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The purpose of a funeral service

The funeral allows family and friends to remember and honor their loved one in a special way. It serves as a central gathering place for family and friends to give emotional support to one another and encourages mourners to face the pain of their loss and express their thoughts and feelings. The funeral also celebrates the deceased's life, and not their passing. The funeral service allows a time of remembrance and celebration, and allows the healing process to begin.

A funeral or memorial service

A funeral service can be held anywhere-from a local park to a boat at sea. A service can usually be held at any location that family and friends feel would be comfortable and appropriate. Your funeral director will be able to advise you on regulations and help you plan the funeral.

A funeral or memorial service can be as simple as you would like it to be. There is a type of gathering commonly referred to as a 'Gathering of Friends and family' which is a less formal event, and still allows for friends and family to share their loss and celebrate the life of their beloved. These 'Gathering of Friends and family' receptions may include light refreshments and can be held at a variety of locations, including funeral homes, private residences, or public spaces.

Your Funeral Director can review a myriad of ways to personalize your loved ones funeral. One way is to bring photo's and personal items into the funeral home to be displayed in or near the casket.

Traditionally, services have been typically held in the mornings or afternoons. It is becoming more common, however, for these services to take place in late afternoon or evening, to accommodate work schedules. This enables more people to attend the service who otherwise might be unable to be excused from their place of employment during the day.

Federal laws dictate that all funeral homes itemize their charges for professional services, facilities and equipment and that they provide a General Price List (GPL) to all clients. You have the right to select and pay for only those services you choose.

All of your funeral and burial arrangements can be made years before you need them. This is commonly referred to as 'Pre-Need'. Your local Funeral Director can assist you in your planning. For a free listing of funeral homes www.houstonfuneralhomes.com

Children grieve just as adults do. Any child old enough to form a relationship will experience some form of grief when a relationship is severed. You should explain what is happening and why it is happening at the child's comprehension level. What a 4 year old understands is much different than what a 15 year old understands. The key is to allow the participation, but not to force it. Talk to over with other members of the family or clergy.

Cremation

Cremation is simply a form of disposition. The crematable casket is placed in a cremation chamber where, through a process of heat and evaporation, the body is reduced to its original elements- bone fragments, not ashes.

Many families select an appropriate service to take place before the cremation or after. You may still have a traditional funeral with visitation, with the cremation disposition taking place after the service.

As specialized equipment and training is required for cremations, they typically occur at designated locations. Some funeral homes do have onsite cremation facilities. If you are planning on a cremation, ask where they actual cremation process will take place.

Direct cremation usually means cremation with no visitation or services. Some people choose direct cremation believing that the quickest, simple option is best.

Cremated remains

Most families select a form of memorialization with their cemetery of choice. Others keep the remains and the urn with them in their home, or the home of a loved one.

You may scatter the cremated remains of their loved one on privately owned property with the consent of the property owner. If you select scattering, always be sure to check you local, state and federal laws concerning scattering of remains.

Cremation does require the same degree of preplanning as does traditional burial. After the death of a loved one, families and friends are grieving. Preplanning for your cremation removes the burden from friends and family.

The process of cremation

The encased body is placed in the cremation chamber where, through heat and evaporation, the body is reduced to its basic elements. These elements are referred to as cremated remains. Ashes are not the final result since cremated remains have neither the appearance nor the chemical properties of ashes. Cremated remains are, in fact, bone fragments. Following preparation, these remains are either placed in a permanent urn or in a temporary container.

Memorialization

Mental Professionals agree that memorialization of a loved one aids friends and family with the grieving process. Memorialization allows family members to publicly acknowledge a loved one's life and death.

Embalming is required in some States if the remains are not cremated or buried within 48 hours of death, or if the deceased had certain communicable diseases.

Prearrangements

By Pre-Planning your funeral, you can make all the necessary arrangements (and even pay for them) in advance. You will also gain peace of mind knowing your family and friends will be relieved of the emotional and financial burden often associated with making arrangements when a death occurs. By prearranging your funeral and cemetery arrangements, you benefit by purchasing at today's prices, free from inflationary pressures in the future.

Funeral Directors
www.houstonfuneralhomes.com

Funeral Directors vary in each state and have different regulations. You should call the local department of health to find out exactly what your state requires. Having a funeral director is a good idea, however, as during your time of need, there are numerous forms to fill out, agencies to notify and piles of paperwork. Not to mention the planning of the actual memorial service and funeral. A funeral director can be as involved as you want them to be, whether its doing everything for you, or simply taking care of all the necessary paperwork and insurance forms.

One of the main functions of a funeral director has to do with preparing the body for disposition. Some larger funeral homes, the funeral director may oversee the activities of several morticians and undertakers. While the actual definition of the mortician, undertaker, and funeral director are all different, the reality is that in family owned funeral homes it is not unusual for one person to provide all three services. Funeral Directors are also listeners, advisors, and supporters. They often support your personal needs, answer questions about grief, recognize when there appears to be difficulty coping, and recommend sources of additional assistance.

The national funeral trade associations, which have standards of ethics, check to see whether your local funeral homes are members. www.houstonfuneralhomes.com

Funeral Directors and Homes depend on their reputation to maintain their business. If the community begins to feel they or their deceased are being taken advantage of, they will go to another Funeral Home. The ability to trust your Funeral Director with your loved one is a necessity. This is why most funeral homes have been in business in their communities for decades, and in many cases, for several generations.

If you have a complaint, you should first take it to the Funeral Home Director. If they are unable or unwilling to resolve the situation to your expectations, you can then file your complaint with your state's board of funeral service, or with a consumer complaint department of the state attorney general's office. In most instances, the complaint will be resolved by the funeral director.

Social Security and Veterans death benefits.

Most Funeral Homes will not only assist with securing these death benefits, but will most likely complete all the paperwork for you.

Obituary or Memorial
www.houstonmemorial.org

The publication of an obituary or memorial notice is a matter of your personal choice. You are able to control what information is published, if you wish to have an obituary published, the funeral home or editorial staff will determine the format and assist you with your obituary/ memorial.

Funeral Costs

By law, the Funeral Director is responsible for explaining all the charges that specifically pertain to the funeral home's services and merchandise sold stated on its general price list. Any additional charges must be disclosed and on a Price List. Your Funeral Director will be able to explain, in detail all the charges you will incur.

Compared to 'Celebrated' events- funerals are not expensive. Consider the fact many people willingly spend upwards of $20,000 for a wedding (for a marriage that may or may not last), and you can see that. Funeral Homes have a wide range of products and services, and try to accommodate most budgets. If you believe the price is too high, you should check into different types of funerals and different Funeral Homes until you find the price that fits your budget.

Life insurance and funerals
www.houston-insurancequotes.com

Most funeral homes will allow for an insurance assignment. This assignment transaction is processed by the funeral home, and releases only the funeral expenses to the funeral service provider, with any remaining balance going directly to the beneficiary. Be sure to check with your Funeral Home to make sure that they will accept the insurance assignment.

Caskets, Burial Vaults and Grave Liners

Federal laws dictate that all funeral homes itemize their charges for professional services, facilities and equipment and that they provide a General Price List (GPL) to all clients.

Types of burial caskets.

Typically, caskets are made of either wood or metal. Metal caskets are made of either bronze, copper, steel or stainless steel. Wood caskets are available in a variety of types of wood. Interiors of caskets are usually made with velvet or crepe; however, other materials may be available. The cost of a casket is generally relevant to the materials it was made with. A casket made of bronze would be priced higher than one made of steel. A casket made of solid mahogany would be more expensive than one of soft pine wood. It depends on the materials the casket shell is made of, the interior materials and any protective features included in that particular model.

Independent discount casket companies.

You may purchases your casket at any time, from any company. By law, Funeral Homes are required to allow you to use your own casket, and not just ones purchased through them. Make sure you know who will store your casket, you or the company, and if the company is storing it, where and how they are storing it so that it is protected.

Burial vaults and graveliners.

These are the outside containers into which the casket is placed. Burial vaults are typically made of materials including concrete, stainless steel, galvanized steel, cooper, bronze, plastic or fiberglass. A graveliner is a lightweight version of a vault which simply keeps the grave surface from sinking in. Local laws do not require that you buy a container to surround the casket in the grave. However, many cemeteries do require that you have such a container so that the ground will not sink.

Cemeteries

A traditional cemetery has upright monuments, usually made of stone. Many traditional cemeteries also have private mausoleums for aboveground interment. Many have functioned in their communities for centuries, traditional cemeteries often contain a great deal of history, such as architecture and statuary.

Memorial parks and gardens are cemeteries without tombstones: they more closely resemble a park or a garden than a traditional cemetery. Typically, bronze memorials are placed level with the ground to blend with the beauty of the landscape.

The most common type of ground burial is a single or double grave, although family plots are often available. Not all types of graves are available at all cemeteries. Please check with the cemetery of your choice for availability of specific graves.

Options for burial.

Besides ground burial, many cemeteries offer interment in lawn crypts, or entombment in mausoleums. Some cemeteries provide a columbarium or interment in an urn space for those that have been cremated. A memorial, of some sort, provides a focal point for memorializing the deceased. Psychologists say that remembrance practices, from the funeral or memorial service to permanent memorialization, serve an important emotional function for survivors by helping to bring closure and allowing the healing process to begin.

"Opening and Closing" fees can include many separate services provided by the cemetery. Typically, the opening and closing fee includes administration and permanent record keeping (determining ownership, obtaining permission and completion of other documentation which may be required, entering the interment particulars in the interment register, maintaining all legal files); opening and closing the grave (locating the grave and laying out the boundaries, excavating and filling the interment space); installation and removal of the lowering device; placement and removal of artificial grass dressing and coco-matting at the grave site, leveling, tamping, re-grading and sodding the grave site, leveling and re-sodding the grave if the earth settles.

The burial is taking place in an established cemetery or memorial park. The actual opening of the grave and closing of the grave is just one component of the opening and closing fee. Because of safety issues which arise around the use of machinery on cemetery property and the protection of property of adjacent interment rights holders, the actual opening and closing of the grave is conducted by cemetery grounds personnel.

Many cemeteries either allow for the burial of two caskets in a grave or have specific sections where this type of grave is available. Double depth just means that one casket is placed in the grave at an approximate depth of seven feet. When a second interment is required, the second casket is placed on top of the first casket at standard depth.

Grave spaces cost.

Grave prices can vary significantly. Grave prices are normally set based on their location. Normally, graves in urban centers are more expensive than in rural centers because of the replacement value of land. In addition, within the cemetery, grave prices can vary by the section in which the grave is located. For example, graves in a "feature" section -- where there is a central feature, such as a sculpture for the benefit of lot owners in that section -- may be more expensive than in non-feature sections. The number of interments permitted in a grave may also affect the price, as may the size of the grave.

Entombment

Entombment is the interment of human remains in a tomb or mausoleum. It involves placing a casket or cremation urn in a crypt or niche (individual compartment within a mausoleum or columbarium) which is then sealed.

Mausoleum

Many people have an aversion to being placed in the ground. Since mausoleum crypts are clean and dry, the offer a viable alternative for those who do not wish to be placed in the ground. Mausoleums also allow a maximum number of entombments in a minimum amount of space, which is critical in areas where land space is at a premium.

A columbarium, often located within a mausoleum, chapel or in a garden type setting, is constructed on numerous small compartments (niches) designed to hold urns containing cremated remains. Once the urn has been placed, the niche is sealed with a marker.

Mausoleum protect the body.

Modern mausoleums are steel-reinforced concrete structures, covered with granite or marble. They typically are built to meet all local building specifications, including those regarding earthquakes. In areas prone to earthquakes, special earthquake resistant steel reinforcement joints are used to deflect the motion of the earthquake.

Since the casket is placed in a clean, dry, above ground crypt, the remains are protected from water and the elements of the earth which may affect the casket if it were placed in the ground.

When you visit a mausoleum, you see the front of the crypt, which typically is made of granite or marble. The name of the person who has died, along with their years of birth and death, appears on the crypt front. The casket rests behind a solid, sealed panel which is placed behind the granite or marble crypt front.

Crypts come in several sizes. Although "singles" and "doubles" are the most common, some crypts can accommodate up to four caskets.

A tandem is a mausoleum space designed to accommodate two caskets lengthwise.

Mausoleum

When you select a mausoleum, you eliminate the need for expensive vaults and monuments or memorials which almost always are purchased with ordinary earth burial. You also avoid any damage to the grave marker or headstone, which naturally occurs over time.

Lawn crypts.

Lawn crypts are essentially underground tombs, constructed of reinforced concrete, steel and waterproof materials. Lawn crypts are preset. Double depth burial lots are set at the time of need.

Grave space and other types of real estate.

Many cemeteries allow for a dollar-for-dollar transfer of property between locations within the cemetery. This is very useful if families are trying to be placed in the same area years down the road. When prearranging, be sure to ask about future exchange privileges offered.

When you purchase a grave space you are in fact purchasing THE RIGHT TO DESIGNATE WHO MAY BE INTERRED IN THE SPACE, rather than purchasing the grave space itself. This means you have the right to say who is buried in that specific spot, not that you own the spot.

Laws and Endowment Care
www.houstonlawfirms.com

A portion of the purchase price of the grave is contributed to an endowment care fund. Income from the endowment care fund is used to provide regular care and maintenance at the cemetery. Regular care and maintenance activities can include cutting grass, re-grading of graves, planting and caring for trees, maintenance of water supply systems, roads, drainage, etc. The minimum amount to be contributed to the endowment care fund is normally governed by law.

While not guaranteed, endowment care funds are very conservatively managed. Income from the fund can only be spent on care and maintenance of the cemetery -- the capital is not touched. Endowment care funds are governed by laws in most states for consumer protection.

Re-sell graves really depends on the rules and regulations of the cemetery and the laws of the state or province in which the cemetery is located. While some cemeteries will re-purchase graves, others have policies regarding sales to a third party.

The purchase of a grave is not tax-deductible, although the charitable donation of unwanted grave spaces may be deductible as an "in kind" charitable contribution. Check with a knowledgeable tax advisor for details. One benefit of purchasing your grave, however, is the fact that you are paying a lower price than if it was purchased years down the road.

Strict rules govern the use of cemetery lands. Graves are normally considered to be sold in perpetuity which restricts possible re-development.

We think of cemetery lands as being in perpetuity (eternal). There are cemeteries throughout the world that have been in existence for hundreds of years. For more information consult an attorney. www.houstonlawfirms.com

Disinterment is the removal of the casket containing human remains from a grave. Laws governing disinterment vary by state or province. Disinterment may be ordered by certain public officials without the consent of the grave owner or the next of kin, for example, as part of police investigation. Disinterment requires the grave to be opened. The casket containing the human remains is removed. Depending on the length of time the casket has been buried, a new casket may be required.

Veteran's Benefits

The United States Government provides headstones and markers for the graves of veterans and eligible dependents anywhere in the world which are not already marked. Flat bronze, flat granite, flat marble, and upright marble types are available to mark the grave of a veteran or dependent in the style consistent with existing monuments at the place of burial. Bronze niche markers are also available to mark columbariums in national cemeteries used for internment of cremated remains.

A space for your spouse or any other minor children can be authorized at the time of your death.

Veterans administration and veteran's funerals.

Although the Veterans Administration does not pay for complete funerals, it does provide certain merchandise, services and reimbursements. Your local VA office can provide you with a variety of benefits available. Generally speaking, any veteran with a discharge other than dishonorable is entitled to be buried in an accepting national cemetery. They also may receive a free grave space, with a bronze, granite, or marble memorial marked with veteran's rank, war served and religious icon.

Memorials

Ordering a memorial.

If you have not preplanned your memorial ahead of time with your spouse, wait until you are comfortable talking about the memorial. Most people wait about 3 months until they know their financial position and when most of the emotional shock has passed. Preplanning and discussing the memorial design with your spouse before hand takes away much of the financial and emotional burdens.

Check with the cemetery requirements.

If the concrete foundation is dug and poured below frost level it will ensure that the memorial will continue to stand up nice and straight for many decades to come. Without a foundation, ground freeze can literally destroy the monument.

Check with rules and regulations of the cemetery regarding designated areas for upright memorials and size requirements.

Flat granite or flat bronze markers

Cemeteries will only allow flat markers are almost always a Memorial Gardens type cemetery. Different cemeteries allow for different markers. If the type of marker you prefer is not allowed at a particular cemetery, check other local cemeteries.

The size, shape and even color is regulated by the particular cemetery you are at. Some cemeteries have a rule that the base stone must be the same material as the die stone. Ask the cemetery owner or manager, or look around the site, to get an idea of what is allowed.

Consider starting an online memorial or obituary and add the wife's maiden name to the memorial, sometimes nobody remembers or knows her by that name.

Consider your memorial to be the only permanent piece of history that there is. Family bibles and journals can get lost or destroyed as can other family records www.houstonmemorial.org

Prearrange a funeral or burial

Pre-Arranging is a very wise economic decision. Prearranging can yield greater savings because the costs are based on today's prices not the costs at the time of death which could be higher many years from now. By Prearranging your funeral couples can share the decisions together saving their loved ones the emotional decisions of planning a funeral service or selecting a grave site. As the topic is broad, we suggest you contact your Funeral Home for more information. www.houstonfuneralhomes.com

Miscellaneous Information

Death away from home.

After the death has occurred, the most prudent decision would be to call your funeral service. Your funeral director will be able to make the necessary arrangements to transfer the deceased, relieving the family of the burden of dealing with unfamiliar people, places and related issues.

My cemetery & out of state.

In many cemeteries today, there is a funeral home on the grounds. If not, then arrangements would have to be made with the cemetery or a local funeral home to pick up the body and transfer it to the cemetery.

Funeral & Embalming

Most states require that a deceased person either be embalmed or placed in refrigeration after a period of 24 hours from the time of death. Funeral Services can be held at any time after that. In some areas of the country that time frame can be as long as three weeks.

A body embalmed. Embalming is not required for burial. It is your choice. It may depend on such factors as whether the family selected a service with a public viewing of the body with an open casket; or to enhance the deceased's appearance for a private family viewing; or if the body is going to be transported by air or rail, or because of the length of time prior to the burial. In most cases, if the body is going to be transported across state lines, embalming is required.

A hearse or casket coach is most commonly used for transportation purpose, other options are often appropriate. Families might consider more personalized and meaningful options.

Certified Copies of a death certificate.

Certified copies are used as proof of death for the transfer of stocks and bonds, banking transactions and life insurance. Your funeral provider can help you determine how many you may need to settle an estate and can also secure them for you.

Donated remains to medical science

In addition to coordinating the donation of your remains, your funeral home can arrange for either a Memorial Service or a Gathering of Friends to be held at a time and place convenient for the family.