Etiquette Question - Memorial Celebration

[try2bfrugal]

A friend of my husband's passed away a few months ago. He has been invited to a life celebration event with beverages and finger foods. It has 1 - 5 pm listed on the invitation. He wants me to attend but I have a previous commitment earlier that same day that overlaps with that time frame. It doesn't appear to be the kind of event with a speaker or any type of service.

Do you think events like these are kind of drop in type affairs and it is okay to either come late or just stop by during those hours or would it be rude to not be there the whole time listed? Sorry to be a rube about this, but I haven't been to many of these kinds of events and I don't know what the proper etiquette would be. The last one I went to one it was more like an open house and people were kind of coming and going the whole time, but I think with that one the invitation specifically said to drop by any time.

[iris lily]

It's a drop in event. That's why the hours of the event are expressed as a range. NOw, there may be a semi-formal speaker and you may miss that speech, but that's ok. If they wanted everyone there for that they would have specified a time.

[razz]

Definitely, a drop in event. May I suggest that you share a thought with the bereaved about the deceased individual that you felt, heard or treasured - could be as simple as he always had a smile or listened with such attention or great sense of humour.

I have been trying to understand the whole concept of the closing rituals of one's life. A funeral director and friend explained it so beautifully. One's birth is celebrated, birthdays are celebrated, graduations, weddings, promotions.... Mankind needs the celebration of life or funeral or similar to add a closing ceremony or ritual at the end of life. Expressing gratitude to the survivor/s for the evidence of good expressed by the deceased is the gift that you bring. I loved that idea.

[try2bfrugal]

Okay, thanks for the input. You are probably both right about it being drop in. I just didn't want to risk being rude at something this important, and my other event was something I had to book months in advance so I want to juggle the two functions, if at all possible.

[Simplemind]

Drop in for sure. It will mean a lot to the family even if you can only drop in for a minute or two at the end.