"Why Do We Have Funerals?"

Discover Unique Ways To Pay Tribute

It's important to recognize that funerals and memorial ceremonies are for the living ... for those who are affected by the loss of a loved one. It is through the funeral process that a number of emotional needs are met for those who grieve.

A funeral is similar to other ceremonies in our lives. Like a graduation ceremony, a wedding, a baptism, and a bar mitzvah, a funeral is a rite of passage by which we recognize an important event that distinguishes our lives.

The funeral declares that a death has occurred. It celebrates the life that has been lived, and offers family and friends the opportunity to pay tribute to their loved one.

The gathering of family and friends for a time of sharing and funeral service helps to provide emotional support so needed at this time. This will help those who grieve to face the reality of death and consequently, to take the first step toward a healthy emotional adjustment.

The funeral can and does take on many varied forms. Funerals can last from minutes to months and are usually influenced by the lifestyle and values of the bereaved family and friends.

A valuable aspect of contemporary funerals is their individuality. Whether a ceremony is elaborate or simple, funerals are often individualized to reflect the life of the deceased and to hold special meaning for family and other survivors. It may reflect one's religious beliefs as a reaffirmation of faith in a greater life beyond this world.

It may reflect the occupation or hobbies of the deceased. It may center around an ethnic background or social affiliation.

Traditional Services

  • Traditional "Full Service Funeral"
  • Choices for the Memorial Service
  • Funerals - Answering Your Questions
  • Download Our FREE Memorial Planning Guide
  • Sending Flowers - A Timeless Tradition

Traditional "Full Service Funeral"

This type of funeral, often referred to by funeral providers as a "traditional" funeral, usually includes a viewing or visitation and formal funeral service, use of a hearse to transport the body to the funeral site and cemetery, and burial, entombment or cremation of the remains. It is generally the most expensive type of funeral. In addition to the funeral home's basic services fee, costs often include embalming and dressing the body; rental of the funeral home for the viewing or service; and use of vehicles to transport the family if they don't use their own. The costs of a casket, cemetery plots or crypt and other funeral goods and services also must be factored in.

A traditional service for burial, entombment or cremation, is usually the service of choice. At Freeport-Lakewood we believe in the traditional funeral, because it often best serves the needs of family and friends.

The traditional funeral service may include the following:

  1. Casket
  2. Transfer of the deceased to the funeral home
  3. Embalming
  4. Dressing, cosmetology and other care of the deceased
  5. Professional support and administrative staff assistance
  6. Use of visitation rooms
  7. General use of the facilities for the service and arrangements
  8. Funeral service
  9. Use of funeral coach
  10. Limousine
  11. Utility car
  12. Register book
  13. Acknowledgment cards
  14. Memorial folders or prayer cards
  15. Video Memorial

The traditional service is a meaningful expression for the family, and it gives friends and associates an opportunity to offer their tributes in the way of flowers or memorials to churches or organizations.

Generally, a member of the clergy or other person chosen by the family conducts a service of remembrance. We encourage the active participation of the family in helping plan this part of the service. Many times family members take part by giving a reading, singing or assisting the clergy.

All of our services can be customized to meet a family's needs or wishes. Increasingly, we find individuals want to create a memorial that reflects a more personalized and meaningful tribute. Our staff is always available to help you plan and design a memorial that fully reflects your wishes.

Choices for the Memorial Service

Whether you're thinking about your own passing and the subsequent funeral service or working to put together a funeral for a loved one, you may feel like there are many big decisions to make.

Of course, it's true that there are many choices. And while that may seem a little daunting and disorienting, it is ultimately a comfort: Today's funeral and memorial services are highly customizable based on an individual's preferences, beliefs, and needs. Whatever kind of service you wish to have, it can all be arranged through the help of a skilled funeral director.

The venue, for example, can be highly variable. Though funeral homes still host the majority of memorials, there are also many people who choose to have funeral and memorial services in homes, churches or other places of worship, or even outdoors.

Music and multimedia are variables. Speaking with your funeral director, you can make arrangements for a local pianist, singing group, string quartet, or even a live band to provide an accompaniment that s either meditative or lively to the service; or, you can arrange for a full multimedia remembrance-video, pictures, slideshows, and beyond.

Many of today's funeral services are essentially all-day affairs- gatherings where family and friends arrive not just to mourn but then to linger and to spend time in fellowship together long after the service itself is over. This of course, attends a need for catering and perhaps also for music, both of which a funeral director can help arrange.

Different families express grief uniquely, and every person has varying wishes for their own remembrances. Thankfully, there are funeral arrangements to suit just about anyone and it is entirely possible to record any future wishes through a pre-arrangment conference. 

Every funeral/memorial service should be a memorable, warm reflection of the person who has died.

Funerals - Answering Your Questions

What type of funeral fits your family?
Every funeral is different. Every family is different. A family should make a funeral choice that fits their needs at the time of loss. Among the options to consider are: traditional service with viewing and burial, traditional service with cremation to follow, cremation with a memorial service, or any type of arrangement that is right for your family. Many people are now using our pre-planning and pre-funding services to ensure their wishes are carried out upon their death and to relieve family and friends from additional stress.
How can we make the funeral service personal?
A funeral can be as unique as the person who died. Picture displays and video tributes are examples of the several ways to portray and celebrate the life of a loved one. Assembly picture boards are also an opportunity to reminisce while designing the display.
What determines the cost of a funeral?
You and your family do. A funeral can be as extravagant or as simple as you desire. The type of service and other items selected determines the cost of a funeral. An estimate of costs based on items and services selected is provided to the family and our general price list is provided for easy reference. A funeral does not have to be an extravagant display as there are caskets and urns available at all cost levels to fit the needs of every family. Preplanning and pre-funding your funeral can help control costs. By making decisions ahead of time, you avoid having to make choices at a time when your emotions are heightened. Pre-planning and pre-funding also provides an opportunity for you to set aside funds that can be used to pay for part or all of the service.
What about pre-planning and pre-funding a funeral?
By planning and arranging a funeral in advance, you have the opportunity to discuss your wishes with your family. Having the details of a loved one’s funeral or memorial service settled before death allows families to make informed decisions. Pre-funding a funeral enables you to set funds aside to cover the costs of the funeral arrangements. These expenses can be partially or fully funded through the legal establishment of funeral trusts or life insurance. These funds earn interest and are fully transferable.

Download Our FREE Memorial Planning Guide

Life is full of opportunities to show someone we love them. One such opportunity is the funeral or memorial service. Fill out this form to download our guide to creating a loving event that celebrates the choices they made, the relationship you shared, and honors the memory of your loved one.

Sending Flowers - A Timeless Tradition

Click Here to Send Flowers Now

Floral arrangements are some of the most respectful and common ways to show respect for deceased individuals. Funeral homes will typically accept deliveries from individuals wishing to show their condolences through flowers. It may also be appropriate to send flowers to the family in mourning as a way to show support.

Understanding the meaning behind these different types of flowers can help individuals select the best arrangement for any given situation. Here are a few common options:

Lilies are an elegant choice to show sympathy, as well as convey majesty and purity. These flowers are known to represent the innocent soul of the deceased.
Carnations remain popular for being both long lasting and having a sweet scent; however, the colors of these flowers present different meanings. Appropriate for both men and women, pink carnations represent remembrance while white suggests love and innocence. Red carnations signify admiration for the deceased.
Roses offer a variety of meanings that can be appropriate for differing funeral circumstances. For instance, red roses evoke sorrow for the deceased, while yellow roses express sympathy for the family of the departed.
Orchids are common selections for those wishing to send lasting sympathy and condolences for families of the deceased. These flowers signify eternal love and memory.
Hydrangeas provide versatility as a spring flower that can be both indoors and outdoors. Since these flowers bloom for many years, they are often used to signify the lasting memory of the departed.

There are many other options for floral arrangements for funerals and memorials, including daffodils, tulips, gladioli and chrysanthemums. Those looking for more insight are encouraged to ask a local florist what flowers are most appropriate for the situation at hand.

 

Though nothing can bring back the hour Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower; We will grieve not, rather find Strength in what remains behind. - William Wordsworth

Our Family’s Commitment to Your Family
Continues After the Services

It is your family, your feelings, and your money. Freeport-Lakewood Funeral Homes believes a family deserves real quality and value in a funeral service. Freeport-Lakewood Funeral Homes is dedicated to providing the best service to every family we serve.