Carol Van Ahlers

Several years back I read a book entitled “The Language of Flowers” written by Vanessa Diffenbaugh. I enjoyed the read, but mostly due to the fascinating aspect of learning about the symbolic meaning behind flowers and the reasons they are shared with others. In doing some research on the subject, I came across information from

Our local Cypress College, has been rated as one of the top ten schools in the country for individuals who wish to pursue a career in Mortuary Sciences. Although there are several colleges that offer an associate degree in the field, Cypress College is only one of a few colleges in the country that offers

When someone we know loses someone they love, we naturally want to be there for them at the time of loss. We do our best to attend the memorial service, send flowers or a card, take time for a phone call or short visit. But after time goes by, the caring that is so evident

According to the Veterans Administration, “veterans, service members, and some family members may be eligible for burial in a VA national cemetery.”  Those who qualify are also eligible for several burial benefits at no cost. These include: A gravesite at one of 120 National Cemeteries. Many cemeteries are limited in space or no longer have

I remember a silly poem that my dad used to say to us each Spring. “Spring has sprung, the grass is ris, I wonder where the flowers is!” Spring is here, the grass is green and long and I think if you look very closely you might see a few blooms here and there. Not

As March is Women’s History Month now is a perfect time to celebrate the women who have been at the helm of Hilgenfeld Mortuary for the past several decades. In 1987, Margie Hilgenfeld Field took over as president following in the footsteps of her father Melvin. Margie had been involved in the business since 1971

We are all aware of the emotions that come hand in hand with loss – sadness, fear, denial, anger. But what about the physical impacts of grief? They are real and can feel quite debilitating at first. In most cases, these physical effects will diminish as you move through the grieving process, often sooner than

Fresh off the challenges of managing your grief through the Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s holidays without your loved one by your side, here comes Valentine’s Day. This holiday is especially difficult when someone has lost their spouse or life partner who they may have enjoyed years of Valentine’s Day celebrations together. Just as with

We have seen so many changes in funeral industry over the 95 years that we have been in business. One of the most impactful changes has been the ways in which we are able to communicate with our clients. Thinking back to when Reverend Hilgenfeld opened his doors, few people had telephones, let alone cell

Many of us find ourselves buying into the pressure of making major changes at the start of each year. According to the History Channel website, making these overreaching promises began with the ancient Babylonians almost 4,000 years ago. Although the timing was a bit different. At the start of their New Year, in, spring due