maconfuneralhome-4031

Service of Remembrance Dec. 8, 2022

Mon, 14 Nov 2022 20:41:51 GMT

Please join us for our upcoming Service of Remembrance

to honor your loved one this Holiday Season.

Thursday, Dec. 8, 2022

3 pm to 7 pm

Macon Funeral Home

Refreshments will be served

Please call or message us no later than November 25 to reserve your complimentary ornament bearing your loved one's name.

Call 828.524.5540

Ashley Matthews: Profile in Kindness & Faith

Fri, 14 Feb 2020 23:34:52 GMT

Macon Funeral Home is very pleased to announce the addition of Ashley Matthews to our highly respected staff. Ashley has many outstanding qualities when it comes to connecting and helping families. We took a few minutes to talk with her this week, and here's what she had to say.

Ashley and her father Mike Arnold. The two are very close and the family's history is linked to providing bereavement support for three generations.

MFH: We understand you worked in finance for the better part of 20 years. Tell us a little about your career and what it taught you?

AM: In 1999 I started out as a part-time teller, then I progressed up the ranks to customer service and then to management. I left management in 2013 and moved into the mortgage banking piece of finance, where I worked until June 2019. It was time for a change, so I went to work for an attorney, doing the other side of the mortgage, the real estate closing side. It was not a good fit at all, and I felt God calling me elsewhere, just not sure where at that point.

MFH: That's an impressive career and sometimes a change doesn't work the way we expect. What put Macon Funeral Home on your radar?

AM: I received a phone call from someone I knew who was in the process of opening a funeral service and wanted me to come work with him. This was not something I had ever given much thought to. However, I should have [she laughs].

My great grandfather was a funeral director. His family lived in the funeral home, and my grandmother used to tell me stories of playing hide-and-seek in the caskets as a little girl. Also, my mother-in-law retired from a funeral home in Haywood County, where she worked as the office administrator. And, the best part is, my dad is a part-time funeral assistant at Macon Funeral Home.

"Getting to help families

through such a rough time

I count as a ministry."

The offer didn't really work out, but I believe God got me thinking about this further. I went to see my Dad — I'm still a huge Daddy's Girl — and discussed it with him. He encouraged me and let me know that perhaps there was an opening for me at Macon Funeral Home.

I then talked to Brian [Hylton] and here I am, exactly where God was calling me. I have such peace and am enjoying every aspect of this career. The blessing of getting to help families through such a rough time I count as a ministry. I am so fortunate to be a part of it. I am also super blessed to work with my Dad and minister alongside him!

MFH: When it comes to our professions, we know people tend to perform best when they love their jobs. What values do you think you share with families in our area?

AM: First and foremost, my faith in Christ sustains me through all I do. My family is everything to me. I am the oldest of four and I still live in the town where I grew up. So, I have my parents very close and my siblings, and their families visit often.

I have been married to my husband for 23 years — 24 in May — and together we have three beautiful children. My eldest are 16 and 15 (only five months apart) and our youngest is seven. We were also Foster Parents for a few years and were very blessed by a precious three-year-old who kept us hopping. Unfortunately, she left our home in October and this has left a huge hole in our hearts.

We also have a precious Goldendoodle named Piper, who gave birth to seven puppies in December. Four of them are still available... [laughs].

MFH: When you're not working or just want to treat yourself, what are some of the things you enjoy doing?

AM: We are avid Georgia Bulldog fans and attend the games when we can. I love being outdoors, travelling, shopping and spending time with friends and family. When the weather is warm you can find us enjoying time by the pool, camping or boating, and skiing at the lake. When the weather is cold, I enjoy curling up by the fire with a good book.

Georgia Bulldogs All the Way: Ashley and her husband Kaine enjoying one of their favorite pastimes and sporting the team's colors on game day.

Meet Mochi: Our Grief Therapy Dog in Training

Fri, 17 Jan 2020 18:59:04 GMT

IN HER OWN WORDS: Office admin Tori McKay explains how her idea for a grief therapy dog at the funeral home sets the stage for a more kind and comforting experience for families. Meet Mochi, therapy dog in training!

Mochi, a Bernese Mountain Dog, has joined the staff at Macon Funeral Home and will soon be comforting families after she completes her training. Mochi belongs to our office administrator, Tori McKay. Here's what she had to say:

I've had this dream of having a dog at the funeral home for years, 10 to be exact.

The Bernese Mountain Dog is a very loyal, affectionate and gentle animal, and has always been my choice for a potential grief therapy dog . They have a history of being excellent therapy and support dogs, which comes from their kind disposition and laid-back personalities.

When I decided to return to Macon Funeral Home, I talked with Brian Hylton about bringing on a grief-support dog, and he was very open to the suggestion. It's my goal to work funeral visitations with Mochi (pronounced "mow-chee") when families request her, and I would also like to make visits to nursing homes in the evenings every couple weeks or so.

I turned 30 on January 4th and my husband and I decided that Mochi would make a wonderful addition to our family and this decade of our lives.

In returning to the funeral home, I decided I want to make an impact on our community more than ever, and I think this is an opportune time for me to do that. Bernese Mountain Dogs do not have long life expectancies — six to eight years is typical — and I want her life to hold as much purpose as possible.

Additionally, there is just so much research to support the benefits of having animals available during times of grief, and our community is very much in need of grief support.

So far, everyone has been so supportive, and Mochi has already made a difference in families' lives this week. I have had people reach out for grief therapy, and the reception on Facebook has been incredible.

I will be sending her to Asheville for training when she’s between six months and one year old. Until then I am training her and socializing her here!

Service of Remembrance: A Story in Pictures

Mon, 23 Dec 2019 16:08:28 GMT

We want to thank the many who joined for this year's Service of Remembrance. It's our hope that attendees found some solace in this special service to honor loved ones who passed away in 2019. The Holidays often surface feelings and memories at the very core of our family histories, and none are more poignant and sweeping than when a loved one is no longer with us. It is by remembering them that we offer up the enduring gifts of love and respect.

A SPECIAL SERVICE IN PICTURES: This year's Service of Remembrance was held at Macon Funeral Home on December 2nd. The annual event is designed to help families both grieve and celebrate life through the act of remembering and shared fellowship.

Service of Remembrance

Mon, 02 Dec 2019 19:46:19 GMT

The Holidays can be especially challenging for families who have lost a loved one. At Macon Funeral Home, we acknowledge those difficult feelings with a special Service of Remembrance that unites us in fellowship, love and support.

You are warmly invited to join us at Macon Funeral Home this Friday, December 6, 2019 at 6:00 PM for a special tribute to loved ones known as our Service of Remembrance .

This special service is designed to help us be mindful of those whom we've lost, to reconsider our relationship to them and others, and to fondly remember what they added to our lives just by knowing them.

If you have questions, we encourage you to reach us at (828) 524-5540 anytime prior to the service. We sincerely hope you'll attend.

Let's Do This! Can a Funeral Home Blog Make Sense of the Experience?

Mon, 28 Oct 2019 20:06:14 GMT

It may just seem like the thing to do, but we believe our new blog can add value and insight into readers' lives. Here's how:

Communicating News

News of someone's passing is not only a personal matter for family and friends, but also a public matter for the community that loses one of its citizens. People frequently read the obituary pages in the newspaper and online, and our blog is designed to be an extension for telling import stories so that we can acknowledge or remember those who have come before us.

Expressing Our Thoughts

Loss is difficult, but not always tragic. We think it's important to give voice to circumstances that enrich our lives and provide meaning. After all, some stories are inspiring. We are each part of a family history but we also share a common bond in our communities. We want to make sure that we reflect who we are, not just whom we've lost.

Being a Part of Our Community

We are part of the community and share rich connections to families and friends, businesses and colleagues. We also believe in civic duties and services that go well beyond our profession. We don't do it for recognition, but rather for the gratification of helping others and making our community stronger and better.

Managing Change

Nothing stays the same, and that's one more reason we've taken this step. We want to keep abreast of trends and provide insights into how people grieve and heal after losing a loved one. We think that we can provide credible advice for what's appropriate and fitting as customs and funeral services evolve.

Thanks for reading. We hope you'll stay in touch or follow us on Facebook . If we can provide any form of help or advice — or you think there is something we ought to be addressing — please do not hesitate to reach us.