

#BePresentWithKoch
After Death
This month Jackie Naginey Hook talks to Holly Reigh about the importance of having conversations and being present before and after death. Holly is a nurse who passionately advocates and cares for ...
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Whole, But Not the Same
This month Jackie Naginey Hook talks to Jennifer Stubbs about being whole but forever changed as the result of pregnancy and early infant loss. After the loss of her first son, Jennifer became a pa...
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Finding Balance
This month Jackie Naginey Hook, MA, and Evelyn Wald, MS, M.Div, LPC, discuss ways to find balance after the loss of a loved one. Evelyn has more than 25 years as a grief counselor, is the program d...
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Why Are Rituals Important?
This month Jackie Naginey Hook and F. Glenn Fleming, supervisor and funeral director with Koch Funeral Home, have a conversation about why rituals are important. They also discuss the Because LOVE ...
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Welcome to #BePresentWithKoch
Welcome to the the new monthly #BePresentWithKoch series
Hi, I’m Jackie Naginey Hook, a spiritual director, celebrant and end-of-life doula and...
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To Embalm or Not to Embalm
To Embalm or Not to Embalm
When a loved one dies, family members are confronted with decisions regarding how they would like to honor the life that was lost. One of the first questions the funeral...
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How did you choose the funeral director profession?
How did you choose the funeral director profession?
“I like helping people and making them feel better in times of need.” For Katie DeCapria, funeral director intern, that sums up why she chose th...
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What Does It Take to Be a Funeral Director?
What does it take to be a funeral director?
“It’s very humbling and rewarding to be the person preparing someone for their final resting place.” Imagine that your work was professionally and tende...
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Has community service been a part of your life?
Has community service been a part of your life?
“Service to humanity is the best work of life. I’ve spent my life doing it and would rather work for the benefit of others than anything else. A goo...
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Lessons Learned As A Funeral Director
When I began my career in the funeral industry at the age of 21, I had a lot to learn. Looking back on it a half-century later, one thing I’ve learned is I would do it all over again. Although the ...
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March 1 2021
This month our theme is “Masculine & Feminine Grieving.” It is important to recognize that each of us is made up of a unique blend of masculine and feminine qualities. This blend affects how we...
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February 22 2021
I leave you this month with the closing quote from my article:
As we think about being courageous and listening to our hearts, consider these words from Henri Nouwen, a writer and Catholic priest:...
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February 15 2021
Here is more of the “Heartfelt Support” article:
In one of our support series, we asked the group to think of the person who had been most supportive...
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February 8, 2021
Continuing with my article about “Heartfelt Support:”
Sometimes I’ve seen that courage lead to heartfelt decisions such as:
Families bring loved ones home to spend their final days.
A husband ...
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February 1 2021
This month our theme is “Heartfelt Support” and throughout these weeks I’m going to share an article I recently wrote for the Centre County Gazette:
Many of you may know that the root of the word ...
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January 25 2021
I leave you this month with a Rumi poem about welcoming all of the pieces of you.
The Guest House
This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness,...
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January 18 2021
Today is Martin Luther King Day. What an appropriate day to think about our theme “Pieces of Me” – King was brilliant at integrating the different pieces of himself into a wholeness that made our w...
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January 11 2021
Last week we talked about nurturing some pieces of ourselves, and also welcoming and then leaving behind other pieces in this new year. As you think about the pieces of you that remain, you can thi...
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January 4 2021
This month our theme is “Pieces of Me.” As we begin this new year, what pieces of you do you want to bring with you? What pieces of you would you like to leave in 2020? We are all made up of differ...
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December 28 2020
To close out our discussion of searching for meaning, I’ll share a quote from author, lecturer and Benedictine monk, David Steindl-Rast:
Meaning is not something that can be looked up in a book, l...
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Who We Are:
Our Mission: To compassionately serve and guide families with our experience and knowledge as they honor their loved ones.
Our Location:
Koch Funeral Home
F. Glenn Fleming, Supervisor
2401 S. Atherton Street
State College, PA 16801
(814) 237-2712
(814) 238-0482 fax
admin@kochfuneralhome.com
A branch of:
John B. Brown Funeral Home, Inc.
Douglas A. Hallinan, Supervisor
417 Washington Street
Huntingdon, PA 16652
(814) 643-1256
(814) 643-1257 fax
admin@johnbbrownfuneralhome.com