A Time to Reminisce and Grieve
While full-body burial is a tradition for some, cremation has become a new tradition for others. A wake or visitation, a funeral or memorial, and a graveside service are all options, regardless of tradition. For more information on this, look into cremation services in New Castle, IN.
Funeral Service
A funeral service typically includes the body of the deceased dressed in clothing and a casket chosen by the family. Depending on the family’s preferences, the service may be open to the public or held privately, with an open or closed casket. Keepsakes, flowers, or other symbolic items may be placed in the casket for the cremation process by those gathered. For those gathered, an officiant, such as a religious leader or celebrant, will perform a service honoring the deceased. This gathering could happen at a funeral home or a place of worship.
Visitation
A visitation, like a wake, allows the general public or only those closest to the deceased to see and say goodbye to the deceased. The family will choose clothing, jewelry, and a casket, and the funeral home will prepare the deceased by simply setting features or completely embalming them. This gathering is now typically held at a funeral home, but it was historically held in the family’s home, which is still an option today. Keepsakes, flowers, or other symbolic items may be placed in the casket for the cremation process by those gathered.
Witnessed Cremation
Many crematories offer witnessed cremation, which allows a select few close to the deceased to be present as the body enters the cremator. This allows for final farewells, the addition of keepsakes, and, for some, peace of mind as they watch their loved one undergo cremation. Witnesses can either stay for the cremation or leave and return once the cremated remains have been processed and placed in the urn.
Service of Remembrance
A memorial service may or may not include the cremated remains in the urn or meaningful memorabilia selected by the family and arranged by the funeral home. Depending on the family’s preferences, the service may be open to the public or held privately. For those gathered, an officiant, such as a religious leader or celebrant, will perform a service honoring the deceased. This gathering could take place at a funeral home, a place of worship, a cemetery, or any other location important to the family.
Service at the Grave
A graveside service, a traditional term that does not refer to full body burial, may include placing the urn in a niche in a columbarium, burying the urn in a cemetery plot, cremation garden, ossuary, or other cemetery location, and occurs at the site of permanent memorialization in a cemetery. The service is usually held in private for those invited by the family. A religious leader or celebrant, for example, will lead a service honoring the deceased for those gathered. Keepsakes, flowers, or other symbolic items may be placed with the urn in its final resting place by those gathered.
A family may select any or all of these services, and in the case of memorial and graveside services, they can be held whenever the family can gather and is ready to grieve together and say goodbye. Cremation allows for more time to make decisions, and a funeral director can help you plan service at any time. The cremation services in New Castle, IN can assist you in planning a gathering as part of your healing process. Please contact us or come see us right away.
