May 15, 2012 3 min read

Dear Readers: A recent column from a reader with a very serious situation and a question about PHOTOGRAPHING THE DECEASED at a memorial service generated some interesting, and differing, viewpoints. Here are a few of your thoughts:

n B.J. in Missouri photographed his mother in her coffin: “She looked at peace, and that’s how I see her.”

n Sherry, via email, says that photographing the deceased was a common practice in the early 1900s, and she’s grateful, because the casket picture is the only picture she has of her husband’s grandmother.

n Jess, via email, advises: “Any photo of any member of my family is absolutely priceless. Make all efforts to preserve these photos. Future generations will appreciate it.”

n Ann in Alaska does not find photography at a funeral to be in bad taste. Her uncle Bob was a photographer, and he would photograph funerals to “preserve a chapter of history in a family.” After Uncle Bob’s funeral, close friends brought photos and film to share with others that he had taken through the years.

n However, L.D. in San Angelo, Texas, suggests a closed casket: “I remember my mother alive, full of life and doing the things she loved to do. When I attend a funeral, I politely decline to view the deceased. I prefer to remember people as they were when they were alive.”

n Ken, via email, suggests having a memorial card to give out, and use the best picture you have of the person on it. Then friends and family would not need to photograph the deceased.

n And finally, Sheryl, via email, wrote: “Somebody posted a picture of a deceased person at a funeral on a popular social media site! It wasn’t there very long, so I presume someone with more sense took it down.”

Thank you for your input! — Heloise

WRITE IT DOWN

Dear Heloise: When I buy a new electronic device, before I plug it into the wall, I write down the following information: the serial number, part number, model number and the manufacturer’s contact information.

If I need the information, I don’t have to move the TV, computer, etc. I make a document on my computer, and it is easily retrievable. This also is helpful for insurance purposes. — M.C.D. in San Antonio.

Also, make a photocopy of the receipt. The heat-sensitive receipt paper can fade over time. — Heloise

RACK ‘EM UP

Dear Heloise: I have a use for an old dishwasher rack. My dad put one on the wall above my mom’s sewing machine. She hangs spools of thread on the prongs, and it also holds scissors, thimbles and anything else she needs. — Annette in New Jersey

LEAN ON ME

Dear Heloise: Regarding the reader’s comment about loose shopping carts, I always feel safer with a shopping basket in front of me. Drivers appear more willing to stop for the cart than for me. — E.V., via email

Send a money-saving or timesaving hint to Heloise, P.O. Box 795000, San Antonio, TX 78279-5000, or you can fax it to 1-210-HELOISE or e-mail it to Heloise@Heloise.com. I can’t answer your letter personally but will use the best hints received in my column.