Service Options
No two services are alike; they are as unique as the lives they are intended to honor. Their purpose is always to provide those who are grieving with a supportive environment in which they can begin to come to terms with the loss. Gathering with friends and family gives everyone the opportunity to connect, share memories, offer words of sympathy, and create a lasting network of comfort and support as they start the journey toward healing.
Burial Services
Choose services for your loved one that best meet your needs and preferences:
- A funeral service is a ceremony which serves to honor the life of the deceased. It can be held in the funeral home, a church, or other settings that can accommodate public gatherings with a casket being present. A procession to the cemetery often follows this event, and the ceremony concludes at the graveside.
- A memorial service is different from a funeral service in that a casket is not usually present. If the services include cremation, an urn may or may not be present for the memorial service.
- A graveside service is held at the cemetery where your loved one’s remains are laid to rest. A graveside service can be selected as the only ceremony for your loved one, but is often paired with a funeral or memorial service.
- A visitation, also called a viewing, wake, or calling hours, allows family and friends an opportunity to support and comfort each other as they begin to grieve the loss of their loved one. The casket or urn is often present; a casket can be open or closed during this time. This event often takes place the evening before, or during the hours before, a funeral service.
- ‘Immediate burial” means that your loved one will be buried or entombed without a public service or gathering, usually within 24 hours of his or her passing.
Cremation Services
Cremation service options are as varied as traditional services, uniquely tailored to fit your needs.
- Choosing a visitation or viewing before a cremation allows family and friends an opportunity for closure with your loved one’s body present.
- A memorial service is a ceremony which serves to honor the life of the deceased without the presence of a casket. The service can be held in the funeral home, a church, or other settings that would accommodate public gatherings. An urn containing the cremated remains is often, but not always, present at the memorial service.
- A graveside service is held at the cemetery where your loved one’s remains are laid to rest. A graveside service can be selected as the only ceremony for your loved one, but is often paired with a funeral or memorial service.
- Scattering allows you to spread your loved one's cremated remains in an unrestricted location.
