Random, incomplete list of lessons learned:

• My dad lived such an incredible life. That made it so much easier to celebrate his awesomeness than to feel regret. We had time for all the things that mattered, and we had those serious conversations throughout life.
• He was very clear on what he wanted regarding advance directives, cremation followed by viewing, what to do about the business, what he wanted to wear, and so on. That made tough decisions easier, because we could follow his wishes.
• Cremation before viewing made it easier for people to focus on the stories and pictures people shared instead of remembering my dad lying so still. We should make sure the mortuary knows it's a closed casket and post someone to enforce that, since people can be curious.
• It was really helpful to have staff members taking care of organizing all sorts of details.
• Drawing up a five-day meal plan could help increase variety. It's good to offer meals that have a lot of choices: chicken, beef, vegetables, etc. Packaged meals are good for flexibility because you can order based on the numbers you see, and then order more as you run low. Catering the last night was a good idea, though, since it made it feel more like a party.
• It would probably have been worth it to get proper coffee set up every morning. That would make people happier than instant coffee. Tea and chocolate would be good to offer too.
• The pre-need memorial plan and the memorial plot that my parents purchased didn't end up getting used because my parents decided to go with cremation issued, but they can be transferred.
• We should have posted visiting hours in the initial announcement, since people who stayed overnight hardly slept.
• It helps to think of significant pictures or moments that you want to have, and who should be in it.
• Insurance companies want original forms. Also, photocopy or scan everything before submitting.
• Line up birth certificates and marriage contracts beforehand. One per insurance company, one for estate tax, plus extras for various paperwork requirements.
• Official receipts for funeral expenses should be in the name of one of the heirs so that they can be claimed as part of the estate tax deduction.
• The first paperwork deadline is the BIR notice of death, which can be handled by registering for a TIN for the estate. The deadline is two months after the date of death.
• The Roman Catholic Church prefers burials over cremation, and forbids the division of ashes or keeping ashes at home. We should probably have looked up customs and updated rules before death, as that could have saved us a little money.
• It was a great idea to collect stories even before death, and to collect and print more stories during the wake. Kathy did an amazing job collecting, formatting, and printing all those stories. It was good to have a printer there, a couple of Autopoles, clotheslines, and clothespins.
• You can never have too many pens.
• Light-coloured envelopes are easier to label than dark ones.
• It's hard to organize papers with a curious toddler, so it's good to keep expectations low.
• Uber drivers assume you're already standing outside, and might cancel if they don't see you.
• Korean Air let me extend my trip without a change fee, since we found a seat in the same fare class and with no fare increase. Travel insurance cost a bit more to extend, but that's okay.
• It's good to have a large picture, a digital copy, and a slideshow ready to go. It can also help to bring a laptop, or at least an OTG cable and a USB drive.
• It's good to plan the mementos to be placed inside the niche. That would avoid last-minute scrambling for prints or frames.
• It would have been helpful to decide on the columbarium before arranging for cremation or the wake.
• I should remember to ask about all payment methods. Sometimes Visa debit or MasterCard debit can be treated as cash.
• I should remember to verify actual location, chair setup, and ventilation of a site before giving the okay. It would have also been good to always bring someone else along – more questions, and backup in case A- needs my attention.
• I'm happy with how our priorities worked out: people before paperwork.