Blogs | Koch Funeral Home : State College, Pennsylvania (PA)

#BePresentWithKoch

#MondaysMoments

After Death

This month Jackie Naginey Hook talks to Holly Reigh about the importance of having conversations and being present before and after death. Holly is a nurse who passionately advocates and cares for ...

Whole, But Not the Same

This month Jackie Naginey Hook talks to Jennifer Stubbs about being whole but forever changed as the result of pregnancy and early infant loss. After the loss of her first son, Jennifer became a pa...

Finding Balance

This month Jackie Naginey Hook, MA, and Evelyn Wald, MS, M.Div, LPC, discuss ways to find balance after the loss of a loved one. Evelyn has more than 25 years as a grief counselor, is the program d...

Why Are Rituals Important?

This month Jackie Naginey Hook and F. Glenn Fleming, supervisor and funeral director with Koch Funeral Home, have a conversation about why rituals are important. They also discuss the Because LOVE ...

Welcome to #BePresentWithKoch

Welcome to the the new monthly #BePresentWithKoch series Hi, I’m Jackie Naginey Hook, a spiritual director, celebrant and end-of-life doula and...

To Embalm or Not to Embalm

To Embalm or Not to Embalm When a loved one dies, family members are confronted with decisions regarding how they would like to honor the life that was lost. One of the first questions the funeral...

How did you choose the funeral director profession?

How did you choose the funeral director profession? “I like helping people and making them feel better in times of need.” For Katie DeCapria, funeral director intern, that sums up why she chose th...

What Does It Take to Be a Funeral Director?

What does it take to be a funeral director? “It’s very humbling and rewarding to be the person preparing someone for their final resting place.” Imagine that your work was professionally and tende...

Has community service been a part of your life?

Has community service been a part of your life? “Service to humanity is the best work of life. I’ve spent my life doing it and would rather work for the benefit of others than anything else. A goo...

Lessons Learned As A Funeral Director

When I began my career in the funeral industry at the age of 21, I had a lot to learn. Looking back on it a half-century later, one thing I’ve learned is I would do it all over again. Although the ...

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October 18 2021

Sometimes memories of our loved ones are painful. Perhaps the manner of their death, disagreements we had or unfinished conversations to name a few. Mental health providers are a great resource to ...

October 11 2021

As we continue our conversation about cherishing memories, my work provides me with the gift of hearing many cherished memories. I’ve shared many spaces with people grieving loved ones and when the...

October 4 2021

This month our theme is “Cherishing Memories.” Alan Wolfelt, Ph.D., considers remembering the person who died as one of the needs of mourners. You move from a relationship of presence to a relation...

September 27 2021

As we close out this month’s discussion of “Mustering Courage in Loss,” I invite you do as poet John O’Donohue suggests and engage the danger and the wildness in your own heart, even when your hear...

September 20 2021

I really appreciate this line from poet Alice Mackenzie Swaim, “Courage is not the towering oak that sees storms come and go; it is the fragile blossom that opens in the snow.” That is what it take...

September 13 2021

As we talk more about mustering courage in loss, let’s begin with the etymology of the words muster and courage. According to https://www.etymonline.com, the word muster means, "to display, reveal,...

September 6 2021

This month our theme is “Mustering Courage in Loss.” This is a very appropriate theme as we honor the 20th anniversary of 9-11. Koch Funeral Home was working with Alpha Fire Company to hold a Remem...

August 30 2021

For our final “Life with Tears and Laughter” themed post this month, I offer the poem, “The Guest House,” by Rumi, a 13th century Persian poet, scholar, theologian and Sufi mystic. This being huma...

August 23 2021

People often ask me how I take care of myself since my work involves life with tears and laughter. One of the things I do is allow myself to freely express my tears and laughter. I’ve learned that ...

August 16 2021

Now let’s look at the laughter portion of our theme, “Life with Tears and Laughter.” Research has shown that laughter is healthy for us emotionally, physically and socially. (Please read the July G...

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#BePresentWithKoch

#MondaysMoments

After Death

Whole, But Not the Same

Finding Balance

Why Are Rituals Important?

Welcome to #BePresentWithKoch

To Embalm or Not to Embalm

How did you choose the funeral director profession?

What Does It Take to Be a Funeral Director?

Has community service been a part of your life?

Lessons Learned As A Funeral Director

October 18 2021

October 11 2021

October 4 2021

September 27 2021

September 20 2021

September 13 2021

September 6 2021

August 30 2021

August 23 2021

August 16 2021

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