* Without This column is certainly not the most cheerful one I've ever written, but it certainly has caused the most comment. Insurance companies have used it for educational purposes. Travel agents have shown it to their clients when en- couraging them to buy travel insurance. One agent showed it to a couple who were making arrangements to visit San Francisco. The couple read it with some interest, bought their tickets and ‘went on - their way. A few weeks later, the wife phoned the agent to thank him for bringing it to their attention. Her husband ‘ had passed away while in San Francisco and remembering what she had read, the wife had done all the proper things and saved herself a great deal of heartbreaking — confusion. Like I said, “It isn’t cheerful, but read it anyway. But if death should occur..... One of the last things we want to think about when planning a holiday is death. - We are all sure that this is something that happens to someone else -—— but cer- tainly not you or I. Or does . it? Jim Darby is a director of the Memorial Society of British Columbia. He has the added advantage of being a friend, a neighbor and a busy _ figure in -our local Little League baseball. Jim gave me three hours of his time while we explored the sensible approach to a sensitive problem. ' Let's say you are enjoying a holiday in Majorca with a friend (spouse, relative or -). warning your companion falls dead. What do you do? First, a death certificate must be obtained from the local authorities. For most purposes, this must be issued by a doctor. This may not be as easy as it sounds! Often, doctors don't want to be called at odd hours in cases where there is nothing they can do. If possible, avoid making any final diagnosis yourself—call a doctor, but don't bother to tell him that your companion is, you think, dead. Next, and this.is probably the most important move for you to make, call home, not just to relatives but to a local mortuary that you know and trust. Grieving people are fair game for unscrupulous operators anywhere in the world and there is a large profit to be made in this business. Your local by Ba rbara McC readie operator will be able to advise you on foreign regulations, alternate procedures and, with a calm helping of good sense, keep you out of the clutches of un- scrupulous persons. Your alternatives are simple: 1. You can arrange for burial immediately (or cremation). In some places this is a legal necessity. A . director of a British Columbia Memorial Society died in the Cook Islands and by local law, his widow was forced to have him buried within 24 hours. 2. You may choose to ship the body home. If you decide on local cremation, you may bring the ashes home in a Con- tainer and have a memorial service here. If you decide on foreign burial, you may still have a memorial service at home. Both of these alternatives are mended from the point of view of cost. Preparing for a trip? Ask any travel agent for Gulliver's Vacation Checklist. Or drop in to Gulliver's. We have over 500 hard-to-find and unique travel accessories in stock! Portable Smoke & Burglar Alarm $46.95 922-9650 844 Park Royal North. West Van. recom-_ Shipping a body home is -costly. The arrangements at the point of death include a mortuary where you will be charged for documentation, embalming, use of the facilities and transportation to the airport. You will also be charged for a casket or container for shipping the remains. Next, comes the airfare. To be blunt, the airlines charge by the pound. An average sized man, in a moderate coffin will cost about $1100 to ship from Heathrow Airport in London to Vancouver by = Ajir Canada. Canadian Pacific Airlines will feturn your friend for approximately $300 from Hawaii. Local regulations govern the style of container that is suitable for shipping remains. Jim advises that the purchase of a container Should be. governed by weight—overruje the in- sistdnt salesman in the foreign mortuary and be firm about the lightest possible container. Those beautiful oak ‘coffins weigh over 200 pounds, require a larger outer cover and will probably cost a darn sight more in Las Vegas than they will here at home. This is where confirmation of the regulations from your own eel home may save you a iot of - money. British Columbia _ regula- tions insist that the remains be either embalmed or shipped in a sealed coffin. Embalming and an inex- pensive container may be the most financially sound move. Don't accept any stories about lead-lined coffins or other expensive luxuries until you: check. Some of your best advice may come from the . Canadian Consulate in the area where the death oc- curred. Remember, if these is no Canadian Consulate, the British Consulate will lend a hand. A local family recently had a relative returned from Puerto Rico. When all the costs were tallied, more than $5000 was wasted on un- necessary procedures. Can you afford to make that kind of mistake? Often, people with ex- tended insurance will look at the death benefit clause, thinking that this must be applied to the arrangements for the victim. Wrong! In times of stress, we fail to remember that there are all sorts of unscrupulous operators anxious to make as many bucks as the traffic will bear. Tourists are fair game. a The Dean Miller Agencies in Vancouver handle two of the largest cruise lines that call into this city—Prigcess (Love Boats) and P and O. Dean explained that all ships carry one (sometimes two) doctors and death cer- tificates are simple to obtain, unless there is something © fishy. The ships have facilities to handle bodies until the next reasonable port of call. Burial at sea may be arranged, if all authorities are satisfied. The staff is trained to help. CPAir’s Reid Moir af- firmed that regulations for transporting remains are tricky — and agreed that 689-7117 Reg. Travel Agent No. 157-3 ST. PETERSBERG BEACH 2 WEEK VACATIONS with departures any day from Vancouver =" $649 CND. Per Person based on Double Sharing and departures *ONLY $299 for CHILDREN under 12 t included: — Round trip air transportation between Vancouver and Tampa — 14 Nights hotel! including hotel tax — Daily maid service — Gardenview room with kitchenette Reservations: Danielle McDonald, Mgr. Book early a8 apace is limited at thase rates A deposit of $100 is required at time of contirmmaton david ingram’s 1139 Lonsdale Ave. - Esquimalt Plaza, Esq., B.C. - 305 - 9201 Wilshire Biva., contacting a local source may save you heartache and money. It is very simple to bring back ashes. I listened while Jim Darby explained about recent press in Maui, Hawaii that ex- posed a funeral racket aimed at tourists. I visited the “showroom” for caskets at the Memorial Society on Lillooet Drive. I looked at the inexpensive cloth casket ($180) and felt, as others have that I'd be cheating if | ‘bought it. When I got home, I appreciated Jim's advice: “You're perfectly normal. All of us feel that way. If i happens, keep your Common sense.” © Jim went on to tell me about many bereaved who arrive on the premises either zonked on tranquilizers or liquor. You may think you teed a “crutch” but the worst time to take it is when you're about to be hit with a $398 WAIKIKI .. 439° 8 Days, 7 Nights, Air & Hote! WAIKIKI: %499 15 Days, 14 Nights, Alr & Hotel’ LAS VEGAS °249 5 Days, 4 Nights, Air & Hotel RENO $189 § Days, 4 Nights, Air & Hote! TORONTO $234 DISNEYLAND #159 MAPLE LEAF TRAVEL 689-7117 i] From C23 - Sunday News, June 21, 1981 $5000 bill in some remote place. Repeat: Get a death certificate from a local doctor. Cali HOME—first family, then a trusted local mor- tuary. BUS TOURS A selection for you or your summer visitors to ENJOY! OREGON $309 Suly 10th — 7 duys B.C. $349 ” with inside passage on ferry July 18th — 7 days “ROCKY MOUNTAINS $599 Frequent departures — 7 days SFO & DISNEYLAND . $479 . August 15th — 11 days CALIFORNIA & NEVADA $649 September 12th — 16 days ARIZONA with GRAND CANYON $789 September 19th. — 18 days P LAWSON TRAVEL 754 PARK ROYAL NORTH MALL 922-4131 $ CND. Per Person based on Double Occ at the Penny Sleeper Hote! included: — Round trip economy class air transportation on CP Air between Vancouver and 1 A intemational — 7 Nights hotel including hotel tax — Disneytand admission for 2 days and 16 attractions tor each member of the family — Dally transportation to Disneyland (Howard Johnson Hotel only) Departures: — Every Saturday until December 12/81 Reservations: Book onfty as space ia Iimited al thease tates A deposit of 660 1s reqnared al time of confirmation Beverly Hills, Calif. 980-0321 AEA ASEAN Ee a a a ee Tne ED