 |
|
Recent Obituaries
Search Obituaries
|
|
|
|
|
 Services : Funeral Services
A funeral represents a purposeful opportunity to reflect on the meaning of a life that has been lived and to determine the impact of that meaning for the family and friends. Remember there is no single proper funeral service. It is a time of human sharing in its deepest sense. You and the ones you love are at the center of the process, and the choices you make will determine its significance for you. As you participate in the planning of the funeral service, you help create a meaningful experience for everyone.
Complete Funeral Service
Traditionally, the funeral will be a Complete Funeral Service. This includes a family or public viewing of the deceased. Following this will be a service, typically in the funeral home or church. This would be followed by earth of above ground burial of the casketed remains.
Graveside Service
The Graveside Service can be another selection. This many times would follow a time of visitation at the funeral home. The casketed remains would then be transferred to the cemetery where a graveside ceremony could take place followed by the burial.
Services : Cremation Options
Overview of Cremation
The number of families choosing cremation has increased significantly in the past few years, yet cremation carries a long tradition and remains largely unchanged.
Cremation simply expedites the process of reducing a body to bone fragments through application of intense heat.
What is done before and after the cremation is up to the survivors, or up to you.
Contrary to what some people believe, Cremation does not limit choices, but, in fact, increases one’s options. It is a process which is performed in a respectful and dignified manner and can be memorialized in many ways.
Cremation and Funerals
Choosing cremation neither eliminates nor does it require a funeral service. Traditional or contemporary services are often planned before or after the cremation process. A funeral service followed by cremation may be exactly the same as a funeral service followed by ground burial. They can be elaborate or simple and traditional or nontraditional.
Traditional Cremation Service
The Traditional Cremation Service will be just like a Complete Funeral Service except cremation will follow instead of the casketed burial. This can be accommodated by the use of a cremation casket (casket that is designed to be cremated) or the use of a rental casket. Following the viewing, service or ceremony, and eventual cremation, the cremated remains can be buried, scattered, or returned to the family for safe keeping.
Cremation and Memorial Service
The Memorial Service is a gathering where the body is not present.
Some families will choose to have cremation take place after visitation and have a memorial service to follow. This may allow for final disposition of the cremated remains on the same day.
Others may choose to not have the body present during the time of visitation, but would prefer a memorial gathering. This still allows closure and the comfort of family and friends.
Most often cremated remains are present during the service or gathering in an urn. Urns come in many styles and reflect carried artistic forms. With so many to choose from, families can find something reflective of their lifestyle, faith or beliefs.
Direct Cremation Only
Families who prefer not to have any service or gathering can contact the funeral director for transportation of the deceased from the place of death and the cremation.
Although direct cremation without any type of gathering or service is an option, many families later regret this decision because it ignores the need for closure. While some families do not like the idea of a viewing, but can see the value in a gathering of close personal friends to talk, reminisce and support each other. Having some type of service or ceremony is a key ingredient to a healthy recovery of a loss due to a death.
Memorialization Options for Cremation
Two very common disposition choices for cremated remains are burial and above ground entombment.
The gravesite provides a permanent location to visit for family members.
Another choice for families is to retain the cremated remains at home as a cherished possession.
Scattering of cremated remains can represent a permanent oneness with an important place. Scattering in a river, lake or sea, farm or even golf course can be a meaningful experience for families.
Services : Creating A Meaningful Funeral
Becker Funeral Home will help you create a personalized and meaningful ceremony, because we believe – Every life has a story to tell. We also know that the details can be overwhelming at the time of loss, so we will guide you through every step of the funeral planning.
Place of Service
One of the first choices a family must decide is the location of the service.
- Church Service – Many families have a church home and would prefer to have a religious service take place in the familiar surroundings of their place of worship.
- Funeral Home – Our chapel is equipped to provide meaningful services to each family we serve. The funeral home can accommodate the most formal of services, but also provide space for informal gatherings.
- Graveside – Some families find that a simple service at the graveside would be the most meaningful option.
Participation in the Service
We encourage participation in the service by family members and friends whenever possible. Not everyone is comfortable speaking before a group of family and friends, but stories can be written down and read. Consider incorporating someone to be the eulogist for the funeral service. Often close friends or family know the deceased better that the presiding clergy and as such can better reflect on the life of the deceased in a more personal way.
Personalization Options
| Service and Ceremony Enhancement |
| Video Tribute |
A collage of pictures, set to music , this video will truly be a special way to remember a loved one. This video can be played at the visitation as well as an audio-visual "eulogy" at the ceremony. |
| A Collection of Memories |
A memory board can be provided for the family to place photographs of their loved one on and be displayed at the visitation and service. This will bring back many great memories for family and friends. This service can be provided at no charge. |
| Treasure of Memories |
Hand-written notes of special memories or thoughts about a loved one. They are then presented to the family. This service can be provided at no charge. |
| Balloon Release |
A symbolic way to help children and adults remember their loved one. The rising balloons remind us of the person lost and our symbolic letting go. |
| Candle Lighting Ceremony |
Family members light individual candles from the large candle that signifies the life of their loved one. |
| Dove Release |
The dove has long represented the human soul, as well as being a powerful religious symbol. Doves leaving a service in flight can be a touching way of ending a service. All are reminded of our soaring spirits and that a special someone has left our sight. |
| Special Music for Ceremonies |
| Bagpiper |
The bagpiper is often times a fitting way to commence or conclude a service. A piper is appropriate at the funeral home, church or cemetery. Bagpipes have long been connected with funeral ceremonies. |
| Harpist |
A Contemporary ambiance for a celebration of the life lived. A distinctive and joyously uplifting sound filling the room. |
| Organist |
Have your loved one's favorite hymns being played on the organ before, during or after the ceremony. |
| Solist |
Have your loved one's favorite hymn or song performed at the service. |
| Memorial Folders |
| Personalized Memorial Folders |
Personalize the memorial folder with photos, verses or special sayings, the memorial folder becomes a keepsake for those who want to preserve cherished memories of someone special. |
How Your Funeral Director Can Serve You
When a death occurs, your primary responsibility is to yourself and the ones you love. There are a number of things that require attention. Regardless of the day or hour, Becker Funeral Home is always prepared to respond to your needs quickly and competently. The funeral director’s main function is to assist you with the necessary details of the funeral process. Among the services funeral directors provide are:
- Arranging funeral plans
- Securing necessary permits and death certificates
- Care and custody of the body
- Coordinating details with the clergy
- Placing obituaries and funeral notices in newspapers
- Assisting in arranging for burial or cremation
- Assisting in arrangements for cemetery space, grave opening and closing and flowers
- Arranging if requested transportation for you and the members of your family prior to, during and after the funeral
- Supervision of the funeral or memorial service
- All necessary arrangements for transportation, funeral service, and burial if the deceased is to be sent to a distant location
Controlling Funeral Costs
While both services and merchandise purchased lend value to the funeral service of a decedent, in situations when customers wish to stay within a budget, we believe the selected services are the most important. Since our service charge is often times a minority of the total costs of funeral services, we advise you to control the total cost of the funeral by reducing the amount spent on merchandise. For this reason, we offer a wide selection of merchandise with an equally wide range in price so that we can meet the budget needs of the vast majority of the families we serve.
Also, for those that are shopping for the best price, we have items of advice for you.
- When comparing prices, the only comparison that is relevant is the total cost. As such, it is advisable to avoid comparing only part of the total cost such as the service charge, because it is possible for a provider to lower one aspect of their charges only to make up a perceived cost advantage on other items such as merchandise.
- Take care to make sure that you’re comparing apples to apples. This means for the same services provided and similar if not identical merchandise, only then is a price comparison meaningful. For example, if another provider’s charge for visitation includes the provision that it occur during business hours and only at the funeral home, then this stipulation either would limit a common desire to conduct a visitation into the evening or result in added cost.
- If you seek the lowest price without regard to what you’re getting for that price, then you’ll probably find that elsewhere. Our focus is on providing the best value, defined by what you get compared to what you pay. Striving to pay the lowest price possible generally results in getting what you pay for.
- Since many people don’t have much knowledge about funeral services or the options that you have, ask for help. Through our funeral directors, you can get answers to the questions you have without cost or obligation.
Becker Funeral Home has pricing for every family. You can select from one of our many packages or we can tailor a service to meet your individual choices.
|
