Arrangement Conference

This meeting between you and the funeral director serves as the foundation for creating a meaningful funeral. During this conference, the funeral director will gather important information about the person who died and help you make funeral choices. 

Visitation

The visitation is a time for family and friends to support one another in their grief. Often the body is present in an open or unopened casket, allowing those who loved the person who died to acknowledge the reality of the death and to have the privilege of saying goodbye. Receiving friends through a visitation activates the family's support system and allows people to express their concern and love for each other. 

Procession

The funeral procession from the service to the gravesite is usually led by the hearse containing the casket. The procession is a symbol of mutual support and a public honoring of the death. Mourners accompany one another to the final resting place of the person who died. 

Burial

How a body will be cared for after a death is an important decision. Today, most people in America are buried or entombed. People select burial based on a number of factors including the desire to keep with tradition or, in some cases, for religious or cultural reasons. 

Entombment

Some people prefer entombment, which means the body is buried in an aboveground monument such as a mausoleum. 

Cremation

Cremation is a meaningful option when accompanied by visitation time beforehand, a memorial service, a committal or scattering ritual or, ideally, all three. 

Burial at Sea