"Why Do We Have Funerals?"
Discover Unique Ways To Pay Tribute
It's important to recognize that funerals and memorial ceremonies are for the living ... for those who are affected by the loss of a loved one. It is through the funeral process that a number of emotional needs are met for those who grieve.
A funeral is similar to other ceremonies in our lives. Like a graduation ceremony, a wedding, a baptism, and a bar mitzvah, a funeral is a rite of passage by which we recognize an important event that distinguishes our lives.
The funeral declares that a death has occurred. It celebrates the life that has been lived, and offers family and friends the opportunity to pay tribute to their loved one.
The gathering of family and friends for a time of sharing and funeral service helps to provide emotional support so needed at this time. This will help those who grieve to face the reality of death and consequently, to take the first step toward a healthy emotional adjustment.
The funeral can and does take on many varied forms. Funerals can last from minutes to months and are usually influenced by the lifestyle and values of the bereaved family and friends.
A valuable aspect of contemporary funerals is their individuality. Whether a ceremony is elaborate or simple, funerals are often individualized to reflect the life of the deceased and to hold special meaning for family and other survivors. It may reflect one's religious beliefs as a reaffirmation of faith in a greater life beyond this world.
It may reflect the occupation or hobbies of the deceased. It may center around an ethnic background or social affiliation.
Traditional Services
- Traditional "Full Service Funeral"
- Choices for the Memorial Service
- Funerals - Answering Your Questions
- Download Our FREE Memorial Planning Guide
- Sending Flowers - A Timeless Tradition
Traditional "Full Service Funeral"
This type of funeral, often referred to by funeral providers as a "traditional" funeral, usually includes a viewing or visitation and formal funeral service, use of a hearse to transport the body to the funeral site and cemetery, and burial, entombment or cremation of the remains. It is generally the most expensive type of funeral. In addition to the funeral home's basic services fee, costs often include embalming and dressing the body; rental of the funeral home for the viewing or service; and use of vehicles to transport the family if they don't use their own. The costs of a casket, cemetery plots or crypt and other funeral goods and services also must be factored in.
A traditional service for burial, entombment or cremation, is usually the service of choice. At Grimes we believe in the traditional funeral, because it often best serves the needs of family and friends.
The traditional funeral service may include the following:
- Casket
- Transfer of the deceased to the funeral home
- Embalming
- Dressing, cosmetology and other care of the deceased
- Professional support and administrative staff assistance
- Use of visitation rooms
- General use of the facilities for the service and arrangements
- Funeral service
- Use of funeral coach
- Limousine
- Utility car
- Register book
- Acknowledgment cards
- Memorial folders or prayer cards
- Video Memorial
The traditional service is a meaningful expression for the family, and it gives friends and associates an opportunity to offer their tributes in the way of flowers or memorials to churches or organizations.
Generally, a member of the clergy or other person chosen by the family conducts a service of remembrance. We encourage the active participation of the family in helping plan this part of the service. Many times family members take part by giving a reading, singing or assisting the clergy.
All of our services can be customized to meet a family's needs or wishes. Increasingly, we find individuals want to create a memorial that reflects a more personalized and meaningful tribute. Our staff is always available to help you plan and design a memorial that fully reflects your wishes.
Choices for the Memorial Service
Whether you're thinking about your own passing and the subsequent funeral service or working to put together a funeral for a loved one, you may feel like there are many big decisions to make.
Of course, it's true that there are many choices. And while that may seem a little daunting and disorienting, it is ultimately a comfort: Today's funeral and memorial services are highly customizable based on an individual's preferences, beliefs, and needs. Whatever kind of service you wish to have, it can all be arranged through the help of a skilled funeral director.
The venue, for example, can be highly variable. Though funeral homes still host the majority of memorials, there are also many people who choose to have funeral and memorial services in homes, churches or other places of worship, or even outdoors.
Music and multimedia are variables. Speaking with your funeral director, you can make arrangements for a local pianist, singing group, string quartet, or even a live band to provide an accompaniment that s either meditative or lively to the service; or, you can arrange for a full multimedia remembrance-video, pictures, slideshows, and beyond.
Many of today's funeral services are essentially all-day affairs- gatherings where family and friends arrive not just to mourn but then to linger and to spend time in fellowship together long after the service itself is over. This of course, attends a need for catering and perhaps also for music, both of which a funeral director can help arrange.
Different families express grief uniquely, and every person has varying wishes for their own remembrances. Thankfully, there are funeral arrangements to suit just about anyone and it is entirely possible to record any future wishes through a pre-arrangment conference.
Every funeral/memorial service should be a memorable, warm reflection of the person who has died.
Funerals - Answering Your Questions
Download Our FREE Memorial Planning Guide
Life is full of opportunities to show someone we love them. One such opportunity is the funeral or memorial service. Fill out this form to download our guide to creating a loving event that celebrates the choices they made, the relationship you shared, and honors the memory of your loved one.
Sending Flowers - A Timeless Tradition
Click Here to Send Flowers Now
Floral arrangements are some of the most respectful and common ways to show respect for deceased individuals. Funeral homes will typically accept deliveries from individuals wishing to show their condolences through flowers. It may also be appropriate to send flowers to the family in mourning as a way to show support.
Understanding the meaning behind these different types of flowers can help individuals select the best arrangement for any given situation. Here are a few common options:
Lilies are an elegant choice to show sympathy, as well as convey majesty and purity. These flowers are known to represent the innocent soul of the deceased.
Carnations remain popular for being both long lasting and having a sweet scent; however, the colors of these flowers present different meanings. Appropriate for both men and women, pink carnations represent remembrance while white suggests love and innocence. Red carnations signify admiration for the deceased.
Roses offer a variety of meanings that can be appropriate for differing funeral circumstances. For instance, red roses evoke sorrow for the deceased, while yellow roses express sympathy for the family of the departed.
Orchids are common selections for those wishing to send lasting sympathy and condolences for families of the deceased. These flowers signify eternal love and memory.
Hydrangeas provide versatility as a spring flower that can be both indoors and outdoors. Since these flowers bloom for many years, they are often used to signify the lasting memory of the departed.
There are many other options for floral arrangements for funerals and memorials, including daffodils, tulips, gladioli and chrysanthemums. Those looking for more insight are encouraged to ask a local florist what flowers are most appropriate for the situation at hand.
Though nothing can bring back the hour Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower; We will grieve not, rather find Strength in what remains behind. - William Wordsworth