Navigating the final journey

A retired Uniting Church minister and former journalist hopes his at-times tongue-incheek book about ‘navigating the final journey’ will help Wimmera people with the often-difficult task of planning a funeral.

Walter Sholl, who lives at Warracknabeal with his wife Eileen, has released Grave Business 2.0, which expands on his original publication launched in 2010.

“Grave Business is packed with resource material suitable for all occasions, from arranging a funeral service to words for services from a still birth, euthanasia, suicide or drug overdose to a traditional service,” he said.

“It also includes scattering of ashes and dedication of a tombstone along with several contemporary hymns suitable for a funeral service.”

Mr Sholl said his book was peppered with ‘humour and wisdom’ relating to funerals.

“It is a complete funeral service manual suitable for both clergy and celebrants seeking material to complement traditional church liturgies,” he said.

“Parts of material for the book have been gained from numerous trips to Canada visiting Eileen’s family and friends, including her British Columbia coastal pilot father’s funeral service.”

The book is a collection of Mr Sholl’s experiences as an industrial chaplain in Darwin, hospital chaplain in Hobart and parish ministry throughout several Australian Uniting Church settlements.

“My wife and I were in settlement in Beulah with the Uniting Church from 2003 to 2006,” he said.

“We are now building a house at Warracknabeal after spending 10 years in Gippsland.”

Mr Sholl also attended Jeparit Primary School and Dimboola Memorial High School.

Copies of Grave Business 2.0 are available from Jacob’s Well book shop in Horsham for $20.