Willow Glen Resident

Community

Funeral home joins county to meet poor families' needs

By Mayra Flores De Marcotte

The busiest time of the year for mortuaries is between Thanksgiving and January. The winter months and illnesses that are associated with cold weather, travel and depression are all part of this reality.

"Death--you never know when it's going to happen, and it's never a good time," says Gus Lima, manager of the Lima Family Erickson Mortuary in Willow Glen. "The holidays are extremely difficult, and most families aren't prepared to deal with the situation."

This is especially true for those down on their luck.

Santa Clara County provides no- and low-cost burial services for people who don't have family or funds. The county has a contract with Oak Hill Memorial Park and Mortuary, which will then cremate the remains, Lima says. His funeral home had the same contract up until the 1990s.

"It's a service that has been provided for many years by the county and local funeral homes but is little-known because people usually don't think about these things until faced with a similar situation," Lima says.

Although the funeral home doesn't offer low-cost services directly to the public, the Willow Glen mortuary does offer its services when contacted by a public administrator, hospital, social worker or clergy person.

"We usually get the background information on the individual or family that is in need of a low-cost or deeply discounted service from the clergy member or county official that initially contacts us," Lima says.

The contacting parties then put together the family's financial statements and all the necessary paperwork before contacting a mortuary.

Lima will then offer either cremation or memorials to the family.

Many mortuaries in the county provide these services at reduced costs, Lima says.

For example, a month ago a Greek Orthodox Church contacted the local mortuary.

"The family had very little money, but wanted to have their family member buried with a full burial service instead of the typical cremation that is offered at a low cost by the county," Lima says. "So we worked with both the family and the church and came up with a significantly reduced rate for the service. We try to provide a service to these families that won't put them financially over their heads."

Lima says it's important for the public to know about these services.

"It's our job to answer as many questions the public might have and to give as much information as possible," Lima says. "We have to follow through; it's what's right."

For more information on Lima Family Erickson Mortuary, 710 Willow St., contact 408.295.5160.