Monthly Archives: December 2022

Guide for Organizing a Funeral

Soon after the loss of a loved one, the bereaved family needs to start thinking about the funeral process and cremation services Willoughby Hills, OH. The deceased deserves a perfect final send-off for the amazing life they have spent.

But planning a funeral is amongst the most challenging experiences. The raw grief and the painful emotions it accompanies limit a person’s ability to make scrupulous decisions.

That’s why it’s important to have a basic idea of funerals and their related services. It will give you a head start when you have to arrange a meaningful and appropriate funeral for the departed loved one.

1. Hire a Funeral Director

Many people have a misconception that hiring a funeral director costs extra money. And that one saves all that amount by arranging the services himself. Truth be told, hiring a funeral director is the best thing to do.

A funeral director has years of experience in handling various tasks associated with funeral services. Because of their direct contacts with all the funeral service providers such as catering, music, burial, religious clergy, florists, etc. you can get these services at a discounted price without lifting a finger.

They can take care of all the details that allow you to spend more time with your family and friends. In addition, the person is trained to provide you with emotional support and strength during such tough times.

2. Choose Either Burial or Cremation

If the deceased has not already expressed his or her wish about their final disposition type, the responsibility falls on the surviving family. The two most common types of funerals are burial and cremation in America and elsewhere.

If your family is a religious one or follows a longstanding tradition, then you have to go with it, else the family can make a consensus on whether to burn the body (cremation) or bury it – depending on your budgetary allocations.

In the last decade, cremation has become more prevalent in America due to fewer costs associated with it.

3. Include Religious Element or Not

The most critical aspect to consider while making this decision is the religious beliefs of the deceased. If the person had a strong faith in the denomination, then the final services would follow religious rites and rituals.

Else, there are many secularist human traditions that you can choose from. The concept of non-traditional funerals is gaining traction in the States and your funeral director can better guide you on what’s best for you.

4. Funeral Hearse or Not

Mostly, the casket is transported in a hearse, but now people are increasingly opting for non-traditional ways of transporting the casket like floats and horse-drawn carriages. It all boils down to the choice and financial capacity of the surviving family.

5. Hold A Memorial Service

Post-ceremony gatherings are arranged to honor and remember the deceased. Mostly, a memorial service is held by the bereaved family where close friends and family are invited to the deceased’s house. But they can also be performed at funeral homes or other convenient places like a beach, restaurant, or the deceased’s favorite place. The memorial can be held after cremation services Willoughby Hills, OH, as well.

Questions About Eulogies

Eulogies are common at funeral homes Willoughby Hills, OH. A eulogy is a remembrance speech with the purpose of paying tribute to a loved one. We have shortlisted some common questions about a eulogy that will help you better understand this important component of a funeral service.

Let’s find out.

1. Who should deliver the eulogy?

Preferably, someone close to the departed soul delivers the eulogy. This can be a spouse, parent, child, sibling, close cousin or another relative, a pastor, or a good friend.

Often eulogies are given by family members or friends. But, that’s not set in stone. Anyone can deliver a eulogy. Often, the bereaved family nominates someone to give the eulogy. And that’s understandable as the pain is very raw for close family members and they may have difficulty composing or delivering a eulogy.

Anyone tasked with giving a eulogy should feel honored. It is a sign of your close relationship with the deceased and the high regard in which you are held by the family.

2. Can there be more than one eulogy?

Yes. Often there are two eulogies given, one by a family member and another by a friend. This gives two different perspectives on the deceased’s life and can greatly enhance the funeral service.

But mostly, families choose just one eulogy. In case of more than one eulogy, the speakers need to be brief and take around three to four minutes maximum.

3. How long should a eulogy be?

If the family decides to deliver one eulogy, the ideal time would be about six to eight minutes, but no more than ten. In terms of word count, the written eulogy should be about 1000 words. make sure you read it at a good clip otherwise you are in danger of going over 10 minutes.

If there are two or more eulogies, try to keep each one at five minutes or less. Or choose one to be the longer “main” eulogy at 5-7 minutes and the others no more than three minutes.

4. Is it ok to share a funny story in the eulogy?

Absolutely yes. A eulogy aims to highlight the notable traits of the deceased’s personality and honor their life. That’s why humor is entirely appropriate particularly if the loved one was a fun and jolly person. You can include a couple of funny incidents or stories involving the departed soul.

Funerals are mostly serious, so a few appropriately humorous stories and anecdotes can help tremendously to lighten the mood.

But stay away from awkward or embarrassing moments, off-color jokes, and foul language. There will be a wide variety of people in attendance and you do not want to needlessly offend.

5. Can I Cry during a eulogy?

It’s perfectly fine to cry during the eulogy. No one will think the worse of you for it, and if you realize it’s acceptable to get emotional then you’re actually less likely to do so. But try to control your emotions to make sure you deliver the message.

If your emotions are too high and you fear breaking down on the stage, be sure not to accept the invitation to funeral homes Willoughby Hills, OH, in the first place.

Common Questions About Funeral

Many people do not have an understanding of cremation services Waite Hill, OH, funerals, and their related services. After all, the funeral is not a topic that many people would love to talk about until they have to visit one.

Because of this, there’re a lot of questions about funerals that need clear answers. Below are some common queries of people that we find necessary to answer. Give it a read to improve your understanding of funerals and how to better take care of bereaved people.

1. Should You Hire a Funeral Director?

That’s the question that crosses the minds of many people, especially ones who are likely to arrange a service in near future.

The answer is YES. A funeral director is responsible for arranging all the funeral services for the deceased. Some of these tasks include:

Preparing the body for burial or cremation
Handling all types of paperwork
Provide emotional support to the bereaved family
Providing transportation for the body
Working with a church to schedule non-religious services
Managing tasks such as catering, music, and after-burial services

Since funeral directors have contacts in the industry, they can provide all these services at a discounted price. That’s why it’s always a recommended choice to hire a reliable and professional funeral director.

2. What is The Most Appropriate Funeral Attire?

For most people, all-black is the go-to attire to attend a funeral. And you probably have already seen it in the movies but it’s not the only attire you can wear.

You can wear dark-colored attire or any color of your preference as long as they don’t look too casual. Also, depending on where the services are being held, you have to choose whether to dress more conservatively or wear casual attire.

However, if you’re unsure, an all-black is still the go-to attire.

3. Is There Any Difference Between A Funeral and A Memorial Service?

The answer is yes. A funeral service involves the body of the deceased, while a memorial service is held without the presence of the deceased’s body. The latter is a gathering of close friends and family after the body is cremated, donated to science, or buried, where the attendees pay tribute to the lost loved one.

Both events are meant to offer the bereaved an opportunity to get in touch with close relatives and friends and honor the life of the decedent.

4. Can You Bring Children to the Funeral?

Yes, no rule bars guests from bringing their children to the funeral. It’s understandable if someone doesn’t bring their children to a funeral.

But if the child is a sibling or a son/daughter of the deceased, then they should be allowed to mourn the loss and be with the grieving. If you’re taking a child to a funeral, be sure to give the necessary information child about what’s going to happen at the funeral or memorial services.

This would help them prepare their mind beforehand. If they have any questions, answer them politely and remember that children are vulnerable and don’t cope with grief as adults do. They may not understand cremation services Waite Hill, OH.

Common Question Regarding Funeral Costs

When you arrange a service at funeral homes Waite Hill, OH, understanding the various costs is far from the easiest task.

Knowing the answer to the most common questions we’ve heard about the costs of funerals and related services can help you better prepare for the event if need be. Let’s give you some answers:

1. Who pays for funeral expenses?

There’s no hard and fast rule. But generally, funeral expenses are paid by the next of kin who is often responsible for handling all the services of a funeral event to give a perfect goodbye to the lost loved one.

But nobody is legally responsible for funeral expenses unless they have signed the statement of funeral goods and services, agreeing to take responsibility.

2. What is included in most funeral packages?

The package can range from the funeral home to the funeral home. Also, every funeral home offers multiple packages to give the bereaved family more flexibility in choosing what serves them best.

But mostly, you get the below services from a funeral package:

Basic services of funeral director and staff.
Transporting remains from the place of death to the funeral home.
Care and shelter of the remains.
Filing the death certificate.

3. Can you pay for the funeral from the deceased’s bank account?

Yes, if the deceased has set up a rights-of-survivorship account. In such a case, all of the money inside the account becomes the property of the surviving account owner when one dies. The survivor can write a check or use a debit card to pay for the funeral expenses.

If it is not a joint account, the bank will not generally release any money from the account until probate is granted.

4. What to do if you cannot bear the funeral expense?

You can either ask for donation or crowdfunding or else, sign a release form with your county coroner’s office. This form shows that the family doesn’t have the resources to bury the lost loved one. After signing the release, the county will step in to pay for either direct burial or direct cremation.

5. How to ask for donations to help pay for the funeral?

The most common way is to set up a form of crowdfunding. Just as the name indicates, it is raising money to pay for a loved one’s final expenses. Or in other words, asking the public to pay for the deceased’s funeral expenses.

Typically, the crowdfunding web page is shared among friends and family members on social media, and it is often those closest to you who contribute. However, you may be surprised at the generosity of nearly-forgotten friends, distant relations, or strangers.

It is also a viable option to ask for funeral donations through social media. This way, family and friends can contact them and offer their help. Or you can make some phone calls respectfully asking for donations.

But for many people, asking for donations can be intimidating. Often, the best way is to ask for donations “Instead of flowers.” You can find more help at funeral homes Waite Hill, OH.

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