subject: Luverne Mn Funeral Homes Planning A Funeral Service [print this page] At some point, you will most likely find yourself in the position of needing to plan a funeral. Here are the steps you'll need to take and the things you'll need to consider in designing a fitting memorial for your loved one.
A good funeral director will walk the family through the entire process of planning and executing a funeral, arranging for everything from processing the remains to filing all necessary legal documents.
A funeral service is normally thought of as one where the body is present in the sanctuary. A memorial service typically takes place after burial or cremation. Some people choose to have both, some prefer to have one or the other, and some do a combined service.
The logistics of the task include arranging for the removal of the deceased and preparing the body for burial or cremation, and also for viewing, should that be desired. He or she will assist the family in choosing a casket or urn and a burial-place or mausoleum, and then schedule the times and locations for services. The funeral home may have a viewing room or chapel on the premises that can be used for services, or he may arrange for the use of a church or temple. Whatever the deceased's religious affiliation, the director will be able to perform himself, or arrange for the performance of, all appropriate rituals and ceremonies, in conjunction with the deceased's minister or cleric.
As you continue plan a funeral with the clergy or funeral director, you may want to suggest music and readings for the service. If you are 'lucky', the deceased left you with written instructions about their expectations for the service, including people that should be invited to the service and those whom you might include in it.
He will contact and make arrangements not only with the church, but with pallbearers and car services, facilitating the transportation of the deceased, the mourners, and the flowers from church to graveside. All paperwork regarding the purchase of the cemetery plot and all details from the scheduling to the execution of the interment will be taken care of by him.
The funeral director will also prepare obituary notices and arrange for their publication, handle any necessary paperwork regarding the death certificate, notify the Social Security Administration of the death, help the family apply for veteran's burial benefits, and even assist in the preparation and filing of insurance and pension claims.
Finally, it is customary to give the minister an "honorarium," for their leadership in addition to any funeral home fees you may have incurred. The amount of such honorariums is usually up to you.
