Funeral Service Options
Today, traditional funeral services are only one option
you can choose. Roller Hapgood & Tinney can accommodate a wide variety of both traditional and modern funerals. We feel it is our responsibility to acquaint you with the many alternatives available today, and to help you make appropriate choices that are within your budget.
The funeral service is a focal point for remembering the deceased, and the type of service you choose is a very personal choice. Over the past 50 years, funerals in America have changed dramatically, and people choose services that are more reflective of the person who has died.
Traditional Funeral Service
A traditional funeral service is conducted with the body present. Viewing or visitation is available at the discretion of the family. Traditional funerals follow a familiar pattern and many people, particularly older people, find comfort in knowing what to expect. A typical traditional funeral service may be religious in nature, but it doesn’t have to be. If you choose cremation, you can still have a traditional funeral service before the cremation or with the ashes present.
A traditional funeral service usually includes:
- A viewing or visitation period for family and friends to pay their last respects. The casket may be open or closed according to your preferences.
- A formal funeral service in a church, chapel or synagogue. The service may be contemporary or religious, and it may include readings, a eulogy, music, a funeral procession, and military honors.
- A hearse to transport the deceased to a final resting place.
- Earth burial, entombment or cremation.
Memorial Service
A memorial service is held to honor the memory of the deceased, and the body is not present. Memorials can be held before, or after the body is buried, cremated or otherwise laid to rest. If cremation is chosen, ashes may be present. You can hold a memorial service at our chapel, a place of worship, or any other meaningful location.
Like a traditional funeral service, a memorial service may be religious or secular, and it you can include religious and cultural preferences, rituals and a celebration of life. You may also want to have a reception after the service to allow people to gather and remember the person who has died.
Committal Service
A committal service is usually a graveside service held before the casket or urn is lowered into the ground, but it can also be held before cremated remains are scattered. A committal service can replace a more elaborate traditional funeral service, or it can follow a traditional or memorial services. You can also choose to hold private committal services just for the family and invited friends, followed by a public memorial service held at a chapel, place of worship or other meaningful location.
Committal services can be personalized in the same way you might a traditional funeral service or memorial service with photographs, a memory table, personal mementos, and favorite music, whatever will help you celebrate the unique life of the person who has died, and help your guests begin the healing process.
Special Gatherings
After the funeral service, many people choose to have a special gathering of friends and family. Like the funeral service, a gathering can be structured or casual, large or intimate; whatever is fitting for you. The gathering is a time for stories, tears and laughter. It’s a time to transition from the finality of the funeral back to the continuity of life.
Usually refreshments are served, and holding a gathering at a favorite restaurant is one option, but if you choose to hold the gathering at home or another location, we encourage you to plan a potluck. Not only will this relieve you of the burden of having the gathering catered or providing refreshments yourself, but it can add a warm and caring mood.
A special gathering can be held almost anywhere:
- At the church or funeral home if they have facilities
- At your home or the home of a family member
- At a restaurant or catering hall
- At a meaningful location such as a beach, a lark, or a park
- Any fitting location