Local funeral home celebrates those who have passed through the traditions of Día de los Muertos

Rocky Hulne, Austin Daily Herald, Minn.
·2 min read

Nov. 2—For one night, instead of sending spirits on their way home, Worlein-Hoff Funeral Home is helping others welcome them back as part of Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead).

Thanks to an idea from Community Services Director and Certified Preplanning Consultant Veronica Carrillo, the funeral home held a Dia de los Muertos celebration Thursday night for the community to stop by and celebrate those who have passed on.

The celebration features a mariachi band, sweets and baked goods from Alicia Bakery and Tienda Y Taqueria Guerrero in Austin. Carrillo and other staff members also prepared an ofrenda, which is an altar that includes photos and items held near and dear to loved ones who have died.

"This is primarily a time where we celebrate those who have left this world," Carrillo said. "We provide offerings for the spirits to join us for one last meal or one last time to be together. We entice these spirits to come into this realm with smells and things that they might like."

The vibe of the night was celebration and children were invited to partake in the snacks or watch a screening of the film "Coco," which features a child who is accidentally transported into the Land of the Dead.

"It is a day of celebration, not a day of grieving. It's different than when people come here for a funeral," said Mary Kittelson, Community Services Director NDFA Certified Pre-Planning Consultant. "We transformed our chapel into ofrenda."

Besides the offerings, the ofrenda was filled with elements of earth, fire and water. The display also included sugar skulls from Mexico and marigold flowers.

"Every element will give a path for (the spirits) to enter," Carrillo said. "We encourage children to come. In our culture, we don't hide death from children. It's part of the life cycle."

Dia de los Muertos is held on Nov. 1-2 and it is primarily celebrated by those who have Mexican or Latin American heritage. The event was a great chance for Carrillo to share part of her culture with the rest of the community.

"It's been great. I feel like we've gotten a lot of positive feedback from the public," Carrillo said. "Having (owners) Tyler and Emily (Hoff) supporting and making it happen has been really great. I feel like everyone here has come together to make this happen."

This is the first year that Worlein-Hoff Funeral home has celebrated Dia de los Muertos.