09/20/2025
Thank you and good bye
Thank you Liz for sharing. Without what your family started, there would not be the legacy for ours to continue. I always believe that Rex and Helen entrusted us with a great gift. The gift of walking along side those who grieve, and hopefully making their journey a little easier. And Judy your mom, what a blessing. If anyone could do it she did and with the most class I’ve ever witnessed. So thank you, thank the Coldren family and thank you Judy. We lived in the Arlington funeral home until I was 10, the only life I knew included death. Some celebrations of life and some hard, hard questions of why and watching grief that consumed our friends and families. When I decided to follow in my parents footsteps, my dad questioned me, he said “Amanda, you do know what you’re giving up.” In our world death comes before life. Vacations cancelled when so and so’s mother died. Plans moved to be there for people, sometimes having to place our own lives on hold. I did, and I chose this path. I would not change one thing. We’ve helped, we’ve cried with you, we’ve tried to carry some of your burden. I remember when Joe and I first started darting and we would run into people. Hugs exchanged and he would say “how do you know them?” The answer was always I buried their mom, dad, son, daughter, husband, wife. He seemed surprised by the relationship I gained with them. I would tell him, we come into their life at the hardest time. We represent grief, but we also represent the last goodbye and that’s what matters. June 12th my life was turned upside down when he was killed on his motorcycle. I’ve learned so much about what the families we serve endure from when we leave their walk and they walk that road alone. Today I say to you all, thank you for letting us lead you through the darkest days. Thank you for entrusting your precious loved ones to our care. Today marks the 100th year that Coldren-Crates has been privileged to serve you and this community. Thank you. It also marks the passing of the torch. As myself, my dad Larry and my mom Rindy step away and the traditions will fall to Jack, Andrew, Scott, and Charlie. A bittersweet day for me. But please know life is about the memories we choose to take with us. So remember those we have lost today. Remember the good memories and live life to the fullest as our loved ones would want us to.
