Funeral home launches support group for grieving spouses

Soon people who have lost their spouse will be able to participate in a social support program that connects widows and widowers with others who share similar experiences.

On July 25, Forest Park South Funeral Home, 12650 Shadow Creek Parkway, Pearland, will launch LIFT with a kickoff Casino Extravaganza event at the home beginning at 1 p.m.

The LIFT program will host luncheons, sporting events, holiday activities, day trips and educational seminars for grieving spouses. Participation is free and is not limited to those who have been served by Forest Park South Funeral Home.

The LIFT program was founded in 1975 by Forest Park South Funeral Home’s owner, Dignity Memorial, which is the brand for Service Corporation International, a provider of funeral, cemetery and cremation services. There are more than 50 LIFT chapters across North America.

The Greater Houston area already has LIFT groups in Houston, Katy, Sugar Land and Tomball, but driving to those locations from Pearland can be challenging for seniors, who make up many of LIFT’s participants, said Jeremy Watkins, Forest Park South Funeral Home funeral director and manager.

“Pearland is a large, diverse community, and it has everything we need,” Watkins said. “The more that we can offer here in Pearland, the better and more convenient it is for our guests. It’s something local that we can be proud of and support.”

LIFT’s local chapters put out a quarterly calendar that will be available to guests at the kickoff event.