Regardless of whether you or your loved one have chosen burial or cremation, the funeral or memorial service fills an important role. It can:

1. Honor, recognize and celebrate the life of the deceased
2. Allow friends and family to say their last good-byes
3. Provide closure after the loss of a loved one
4. Allow friends to console the family of the loved one

So what is a funeral? A funeral is a gathering of family and friends after the death of a loved one that allows them the opportunity to grieve, support each other and pay respect to the life of the deceased. It often consists of one or more of the following components:

FULL TRADITIONAL FUNERAL SERVICE
VISITATION, WAKE, OR VIEWING
MEMORIAL SERVICE
GRAVESIDE SERVICE
FUNERAL CELEBRANT
DIRECT DISPOSITION – CREMATION
MONUMENTS

Full Traditional Funeral Service

A Traditional Funeral Service is a formal ceremony with a casket present, usually ending with a burial, although there may be a variety of options as to the disposition after the ceremony.

A  funeral service often provides a sense of closure to family and friends. Although your faith or culture may dictate some elements of a funeral service, you may personalize other elements of the service.

Visitation, Wake, or Viewing

Held the night before or shortly before the funeral service, the visitation (also called a wake or a viewing) traditionally provides a way for friends and family to privately say their goodbyes.

Memorial Service

At a memorial service, an urn is usually present. Similar to a funeral or visitation, a memorial service gives family and friends a time to come together and celebrate your loved one's life.

Graveside Service

As its name implies, a graveside service may be held at the gravesite just prior to burial of a casket or urn, and usually consists of final remarks, prayers or memories. The service may occur after or in place of a funeral service.

Funeral Celebrant

A growing number of individuals call themselves non-religious and do not participate within a faith community. Also, many people follow a strong ‘spiritual’ path but are not necessarily ‘religious’. For both groups, when someone they love dies, they are often unclear about how to design a tribute that is fitting. Friends and family often want to participate in the creation and presentation of a personalized gathering, but may be uncomfortable or unable to speak publicly about death and the loss of a loved one. Funeral Celebrants support the individual or family decision to present a spiritual and/or non-religious gathering.

Direct Disposition – Cremation

Cremation Plans Reflect Personal Choices 
Deciding between burial and cremation is one of the first decisions you’ll make when you consider final arrangements for yourself or a loved one, and it will influence other decisions you’ll make regarding your funeral or memorial service and cemetery property, too.

It’s important to remember to plan for the permanent placement, or burial of cremated remains. Placement of cremated remains in a cemetery or a columbarium is important for many reasons, a few being:

• A permanent site gives loved ones a physical place for visitation and reflection.
• The ceremony accompanying the placement of an urn in a cremation niche or a cemetery provides family and friends with closure after the loss of a loved one.

If cremation is your choice or the choice of your loved one, you have many service options. Our caring professionals will gladly work with you to plan cremation services and memorialization that fulfill your wishes and honor your life or the life of your loved one.

Monuments

Beaverlodge Funeral Service offers the quality workmanship and wide selection of Peace Country Memorials Ltd. To learn more about what monument options are available, call Beaverlodge Funeral Service for a free consultation.

Pre-Need Funeral Planning

Many people plan for life events such as weddings and vacations well in advance, but many people do not plan for something that is certain to happen, their funeral. While most people do not want to think about their own mortality, the time to pre-plan your funeral is now. The primary advantages of pre-arranging your funeral are relieving the burden on your loved ones in an already emotional time, ensuring your funeral is carried out according to your wishes, and eliminating the task of second-guessing what you would have wanted. Taking the time now to arrange your funeral is one less thing your loved ones will need to worry about once you’ve passed. Pre-planning and pre-paying your funeral is one of the most thoughtful gifts you can give to your family.