Last night I learned that a close friend and member of my temple was killed in a hit and run accident.  He was very close to my husband and they often joked that they shared a brain. 

 This was the first sudden death we have had in our community.  We have lost a few to illness, but none in a sudden violent death like this. 

 I have to take my hat off to the local SCA (Society for Creative Anachronism) of which he and his wife were members.  They have rallied around the widow and help coordinate meals and made sure that she has plenty of people around her with out overwhelming her.  Another good friend that performed their wedding will also be perfoming the public funeral, but our temple is also planning a more pagan style memorial for folks who can't make the funeral or aren't comfortable with mundane funerals. 

 There are so few pagan resourse for dealing with death and funerals.  I think that this is a topic that many pagans avoid, but I feel that it is something that needs more attention so that we do not get caught off gaurd when we are called upon to deal with it.