Monthly Archives: October 2020

funeral homes Willoughby Hills, OH

7 Unique Ideas for Grave Monuments and Headstones

Grave monuments and headstones are not just a way to memorialize someone’s life, they also serve as an important part of the environment.

Losing someone you love and searching for funeral homes Willoughby Hills, OH, doesn’t mean that you forget their memories. Even though the beloved is not physically with you, you can honor their memory and make sure their legacy lives on by choosing a unique grave monument and gravestone for their burial site.

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Whether you’re looking for something traditional or want to celebrate an individual’s life with unique grave monument ideas, there is a design that will fit your needs. In this article, we’re going to take you through 7 different unique ideas that can be incorporated into your grave monument or headstone design.

7 Headstone Designs Ideas

If you want to have a unique and never-seen-before memorial, read the guideline below.

  • Select a Unique Colour

Granite, used as gravestones, comes in a wide range of colors. Many gravestones are either black, brown, grey, or Pink, but you can choose a unique color matching your loved one’s favorite.

You can easily find the granite of your preferred color by going to a headstone showroom and selecting it from the variety of colors on display.

  • Choose A Unique Shape

You can always select a unique-shaped memorial for your lost loved one. Take help from funeral websites, magazines, and funeral directors and choose something that has not been used before. It will not only prove you care for the deceased but also expedite the healing process.

  • Order a Custom-Shaped Memorial

You can go a bit further and order for a custom-shaped memorial – if you can’t find readymade stones of your preferred color and shape. Most memorial stones are available in standard shape, but if you want to get a more personalized memorial, you can custom order it from any reputable headstone store.

  • Make a Bench

Many Americans prefer making a bench near or into the gravesite of their loved ones. Not only does it personalize the gravesite but it helps you spend more time near the remains of the lost loved ones. You and other visitors can sit on the bench and reminisce about the good times spent with the deceased.

  • Design Custom Carvings

Many gravestones have standard cravings mentioning the name, date of death, and any quote about the deceased. On the flip side, custom cravings provide insights into the passion, achievements, and contributions of the departed soul. You can ask to crave a personal emblem, badge, or award into the headstone – to make it more intimate.

  • Add a Porcelain Photograph

Nothing captivates your mind more than visuals. The best way to customize the memory of the departed is to inscribe a porcelain photograph into the gravestone. YES, THEY ARE DURABLE. Choose any design or size and order for a portrait of the deceased. You may also add a picture of their dog, house, car, or any other favorite object.

  • Incorporate a Vase

Nothing adds more beauty to the gravesite than flowers. If you want to keep the memory of the lost loved one fresh for decades to come, custom order a vase or pot and fill it with fresh flowers regularly.

The choice for funeral homes Willoughby Hills, OH, is all your own.

The key to a successful grave monument or headstone design is paying attention to the details. You want your memorialization of someone’s life and death to be meaningful, unique, and lasting.
Keep these 7 ideas in mind as you’re designing your next headstone or gravestone for that special person who has passed on so they can rest peacefully knowing their memory will remain with us forever.

We hope that you’ve found this article to be useful in coming up with new ways to add more meaning and beauty to your family grave monument. If there’s anything else we can do for you, feel free to reach out at any time!

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Funeral Guidance: In the Age of Social Distancing

Social distancing measures have changed cremation services Waite Hill, OH. At a time when social distancing is mandatory, attending or arranging a memorial has become more complicated than ever.

Making decisions concerning the health of your friends and family at a time when you are facing emotional upheaval can be overwhelming.

This article aims to provide basic guidelines on what should you do. Social distancing can be enacted, even at memorials, if you take enough precautions.

Don’t Touch the Body

The CDC has advised people not to touch the body of the deceased who have died of COVID-19 complications. Be cautious in performing the rituals involved with touching the body – mostly in religious funerals. Avoid kissing, shrouding, or washing the body as much as possible. The body should be sanitized and people performing such duties should wear gloves and use masks.

Promoting Social Distancing

You have to comply with the social distancing guidelines outlined by the local government – and discourage people from coming in close contact with each other in the event. Elderly and sick people should pay utmost attention to the 6-ft distance rule and hand hygiene. Make sure there’s hand sanitizer available.

Livestreaming the Event

The pandemic has accelerated the use of digital technology and CDC has recommended that people live stream the event to the audience instead of inviting them. It is a perfect alternative where people can partake funeral services virtually without any risk of contracting COVID-19. Ask them to share their sympathies, stories, or condolences online.

Minimize the Attendees

Extraordinary events require extraordinary decisions. You may need to invite fewer people to the funeral. You may call close friends and immediate family members to attend the services. The CDC has advised inviting no more than 20 people for an indoor funeral arrangement – to enforce 6-foot social distancing.

For other friends and family members, you may arrange a dinner or event at a later time to give tribute to the deceased.

Organize the Event in Open Place

You have to make arrangements in an open, well-ventilated, or large space to minimize the chances of people contacting each other. Many religious traditions have restrictions on holding funerals in open places, so make decisions as culture and traditions allow – keeping in mind the gravity of the situation.

Stringently Follow Hygiene Guidelines

All the attendees to the funeral ought to maintain hygiene before, during, and after the funeral. Using regular hand sanitizers, face mask, disposing tissues, etc. will help protect you – and other visitors – from catching COVID-19. Additionally, everyone should try to avoid handshaking, hugging, and coming in close contact with other people – as recommended by the CDC.

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To conclude, COVID-19 has brought unprecedented changes in our social lives and we have to accept the new realities and mold our lives accordingly. The above guideline will help you arrange cremation or funeral services for your loved – if you don’t want to delay it – without compromising the health of the attendees. Things have changed for cremation services Waite Hill, OH.

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Cremation vs Burial: Decide What’s Best for Your Family

Funerals or cremation services Mentor, OH, among the least discussed topics. Only 26% of Americans talk about funerals with friends or family. No wonder, online platforms are inundated with questions – often left unanswered – about whether a cremation should be preferred or a burial.

Even though organizing a funeral is a highly personal decision involving faith, culture, and family, many factors should be considered before finalizing a decision. There is a significant difference between cremation and burial and this article will help you assess the pros and cons of each – and choose one accordingly.

Understanding the Terminology

Both cremation and burial take place immediately after death. In case of cremation, the body is incinerated into ashes. The remains are handed over to the family to scatter, bury in the ground, or keep as a memory. Contrarily, the burial process includes an entombing body in the ground or mausoleum.

Let’s discuss the pros and cons of each to give help you decide what’s best for your lost loved one.

Pros of Cremation

  • Its cost-effective and can be arranged at any place.
  • The family has the possession of the remains and can keep them.
  • You still can organize a burial service after the cremation.
  • It’s time-efficient and involves fewer decisions compared to that of a burial process.
  • It’s considered environmentally friendly contrary to that of burial – including the casket.

Cremation Cons

  • You cannot organize cremation at every locality. Some neighborhoods don’t provide cremation services.
  • The body cannot be exhumed.

Pros of Burial

  • Provides a permanent mausoleum or gravesite that you can visit whenever you want. For many people, it’s an important component of the healing process.
  • Almost everyone is comfortable with a funeral – eliminating the chances of disagreement and confusion.
  • The body can be exhumed – if need be.

Burial Cons

  • It’s often more expensive
  • Sometimes cemeteries have rules contradicting your wishes or decisions – and limit your choices.

Having expounded the basic pros and cons of cremation and burial, let’s discuss some important factors and statistics concerning each.

Religious Considerations

Cremation is often seen as opposed to many religions. For instance, the Jewish faith forbids cremation – with some exceptions. And Muslims never practice cremation under any circumstances. Similarly, Cremation was banned in the Catholic church until the 1960s. Now, Christians can cremate the body as long as they bury the remains. On the other hand, religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism require cremations.

Which is Best – Statistical Analysis

In America, Cremation is increasingly becoming a preferred choice. According to the National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA), the number of cremation services surpassed that of burial in 2019 and the trend will likely only increase in the coming years. The projection shows that the cremation rate will reach 80% until 2040.

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Now that you understand what’s involved in both decisions, it’s time to make a choice. Whatever you decide to do, you don’t have a lot of time. Cremation services Mentor, OH, or funeral services must be planned soon after the deceased’s passing.

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Funeral Service Etiquette Guidelines

Losing someone you loved is the toughest time of your life and visiting their funeral homes Waite Hill, OH, can be an intimidating experience for people. No matter whether you are attending a funeral for the first time or 50th, it’s always an uncomfortable situation. Still, many people feel confused while attended a funeral as they’re unaware of the protocols of such events.

That’s why this article aims to provide information about some universal etiquette and customs of funeral or memorial services.

What to Wear

The first question that comes to mind is what to wear to a funeral. Generally, people tend to wear black clothing as it symbolizes mourning and grief. But you don’t necessarily have to wear black, just wear something that is not too bright, loud or casual like sweats, shorts, midriff tops, flip-flops, or plunging necklines dresses.

But if you’re confused, wear formal or business dress.

What to Say

At a funeral, you should offer condolences to the bereaved. Acknowledge the pain and grief of the family but keep it short and simple. Share a fond or a happy memory, or a noble trait of the deceased. Don’t spend too much time interacting with the bereaved as they need space and time to cope with the grief. You may take a moment to pay tribute to the departed by bowing in front of the casket or writing a ‘condolence’ note.

Also avoid using sentences like, ‘He is in the better place right now’ or comparing the death to something you have experienced before.

Arrive Early

Never arrive late to the funeral as sends an inappropriate message to the audience. It’s advised to show up ten to fifteen minutes before the start time and interact with the bereaved and offer sympathies. When you arrive, don’t sit in the front rows as they are reserved for close family members; sit anywhere in between and use the side aisle to avoid any interruptions.

Rules About Photography

Photography in a funeral is often perceived in bad taste – especially while attending a religious funeral. Taking photos of the deceased or the bereaved is often seen as violating privacy.

Funeral etiquettes demand extreme respect for others. Many mourners disapprove of photography as they don’t want to catch in the grieving moments and be published.

Simply put, don’t take pictures unless you are asked to do so.

Be Respectful

While attending a funeral, you should:

  • Turn off your mobile phones as it creates unnecessary disruptions.
  • Don’t talk during the service.
  • Avoid eating or drinking anything when you’re at a funeral.
  • It is advisable to bring flowers to a funeral, but never take them to a Jewish funeral.
  • Of all the places a funeral is the event where you have to be at the best of your behavior. Cooperate with the bereaved family and show them the utmost respect. It is vital to do some research about the religious traditions of the family to offset any embarrassment.

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To conclude, attending a funeral can be overwhelming at times, but by boning up on the above guide, you will be at comfort while attending funeral homes Waite Hill, OH.