they’re in your thoughts as they struggle with their grief.
Do
Share a positive memory of thoughtfulness, warmth, or other positive qualities the loved one possessed if
you were also close with the deceased. Gentle humor can be just what the family needs, so it’s fine to share a funny story if it puts the deceased in a good light.
Do
Offer some help. If you’re far away, you might say “I’m here any time you want to talk.” If you live close by, bring a casserole, offer towalk the dog or do some babysitting.
Don’t
Say “Let me know if you need anything.” While this is a popular gesture, it’s essentially an empty one. The bereaved is too busy and in too much pain to think of things for you to do. If you really want to help, offer something specific.
Don’t
Say “Mary’s finally out of pain.” Avoid saying anything that makes it sound like the death was a good thing.
Don’t
Express religious sentiments, unless you’re sure the family shares those beliefs. To non believers, these sentiments might sound empty and make them feel worse.
Condolence notes can be a source of comfort and let sorrowing relatives know they are not alone. With a few simple words, you can let the bereaved know you care and brighten their day.
Passing Assets to Your Heirs Without Probate and With Personal Liability Protection
When you have a limited liability company that owns assets, such as investment real estate, it provides you with personal liability protection but often doesn’t have any estate planning benefits. A living trust enables you to pass assets to your heirs immediately, outside of probate, but doesn’t provide any personal liability protection. To gain the liability protection of an LLC and the estate planning benefits of a living trust, consider making your living trust the sole member of your LLC.
Living trust
When you put assets into a revocable living trust, the assets pass directly to your heirs when you die without going through probate court. This eliminates the delays associated with supervision from a probate judge and prevents public disclosure of the transaction. It’s also usually less expensive than probate court. While you’re alive, you can add assets to the trust, remove assets from the trust and control the current assets as the trustee.
Limited liability company
When you form a company to hold assets, you must typically choose to organize it as a corporation, a partnership or a limited liability company. A corporation provides personal liability protection if someone wins a judgment against the company, but the government taxes you twice. A partnership eliminates double- taxation, but doesn’t provide personal liability protection to the general partner. A limited liability company, however, combines the liability protection of a corporation and the single taxation of a partnership in a single entity. When you die, however, your LLC ownership must pass to your heirs through a probate in many states.
LLC membership and management
While the rules regarding LLCs vary by state, most states don’t require more than one member to form an LLC. A member can be a person or an entity such as
a corporation, a partnership, another LLC, a foreign entity or a trust. The company’s operating agreement specifies who is responsible for making decisions and commitments on behalf of the company. If an LLC is member-managed, the members are responsible for running the company. It the company is managermanaged, the members appoint a manager with responsibility for company operations. An LLC can be manager-managed, with the single member of the LLC serving as the manager.
Living trust as sole member
By making a living trust the sole member of an LLC,
the living trust becomes the owner of the company. If the company is member-managed, the trustee is responsible for running the company. If it’s managermanaged, the manager runs the company but the trustee can usually replace the manager at any time, depending on the provisions in the company’s operating agreement. When you die, company ownership passes to the trust’s beneficiaries without a probate, and your heirs also inherit personal liability protection as the new owners of the LLC and its assets.
