Pine Creek Style: A Celebration For Hurley...

As most of you know, Dad lost his fight with Cancer & Pneumonia last month. Today is the final "For the Love of Hurley" post...I wanted to post the Celebration "For the Love of Hurley" decor. I have posted other "Celebrations of Life" in the past. These celebrations are important. They represent the person you are honoring, their family & friends. The most important aspect is respect for the person the celebration represents and honoring their wishes.

My Dad wanted simple and he wanted his family honored and his friends recognized.

His family & friends were his pride & joy...they (in his mind) made him who he was....

How can you not honor such a selfless person?

*There are a few tips below that may help when planning these celebrations.

(This photo shows a wedding photo & a collection of old family bibles.)

The colors chosen for the celebration were the colors we used...

"For the Love of Hurley"

Purple & Green

The cancer colors for Lymphoma's, which are also my parents birthstone colors (February & August).

We also used my parents wedding & family photo's in the decor.

Several topiary plants were placed around the room, a great finishing touch to the decor. We also had touches of Hawaii, where Dad was stationed (his 2nd LOVE) while in the Navy. In addition, subtle Italian decor was placed around the room, since Dad LOVED traveling there.

At the entrance to the Sanctuary of the Church (on the right of the doors) we had the service's programs, a marble tissue box, a basket for cards to be placed and a wedding photo.

To the left of the doors was the guest registry.

*I have been to services were they either forgot the pen or ran out of ink... not good....The family doesn't need to worry about trying to find a pen during this time. Place items in the entrance or alcove in such a way that people flow smoothly through and into the main seating area. Always have several "new" pens with the same color of ink, ready for the guest book.

We also place small packets of kleenex tissues at both ends of the isle seats in the Sanctuary. These WERE used! People liked that option.

With any service, have a main focal point. The Church's Alter was the center focus of this church, so we placed the flowers and photo's appropriately.

I used a beautiful floral arrangement that had been sent by some very close friends as the main center piece.

A gorgeous blend of colors! Beautiful...

Thanks M&B...love you guys

I used this lovely plant, also sent by friends, at the podium. Just the right size and it matched the Church Christmas tree in the background. They blended together beautifully.

I wanted to make a wreath to hang below the largest photo of Dad. I was using one of my bronze color metal easels as my prop.

I found a branch style wreath and incorporated the purples & greens.

Almost everything was found at Michael's hobby store.

Then, I walked into TJ Maxx, (It's a rule RIGHT? Never pass up a TJ Maxx??), as usual I found exactly what I needed to complete my wreath!

See the PURPLE... "Anchors Away" sign in the center of the wreath?

JUST what I needed! It was the perfect finale to my special wreath for Dad.

Hope you can see this dark photo.....It shows the placement for the large photo and wreath. Notice Dad's shirt is green, looks great with the purple wreath.

This room was the fellowship hall at the church. I had to work with the colors already established in the room. I brought purple throw pillows for the couches in the seating area. They matched very well. They, the pillows color, actually brought out the purple/maroon flowers on the couches and blended beautifully.

I covered the coffee and end tables with Italian Dining paper, just roll and cut!

Then I used a combination of green table runners (embellished with large flowers on the ends) and purple canvas style place mats from Pier One. I also used silk topiary plants and black & white (retro) family photos for accents.

This podium had a purple place mat on the top and an Olive tree placed below. This was an area for people to share their stories & memories.

*Hindsight: Our reception area was on the small side...we had figured on 300 (people) as a large number, thinking maybe 2/3 of the 300...we had almost 400. Needless to say we lost a few due to crowding and of course some people don't attend both portions. BUT we wanted to keep everything at one venue.

This was the piano in the room. We place chairs in front of it, as we needed seating space. Gotta make do!

I sat an Olive tree in the center of the piano and a photo of "The River" that Dad LOVED (I took the photo from our back porch on Thanksgiving morning). It, the photo on canvas, had been a gift to Dad from me. He LOVED having coffee on our back porch, watching the river go by....

**I'll EXPLAIN the toilet tissue roll soon! Hehe.....

This was a bookcase at the entry of the room. A little burlap, topiary and marbled tissue boxes were placed here. It looked very nice for entrance area.

This is the finished look......

This was the food table. We were very blessed to have the church people and a service club of mothers (the PEO Ladies) supply and prepare all of the food provided for the attendees of Dad's celebration. Dad's children also provided two large platters of fresh shrimp...Dad's favorite.

UNFORTUNATELY....I did not get a photo of the FOOD! It was absolutely AMAZING! I wish I had a photo it really did the table justice.

These wonderful people did a beautiful job!

For this table I used the Italian dining paper, dark purple round place mats, topiary, wrought iron candelabras with green candles and purple & silver dishes.

The footed dish-ware added height and dimension to the table....

IT really did look amazing!

I put candy Kisses in the silver dish at the center of the table. Dad LOVED to hand out "KISSES" to all his lady friends! Dad was a character!!!!!

This was the punch & dessert table....YES, I didn't get a photo of this one either....AND the desserts were GOOD!

My Dad was a practical joker!

Nothing he liked better than a good laugh!

He use to hide dollar bills in toilet tissue rolls for people to find!

So anyone who knew Dad knew about the hidden money!

Our Grand kids would squeal with delight when they found one!

SO...

We hid one in each bathroom at the Church! NEVER did find out who found them! Guess that's Dads secret! :)

I also had a friend, who waitresses at one of Dad's favorite coffee shops do the same. She was delighted to help me pull off the fun ruse. On the day of the service, I had made arrangements to buy every one's coffee at the restaurant. My friend took a couple of these special toilets rolls as decor! I made copies of Dad's photo (as a letter carrier, No.1 Letter Carrier by the by) for each of the tables....It said... "For the Love of Hurley" the Coffee's on Me!

Several people left notes of thanks on the photo's....TOO SWEET!

Dad would have LOVED it!

I bought the Italian dining paper at my local Grocery store; Raley's.

I need to give a VERY SPECIAL THANKS to the FIRE DEPT! They were so kind....I was speechless! Literally SPEECHLESS! Dad was a Volunteer Fireman and also had served as Fire Marshall....(I loved the Old Firehouse...I spent a lot of time running through there or should I say SLIDING down the FIRE POLE!) Anyhoo.....

The Firemen (& the Battalion Chief, in dress uniform) came to Dad's service in full uniform AND with the trucks! What an HONOR! We were so touched! They stood in honor at the front door as our friends and family entered for the service. After the service an ALARM was sounded in Dad's Honor......It brings tears to my eyes that Dad was LOVED soooo much!

WOW!

Very unexpected! Very much appreciated!

Thank you ~ Thank You

To the RB Fire Dept.