MENTOR, Ohio — The holiday season is one to spend with family friends, but for those grieving the loss of a loved one, the holidays can be tough.
A long-standing tradition in Mentor invites people to celebrate the lives of their deceased relatives.
For 29 years, the Brunner Sanden Deitrick Funeral Home in Mentor has hosted a remembrance ceremony and tree lighting on the first Sunday of December.
Funeral home employees decorate the tree each year with ornaments labeled with the names of each deceased person cared for at the funeral home.
The names of those beloved members of the community are also read out loud at an afternoon ceremony.
“Holidays are stressful in and of itself and during the holiday season we know how important it is to remember,” Nancy Brunner Sanden said, “And that’s why the focus of this tree of remembrance is your loved one’s name.”
This year’s tree is decorated with more than 400 ornaments.
The tree is located on the front lawn of the funeral home at 8466 Mentor Ave.
