Service Options FAQs
| Question #1 | What If the Deceased Expressed Wishes That Are Not Considered "Traditional"? |
| Answer: | It is important to try to accommodate ‘non-traditional’ funeral requests. Our funeral directors can work with you to accommodate your wishes and can counsel you as to matters of legality, local customs and the requirements of local churches, cemeteries and clergy. An ideal situation would be to meet with a funeral director to make ‘pre-arrangements’ that are both reasonably priced and satisfactory to all. Some people express the desire that “nobody make a fuss over me when I’m gone.” Unfortunately, such wishes may dismiss the importance that survivors might place on memorializing their loved-one. While a family may struggle to comply with the wishes of the deceased, they may also want to avoid cutting themselves off from the important benefits of the traditional funeral service. If possible, families should discuss their wishes before arrangements are finalized. |
| Question #2 | I’m Not Sure I Want a Religious Service. Is It Still Possible to Have a Funeral? |
| Answer: | Some people request what is called a ‘humanistic’ type of funeral, where the deceased is remembered in any of a variety of ways. Some such memorializations are in the form of gatherings of friends and family for a time of remembrance and sharing. Others include rites conducted by fraternal, military or other organizations. Nearly any personal preference can be accommodated. |
| Question #3 | Can We "Customize" the Services For Our Loved One? |
| Answer: | Absolutely. Most families do this to some extent by choosing the type of service, minister, donations to favorite charities and place of the service. It is certainly acceptable to go beyond, if desired. For example, calling hours can be held in the church or other facility. Committal services could include ‘personal touches’ that the family may feel appropriate. A video tribute can be prepared for broadcasting throughout our funeral home at the time of the visitation. Almost anything is possible, and our funeral directors are willing to work with you to make this important ritual fit the needs of your family and friends, and reflect your wishes. |
| Question #4 | Why Do Some People Choose Cremation Over A More Traditional Funeral? |
| Answer: | There are several funeral arrangement options available when deciding what to do when a loved one dies. Some choose cremation because they feel it is a more ecologically sound choice. Others feel that there simply is not enough grave space available for everyone in the U.S. to be buried in a casket. The fact is that if all 300 million Americans were to die at once, they could all be buried in caskets in a cemetery one-quarter the size of Rhode Island. The problem is that some areas do not have enough designated cemetery space. There is plenty of land…there is just not enough cemetery land set aside at this time. |
| Question #5 | Can We Save Money By Choosing Cremation? |
| Answer: | Cremation can be a less expensive alternative to traditional burial. It may or may not be the best choice for your particular situation. Understand that cremation is less expensive because you normally do not have to purchase a casket. A less expensive alternative container may be used. An outer burial enclosure (usually a concrete vault) is not necessary either. Some choose to protect the cremated remains with an urn vault, however. When burying the cremains in a cemetery, a smaller grave is dug, which is less costly in most cemeteries. The services offered by the funeral home for arrangements and conducting a memorial service are the same as those of a traditional funeral. Therefore, you should expect to pay for those services at the same rate as those who choose burial. The least costly of all disposition alternatives is a “direct cremation” service, which involves no services beyond that which is required to cremate the deceased. |
| Question #6 | Can We Still Have a Service If Cremation Is Chosen? |
| Answer: | Absolutely. Many are not aware that following the death of a loved-one, if cremation is chosen, there is ample opportunity to conduct a memorialization. Calling hours (a wake or viewing) are also available so that friends and family can gather and show support for the bereaved. A ritual good-bye, whether it be religious with clergy officiating, or less structured, can be arranged with the help of a funeral director, and can be held either in a church, at the funeral home, or at another appropriate site. A burial rite, such as a committal service, can also be performed at the place of disposition of the cremains (ashes), if you have chosen burial or scattering. Another available option is to have a traditional service followed by cremation. Many families have found this to be the best way to combine religious and social needs with their own beliefs, or to adhere to the wishes of the deceased. This option, although it does require embalming the deceased in most cases, does not mean that a traditional burial casket must be purchased. You may opt to use a funeral home’s rental casket in such instances, or to purchase a less costly cremation casket. It is important to remember that choosing cremation does not mean you have to be shut off from the traditional social, family, and community interactions that can be so important to people at a time when it means so much. |
To see a list of our commonly selected services, and price estimates, please click here.
Daily Grief Support by Email
Grieving doesn't always end with the funeral: subscribe to our free daily grief support email program, designed to help you a little bit every day, by filling out the form below.
Weekly Email Tips to Support a Grieving Friend
It's hard to know what to say when someone experiences loss. Our free weekly newsletter provides insights, quotes and messages on how to help during the first year.
