Taunton funeral home gets creative, making 'calming videos' for grieving families

TAUNTON — Crapo-Hathaway Funeral Home Director William Hathaway III said grieving families in the Taunton funeral parlor can now view "a calming video" on a high-definition screen behind a loved one's casket or urn.

"It's like a prayer card that has a particular theme," said Hathaway, who produced a variety of calming videos for the funeral home.

He said families could choose a video to display behind their loved one's casket or urn or have a simple drapery backdrop.

"We have a webpage devoted to displaying examples of the videos so we can show them to families while they are making funeral arrangements," Hathaway said.

He said the video screen is about 8 feet wide and 4 feet tall.

Hathaway said having calming videos on a high-definition TV screen would be a "wonderful resource for a family."

"A whole family could gather around it," he said. "Folks from outside the area will have a sense of connection."

Hathaway said the video displays could eventually be shown at Hathaway funeral homes in Somerset, Attleboro, Fall River, New Bedford and Fairhaven, as well.

"This is a pilot program we are doing to see how it works and how people respond to it," he said. "People have been responding very favorably."

New Taunton food truckDeep Pond Farm now serves up tasty Southern 'comfort food' right here in East Taunton

Scenes from nature

Hathaway said he produced seven calming videos, and a grieving family can choose one of the productions for display behind their loved one's casket.

"There is a video of a mountain stream with water rushing down the mountainside and through the woods," he said. "It would look like water is running down behind the casket. The scale of the video invites the idea that you are in that place."

Hathaway said the video of the mountain stream was shown at the funeral home during visiting hours for a young man who liked to spend a lot of time hiking.

"The video fitted the theme of his hobbies and how he spent his time," Hathaway said.

Hathaway said a video of an ocean was shown during the man's funeral.

"That helped connect people with the memories of that person who passed away," he said.

The calming videos a family can display during visiting hours include a sunset over a lake and adjoining mountain and a sun setting over an ocean shoreline.

A family can also have a video of colorful flowers gently blowing by a breeze for people to watch during visiting hours.

Hathaway also produced a video depicting a Celtic Cross amid a countryside backdrop for families and visitors.

Families can also have a video of an Irish countryside with a pond and nearby mountains.

Hathaway's videos include woodlands bordered by a nearby mountain and a walking path through the countryside.

Hundreds of signaturesHere's how Dighton residents won battle against Forest Hills Estates ... at least for now

Military theme

Hathaway said his calming videos include military themes that honor deceased veterans who served in the Air Force, Army, Navy and Marines.

"We have a moving American flag in those videos," he said. "You can also see a backdrop of Arlington National Cemetery and an emblem of the different military branches."

The tribute to the Navy features a moving U.S. flag against an ocean backdrop and a military emblem.

Hathaway said he and the funeral home staff hope to create a calming video tribute for the families of deceased police officers and firefighters, as well.

'The last of old-school professionals'

Hathaway said the video displays are part of the funeral home's vision "to provide support for healing and remembering."

"We have been able to add this technology in Taunton free of charge," he said.

Hathaway said the video displays reflect the fact that in today's society "media of all sorts is a part of everyday life."

"From that standpoint, it's being well received," he said. "It does hit the spot for folks. It allows them to do something special."

Hathaway said the funeral home staff has helped families display video collages and slide shows of their deceased loved ones on smaller screens in the parlors."

"Those become focal points and a way to have photographs shown at a certain size that people could see them and talk about them," he said.

Hathaway said his great-grandfather founded Hathaway Funeral Home in Somerset in 1893.

"It's been about helping people and knowing families from generation to generation, he said. "That part is gratifying."

Hathaway said he and his family are "the last of old-school professionals" that seeks to help grieving families.

"We can help people and be supportive not just as a business but as real people," he said. "Our family has always tried to push ahead and figure out ways to improve how we help them while they are grieving."

This article originally appeared on The Taunton Daily Gazette: Taunton funeral home: Crapo-Hathaway offers calming videos of nature