Funeral Luncheons: Providing Loving Service to Families in their Time of Need

As a parish family, we are called to take care of one another in times of need. Here at Queen of the Holy Rosary, the Funeral Luncheon Ministry is always ready to serve those who are grieving the loss of a loved one. Jane Croskey, who helps coordinate the funeral luncheons, feels blessed that she can ensure that the grieving family has one less thing to worry about.

Jane has been part of the Funeral Luncheon Ministry for about six years. When her fellow parishioner in charge decided to step down from coordinating, Jane and a friend stepped up to take on the job of planning the luncheons and shopping for the food.

“Another gal and I looked at each other and said, ‘How hard can this be?’” Jane says. “It turned into more than we thought it would.”

While many details require attention, Jane has found the work to be a blessing to the families, and that she feels blessed in return. When a funeral is beingplanned, Jane reaches out to the family to find out what they would like served for the luncheon. Then, Jane and Carol McTarsney make a trip to Sam’s Club to purchase the food they’ll need. Sometimes, Jane will call in an order with a catering company. On the day of the funeral, a team from the ministry arrives, prepares the lunch, and serves it. Another group comes in afterward to clean up.

“Truly, we see a lot of smiles and laughter because people are remembering their loved one and telling stories,” Jane says. “It’s a nice closure for the family.” When Jane talks with the families, many of them say just how nice it is to visit with family, especially when they haven’t seen some family for a long time. When the Funeral Luncheon teams are there to take care of all the small details, the family can relax and enjoy their time together. They don’t have to prepare their own home for visitors, and may instead just head downstairs and spend time together.

During COVID-19, the ministry was unable to serve for a while, so they made some adjustments to how they served. Instead of a buffet, they served lunch from the kitchen, wearing masks and gloves, and offered wrapped utensils. However, Jane expects they will be going back to the buffet soon.

The Funeral Luncheon Ministry rotates through four groups and there are about 13 members in each group. Jane says they are blessed to have so many volunteers. Our whole parish is blessed by the service of this ministry.

If you are interested in serving with the Funeral Luncheon Ministry, contact Jane Croskey at 913-522-5221 or croskeyjane@gmail.com.

(From left) Rosemary Byard, Jane Croskey and Delores Oswald serving with the Funeral Luncheons Ministry