In most states, family members may bury their own dead, although regulations do vary. That being said, most people find it very trying to arrange and handle the legal matters involved when a loved one dies. In this capacity, Funeral Directors serve as caregivers and administrators. They make arrangements for transportation of your loved one, complete all the necessary paperwork, and make sure that the choices made by you or your loved one with regards to funeral service are implemented.

For thousands of years, funerals have allowed survivors to express their feelings about the death of someone they love. According to noted grief educator Alan Wolfelt, the funeral ceremony helps mourners:

• Acknowledge someone has died
• Say good-bye
• Remember the person who died and encourages us to share those memories with others
• Affirm the worth of their relationship with the person who died
• Provide a social support system
• Search for the meaning of life and death
• Offer continuity and hope for the living

Meaningful funeral ceremonies are rites of passage that help survivors accept a life without the person who died. The rituals provide comfort in their predictability when events seem chaotic and out of control. The funeral is a socially-recognized forum for expressing intense grief. Without a funeral ceremony, mourners often miss the sense of closure.

Viewing is part of many cultural and ethnic traditions. Many grief specialists report that viewing aids the grief process by helping the bereaved recognize the reality of death.

Sharing your grief with friends and family members is important in the healing process. The best way to begin the healing process is with a meaningful funeral, where you experience the support of others whom also share your loss. Participating in the funeral as fully as possible by planning a service that is personal and reflects your loved one's life as well as sharing memories, will help you feel that you celebrated your loved one's life and ease your grief.

Our funeral home assumes a leadership role in providing material to those wishing information on grief resolution. Call us, we can help. We also offer a monthly grief support group and have a full-time grief counselor available on an individual basis.

We understand the importance of personalization and have created a variety of unique ways to add special personal touches to the service and visitation. The options available for personalization of services are virtually limitless, and we will be happy to help you create services that truly reflect the life of your loved one.

Outer burial containers enclose the casket and support the weight of the earth. Many are also designed to prevent water from entering the casket. Although no law requires that a burial vault be used, some cemeteries may require some kind of outer enclosure.

If the death occurs out of state, you should contact us at one of our two locations. We can coordinate with local funeral directors at the place of death. As a member of several professional organizations, we can help you.