For the most part, it is awkward and difficult because I didn’t really know the family members and other relatives there.

You didn’t ask, but the approach that seemed to work best for me was to organize a group of students from the relevant classes and we went as a group to pay our respects. The mutual support among ourselves provided an emotional base to ease all of us into the unknown crowd of relatives. And the response from our showing up in strength was well received as many of the relatives were not always so aware of the connectivity their deceased relative had outside the family.

After a while, it got to a point that the students would assemble a memory book with pictures, hand written notes and autographs and present it to the family. A rather simple thing to do that carries with it value beyond imagination.

hope this helps

Accident (alcohol involved)

Accident (alcohol involved)

Illness

The student who died of a chronic illness was the most difficult because she was a high functioning kid who slowly succumbed to her disease over the period of two years, and we could see how she was losing “things” along the way.