When a loved one dies, the family has some tough funeral decisions to make.
Bereavement is the very time one feels least capable of thinking clearly and logically. There is a great deal of emotional stress and uncertainty. And decision-making becomes necessary now. It’s the financial decisions that cause even more stress.
The most important thing to do is to organise an emergency family meeting. Here you can decide on a spokesperson – one to be in charge of all the arrangements. The person who has the most sense and leadership role takes on the planning. This person will need to put personal preferences aside, and rather consider what the deceased would have wanted.
The Many Funeral Decisions
Make sure the dead person did not pre-plan his funeral, in which case most of these difficult decisions will be unnecessary.
- Opt for one that has a good reputation for treating their clients with respect, dignity and compassion.
- They will often take care of all the legal documentation for you.
- They will help, advise and give guidance on many of the funeral arrangements.
- Decide on whether it’s to be a funeral or a cremation.
- If you take a decision on a traditional funeral with a burial, you will have to buy the cemetery plot, a coffin, and a tombstone or grave marker.
- A cremation will mean a memorial service and an urn for the ashes.
- Where was a favourite place of the deceased so that you can scatter the ashes there? Just make sure of any legal requirements.
- What will the venue of the memorial or funeral service be? At the graveside, in a church, or even at home?
- Do you want the body embalmed or not? Embalming is often necessary if you are holding a wake, or even if you want to have an open coffin for the funeral service.
- Choice of coffin or casket. These range in price from a pine coffin with rope handles (used in Jewish funerals) to elaborate, very expensive ones. You can also find out more about going the eco-friendly way, with a completely ‘green’ funeral.
The Funeral Service
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- Choose the person you would like to officiate at the service. Usually, this is the minister of your congregation, although if the deceased were not a church-goer, the funeral director would be happy to do this duty for you.
- Pallbearers – family members or close friends.
- Hearse, and other transport you may need to hire for your visitors.
- How do you want to personalise the service? Considerations are flowers, music, poetry, hymns – all can be favourites of the deceased.
- Do you want to have a post-funeral reception? A gathering could be in the form of a private tea for the family or an open invitation to all who attend the funeral.
- Choose someone to do the eulogy. You may also opt to have several people saying a few words, and share memories of your loved one.Do you want to have a guestbook available, for messages and words of encouragement? Remember to have a few pens too.
- If you do not want to receive flowers, it is to request that donations instead of this, be made to a preferred organisation or charity.
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In the end, the best is still to plan in advance. Call on Tough Times Transport at any hour of the day or night. With so much on offer from them, funeral decisions become that much ease. With them, when you know a loved one might not have much time left on earth, with Tough Times Transport you can start making some decisions in the meantime so that their funeral is organised, dignified and meaningful.
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