The needs and expectations of our families are changing and we've responded with funeral service options tailored to these new expectations.
While, what were once called Traditional funerals (visitation, funeral service, and service at the cemetery) are still available, they are not quite as common as they used to be.
Traditional funerals have given way to cremation funerals. With cremation, family members and friends still come together to pay their respects and support each other emotionally in less formal ways. Many families will still decide to have a time of viewing for family prior to the cremation recognizing the emotional need to see the body and acknowledge the reality of death as discussed below.
A service will still take place but a family member may take the urn home for a period of time before the burial takes place; other times the family will divide up the cremated remains amongst the family as keepsake portions to bury or scatter; still another ever-increasing in popularity option is to place a smaller keepsake portion into a specialized piece of jewelry to be worn as a remembrance. As times change there has been an increase in the rate of cremation and a variation in the type of service we offer.
This demand for cremation services however does not take away the desire for families feeling the need to say good bye to the physical body. We now sees many families choosing viewing before the cremation takes place. This viewing can take place the evening prior to the service for those wanting to pay their respects, be it open to the public or family only. The cremation can be arranged to take place overnight allowing for the cremated remains to be present in the urn at the service or distributed as keepsakes.