The traditional funeral service is held with the body present, with either an open or closed casket, within two or three days of death. The family decides whether the service is to be public or private. At a typical traditional funeral, a member of the clergy officiates the service in the church or in the funeral home chapel. Each service we provide is customized to meet everyone's needs. Cultural customs and religious denomination determines specific elements of ritual used. The ceremony itself consists of scripture readings, prayers, a eulogy, and sometimes a sermon, and is combined with hymns and music. A procession to the cemetery follows, where a brief committal service at the gravesite concludes the ceremony.
Sometimes called the wake, calling hours or viewing, the visitation is a time for family and friends to support one another in their time of sorrow. The body is present in an open or closed casket allowing you and others to acknowledge the reality of death and to say goodbye.
At a graveside funeral, family and friends gather at the cemetery for the ceremony. The funeral director will also be present, and is able to provide transportation to the family to and from the cemetery if desired. Typically a member of the clergy officiates the service. There can be music, a eulogy or other poems or readings.