Learn about traditional and current American funeral practices

This class will provide an overview of the legal, cultural, and religious dimensions of funeral practices in the United States. Though burial used to the be only option for the final disposition of the body, cremation is now more common than burial in the United States and alternatives, such as green burial and alkaline hydrolysis, are increasingly available. Funeral services will also be discussed including new trends such as Celebrations of Life and theme funerals.

Facilitator: Kathleen Garces-Foley, Ph.D. is Founding Director of Arlington's Coalition to Improve Advanced Care, Professor of Religious Studies at Marymount University, and a published author on death and funeral practices.

Refreshments will be provided.

Registration required. 

For our current policies on masking please see our Library Operations Update.

For more information, Contact Sonal Gosai @ agosai@arlingtonva.us and David Bishop @ dbishop@arlingtonva.us

Dive into Summer Reading! For each person that completes the 2022 Summer Reading Challenge, the Friends of the Arlington Public Library will donate $1 to support Potomac Conservancy.  Summer Reading is made possible through the support of the Friends of Arlington Public Library. Visit the Library event calendar to see all of our summer reading programs.

• Location campus Central Library
• Audience:
  • Events for Adults
  • Good for Adults Age 55+
  • Good for Caregivers of Adults
  • Good for Parents
• Categories:
  • Lecture