The

CrestNews for friends of Miller Funeral Home and the Care Group

February 2016

I’ll start this story with another story:

As a Christmas present, a man received a new car

from his brother. Shortly after getting it, he decided

to take it for a drive. A little boy was looking at the

car as he got in.

“Gosh, that’s a nice car,

mister! Where’d ya get

it?”

“For Christmas. My

brother gave it to me.”

The little boy was

astounded. “You mean

your brother gave you

this car, and it didn’t cost

you nothing?”

The boy paused with a dreamy look in his eye.

“Boy… I wish I could be a brother like that.”

So here’s my other story:

When Judi died I went to her funeral. She was

feisty, a real firecracker, and I liked her. Turns out I

was not the only one. A lot of friends were there,

and I’m not talking about the Facebook kind.

Many, many friends came and talked about what a

great friend she had been to them, a good and kind

and loyal friend that would help you through thick

and thin.

One of them returned the favor, spending 11 weeks

with her at the hospice, coming every day. The

most amazing part of it

was that she did not think

of it as a sacrifice. “I

consider myself blessed to

be able to do it.”

I go to many funerals

because I firmly believe in

their ability to heal hearts

and value lives. But I also

go because of the lessons I

learn.

As I left Judi’s funeral, I found myself thinking:

“Wow. I wish I could be a friend like that.” How

about you?

The love of one can overpower the hatred of one

thousand. –Ghandi

Have a happy Valentine’s Day.

A Friend Like That

Blessings,

Tim

The Crest News for friends of Miller Funeral Home and the Care Group

Q & A: Care Group Questionspre-planning specialists since 1987

We call our pre-planning department

The Care Group.

Q: How does pre-paying for a funeral work,

exactly?

A: Many people like the idea of paying for their own

funeral in advance, so their children or survivors

don’t have to. To fully protect those funds, state law

requires that those funds be placed in a safe

investment dictated by the state. Up until now, that

looked like a CD at a state-chartered bank or an

insurance policy. These are investments, and there is

no guarantee they will keep up with inflation and the

costs of funerals. But not always. It has been the

policy at Miller to guarantee funeral expenses

regardless of how the investment has performed. If

there is a deficit, our firm will absorb the loss. If you

want this guarantee, please call us so we can review

the paperwork, make sure you understand the steps

required, and make sure the funds cannot be taken by

the state if you should need nursing care beyond your

means.

Q: What if I already have plans in place?

A: Whether these plans are with an insurance company, bank, or funeral

home, we can review them to make sure they are protected from inflation or

seizure. All our counselors have additional insurance licensing and training to

make sure you get the best advice, not only as a funeral counselor but also

financially.

Q: What does this cost?

A: There is no cost to make a plan or review what plans you have, except for

the time it takes. We suggest allowing one hour per person to review existing plans or start new ones.

We are available days and evenings, in your home or at our firm, but often we have appointments

already scheduled. Please call our office at 336-2637 to schedule a time.

Steven Schumacher

Jeff Gould

Robin Davis

Connie English

Candice Van Liere

The Crest News for friends of Miller Funeral Home and the Care Group

CoMiNG EVENtS

Estate Planning and

investmentsIt’s been awhile since we’ve done this one. Advice

from attorneys, estate planners and Social Security

administration people for anyone over the age of

60. It fills fast so call early.

When: Monday, March 14, 10 a.m.

Where: Active Generations

Active Living Expo Active Generations is known throughout the country

for its staff, facilities and programs. No need to

RSVP, just bring a friend and look for our booth!

When: thursday, May 5, 9a.m.-2p.m.

Where: Active Generations

EasterSunday, March 27

We have nothing specially planned for Easter, but

it’s nice to know spring is on the way!

PancakesA Miller Tradition! Bring a friend and plan on

meeting many more for free pancakes, sausages

and conversation. Many of you will receive

invitations in the mail. You do not need to RSVP

for this event – just come hungry!

When: thursday, April 14, from 8 a.m.-12 noon

Where: VFW on South Minnesota Avenue

(new location)

Need A Speaker?We have revamped, expanded and improved our

list of topics for 2016. We speak to service clubs,

church organizations and other gatherings on a

variety of subjects at no cost.

if you would like a list of topics or more

information, please call 336-2637.

Progress!

Here is our new facility on South Minnesota Avenue. It’s

dangerous to predict when a building project will be

complete, but we can predict it will be a welcome

addition to those families who live on the south side of

Sioux Falls.

“We designed it to keep up with a growing and vibrant

city, but people still like our downtown location.” says

Tim Wingen. “People really love its history and

tradition, and are used to that. So until people are

acclimated to using this brand-new facility, we decided

to offer free use of it for newly pre-planned funerals as a

thank you to the community and to introduce its wheel-

chair accessible chapel and dining area.”

This offer is limited to families who pre-plan only and

only for a limited time. If you would like a tour (for

groups or individually) call our office at 336-2637.

From the Recipe Box

Flavor Mash UpTwo new takes on an old standard...Take one:

Boil six peeled and cubed potatoes in two cups of

chicken broth. Mash with ½ cup light cream and 2

tablespoons butter for a cold-weather favorite.

Take two:

For Ultimate Mashed

Potatoes, use the above

recipe and in stir 1/2 cup

sour cream, 3 slices

bacon, cooked and

crumbled (reserve some

to sprinkle on top), and

1/4 cup chopped fresh chives into the hot mashed

potatoes. Sprinkle with the bacon and top with gravy!

(…for some reason this is only one serving)

If you see a cop,

give ‘em a thumbs up!

Miller Funeral Home

appreciates the hard work of

all law enforcement personnel

who serve our communities. If

you want a free window cling

or decal, call us or stop by.

The

CrestJeff Gould, Publisher

300 N. Chapel Hill Road

Sioux Falls, SD 57103

"If you'd like this newsletter free of

charge, call 605-336-2637"

aDDReSS SeRVIce ReQUeSTeD

TIMe-VaLUeD MaIL

The Crest News for friends of Miller Funeral Home and the Care Group

PRSRT STD

US POSTAGE

PAiD

TRUST

T h e B a c k P a g e

Dad JokesWhat is it about Dads and their humor?

So I’ve got some kind of allergic reaction going on and my

face is breaking out in a bad rash and my mom is freaking

out. She’s in a panic and wants to take me to the Emergency

Room. My dad says instead, “Now let’s not make any rash

decisions” and we high-five each other and now my mom is

yelling at us.

“Dad, I’m hungry.”

Hello, Hungry, I’m Dad.

“Dad, I’m serious.”

I thought you were Hungry?

“You’re kidding me.”

No, I’m Dad.

General Tso’s chicken from Asian King…$7. Drink…$1.

Getting home and realizing Asian King forgot to give you one

of your containers…rice less.