Traditional Funeral Service with Visitation and Burial

Traditional funeral services with visitation are the most frequently requested type of service. Typically this type of service includes our staff of professionals coordinating and directing the funeral preparations, paperwork and legal documentation, removal from the place of death, preparation of the deceased for the visitation, use of our facility for the service or arrangement at a church or other location, funeral coach, family vehicle and service van, and final commendation at the burial site.

Graveside Services

At a graveside funeral, family and friends gather at the cemetery for the ceremony. The funeral director will also be present, and is able to provide transportation to the family to and from the cemetery if desired. Typically a member of the clergy officiates the service. There can be music, a eulogy or other poems or readings.

Cremation Options

As more people are choosing cremation, funeral service professionals are striving to give consumers a true sense of what their many options are for a funeral service. Often funeral directors find that people have a preconception that they have fewer choices for a ceremony when selecting cremation for themselves or a loved one. Therefore, they request direct cremation and deny the surviving friends and family an opportunity to honor them with a memorial service. In actuality, cremation is only part of the commemorative experience. In fact, cremation can actually increase your options when planning a funeral. The following information is meant to help you build an understanding of what cremation is, allowing you to make an informed decision when arranging a funeral for yourself or a loved one.

Cremation is becoming increasingly popular, especially among the baby boomer generation. Among the many reasons for this growing trend is the breadth of options cremation provides for a final memorial service.

Cremation gives people the flexibility to search for types of tributes that reflect the life being honored. But this does not mean that aspects of traditional funeral services have to be discarded. Even with cremation, a meaningful memorial that is personalized to reflect the life of the deceased could include:
· A visitation prior to the service
· An open or closed casket
· Special music
· A ceremony at the funeral home, your place of worship or other special location
· Participation by friends and family.

Commonly, cremated remains are placed in an urn and committed to an indoor or outdoor mausoleum or columbarium or interred in a family burial plot. Cremation also gives families the option to scatter the remains. This can be done at a place that was special to the person.

Certain religious denominations have not yet accepted cremation as a form of disposition. We suggest that you check with your clergy, or we will be glad to assist you with further information regarding cremation.

When cremation is selected, there are many different options available. We will explain a few of those options here. Our cremation merchandise display includes a variety of urns and keepsake jewelry.

Cremation Funeral Services

Cremation services can include a private or public viewing and/or funeral ceremony at our funeral home or your place of worship prior to the cremation itself. Burial of the cremated remains, if desired, takes place at a later date, and may be either public or private.

Cremation with Memorial Service

This choice includes direct cremation without a public or private viewing, but also offers the option of holding a memorial service, which is held after the cremation.

Direct Cremation

Immediate cremation includes no ceremonies or rites. It may take place only after obtaining a signed death certificate from the attending physician along with a signed authorization from the next of kin, or authorized agent of the deceased. In the State of Pennsylvania there is a twenty-four hour waiting period after the time of death before cremation can be performed since cremation is irreversible.

Options for Cremated Remains

Options for the cremains include burial on the family plot, scattering of the cremated remains, placement in an urn to be kept at home, or placed in a columbarium niche or other location. If you would like to explore further options, we would be glad to provide you with the information you desire to meet your needs.