Don’t Overlook These When Buying A Casket

Buying a casket and other funeral items is part of planning a funeral. But always ask questions about features you need to look at when selecting a casket at funeral homes in Washington Township, MI. Everybody talks about the material used to make the casket but there are other smaller details that people overlook only to regret when it’s too late. Caskets are a huge purchase which means you should pay attention to the following to make the right purchase.

Casket Bedding

A casket bedding provides a comfortable surface for the deceased to lie on. Some people dismiss this feature as a trivial detail forgetting that the quality of the bedding determines how good it is at absorbing moisture and any bodily fluids. The bedding used can prevent a problem from becoming a disaster. High-end caskets often come with bedding made from velvet and satin. Choosing the right color of bedding may also affect the appearance of your loved one. So, choose a color that complements the deceased person’s skin color and appearance.

Do The Hinges Work

You are likely to deal with faulty casket hinges if you buy from online vendors. Hinges help you open and close the casket with ease. If you are having a traditional funeral with a viewing, you are going to have to open and close the casket lid multiple times. The hinges on low-quality caskets can break or fail easily. A situation where the funeral service has ended but the casket lid cannot close securely can cause unnecessary delays. Hinges also add to the aesthetics of the casket, which means that low-quality hinges will make the casket look cheap.

Fabrics Used As Interior Lining

Silk is a popular choice for the interior of the casket but there are other affordable options such as cotton, felt, polyester, and velvet. Cotton is a great choice if you are environmentally conscious because it is a breathable natural fabric. Velvet and satin are the most popular choices because they have a great texture and come in a variety of colors. Silk is also smooth to the touch and shiny in appearance but is not as affordable. If you are having trouble choosing the right fabric, choose the option you think your loved one would have preferred.

You Can Customize A Casket

Most people buy caskets as they do not know that you can ask for modifications. You can ask the seller to change the color, material, or design of the coffin to personalize it in honor of your loved one. Customization can be as simple as embossing the name of your loved one on the coffin to printing their photo on the casket’s exterior. Other modifications you can request include embroidered head panels, the addition of religious hardware to the exterior, and printing photos of emblems and flags to the exterior of the casket.

Like other respectable funeral homes in Washington Township, MI we only provide quality caskets fitting for your loved one. You can ask our experienced staff any question about caskets and they will answer truthfully and even offer ideas.

Non-Traditional Memorial Service

Traditional memorial services have long included religious aspects such as hymns, reading scripture and delivering eulogies. Funeral homes in Chesterfield Township, MI have had to accommodate a shift from traditional memorial services to non-traditional ones because many people want to celebrate life instead of focusing on death. Non-traditional memorial services are personalized memorial services that focus on the life of the deceased and how that life enriched the lives of family and friends of the deceased.

Celebration Of Life Focuses On Achievements And Personality Of The Deceased

One of the most popular non-traditional memorial service options is the celebration of life. Celebrations of life are events where people gather to celebrate the life achievements and unique personality of the deceased person. Unlike traditional memorial services, there is more focus on positive memories and experiences in a celebration of life. Some activities included in a celebration of life include playing the deceased person’s favorite music, reading poems, sharing food, group prayer, fundraisers and more.

Speeches And Eulogies In Celebration Of Life

Another characteristic of a celebration of life is that the speeches and eulogies are more heartfelt and meaningful. The speeches, eulogies, and stories shared are going to make people laugh and cry. People grieve together and listen to happy and challenging experiences other friends and family members had with the deceased.

Non-traditional Settings For Celebration Of Life

While traditional memorial services are often held in funeral homes, celebrations of life can be held anywhere. Family of the deceased can choose a location that reminds them of the deceased or a location the deceased loved to visit. Non-traditional settings for holding a memorial service can include places such as a beach, a skating rink, and more.

Virtual Memorial Service Is Inclusive For People Who Cannot Travel

Virtual memorial services have become increasingly popular, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. These services are streamed online so that relatives and friends who can’t come to the physical location can still attend the memorial service. You don’t need expensive tech to make this happen. Most of the time all you need is your cell phone and an internet connection. You can stream the service on popular social media sites like Facebook, Twitter and even TikTok. If you want the stream to be private, you can use Zoom.

The Role Of A Funeral Director

The funeral director’s role is to listen to the family’s requests and offer guidance or answer questions. They are there to make everything run seamlessly. If you want some personalization and customization of the memorial service, the funeral director can help you make it happen. For example, the funeral director can provide the equipment needed for a virtual memorial service or help you find a live band to play your loved one’s favorite song.

Non-traditional services bring people together in celebration of the life their loved one lived, and allows family and friends to support each other. If you want a non-traditional memorial service, come to our funeral homes in Chesterfield Township, MI and let us help you. We can help you arrange a memorable and fitting memorial service for your loved one.

Why Eulogies Are Important During A Memorial Service

A death in the family is a shocking event that no one is prepared for. A eulogy can be used as a tool for the loved ones of the deceased to process this death. While funeral homes in Chesterfield Township, MI can write a eulogy on your behalf, a personalized eulogy written by a family member may be more effective. Here are reasons why reading personalized eulogies during a memorial service are important.

Honor Your Loved One Using A Eulogy

Giving a eulogy is a way to honor your loved one who has passed away. Anyone can deliver a eulogy as long as they were close to the deceased. You can choose one person to deliver the eulogy on behalf of the family or have several people eulogize the deceased. That includes not just family members but also clergy, friends, and even colleagues. A eulogy is an opportunity to express your affection for your loved one and also describe their impact on the world around them.

Eulogies Help You Grieve

During the process of writing or reading the eulogy, you are forced to process the reality that your loved one is no longer living. The fact that you have to write and read about the deceased in the past tense reinforces the fact that a death has occurred. That is a very important step in grieving. You will feel the pain of loss once you accept reality. You and the people listening will feel the pain together and offer support for one another.

Eulogies Provide An Opportunity To Share Cherished Stories About The Deceased

Every member of the family has an interesting story about the deceased that would put a smile on anyone. Including favorite moments you had with the deceased in the eulogy and sharing the lessons you learned from those experiences helps everyone appreciate the impact the deceased had in the world. You may also use that opportunity to reveal a positive facet about your loved one that most people did not know. It could be about your loved one donating a toy to charity when they were younger or their beliefs about the world and so on.

Eulogies Help You Search For Meaning

When you are preparing a eulogy, you are forced to search for meaning and ask yourself difficult questions about the death of your loved one. It’s not unusual for people to ask themselves why their loved one had to die now or what happens next after this loss. These questions may not have clear answers, but asking them is an important step in processing and understanding your feelings about death.

Eulogies Help People Know How To Offer Support

When you describe in the eulogy how you feel about the death of your loved one, people listening will know how to support you. It also creates a sense of solidarity between you and other people who feel like you do.

If you come to us for cremation services in Chesterfield Township, MI, we can also help you formulate a memorable eulogy for your loved one.

What To Do With Cremated Remains

After cremation, funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MI, often deliver the cremated remains to the family of the deceased. You may get the ashes delivered to you in an urn that you bought with the funeral home, or in a simple cardboard box. You can then bury, scatter, or do what you feel needs to be done with the ashes. Here is what to do with cremated remains.

Add The Remains To An Existing Grave

You can add the ashes to the existing grave of a spouse or other family member. It is not illegal to dig into an old grave to bury an urn but there are guidelines you have to stick to. You can only dig from 6 to 12 inches into an old grave, which means that you cannot place the urn on the casket in the grave. Before you begin the process, you must talk to the cemetery and get their permission. But you need to get experienced grave diggers that will avoid disturbing the old grave to prevent any damage to the grave and the remains of the person buried there. To avoid delays, carry the cremation certificate with you when you go to the cemetery.

Bury The Urn In A Cemetery

Many people would rather bury the ashes of their loved ones rather than keep them at home or scatter them. Just like it is for caskets, you have to buy a parcel of land to bury an urn. Most of the time the urn is buried 3 feet deep. This is deeper than when you bury it in an old grave. You can have a traditional funeral with viewing or visitation and then cremation instead of a burial. Funeral homes can provide a casket that you can hire for a significantly lower cost to be used for the viewing.

How To Keep The Remains At Home

Keeping the ashes of a loved one at home is a way to remember your loved one after the memorial. It may also be a cultural practice. Depending on your culture or preference you can keep the ashes in a decorative urn or in an artsy but simple urn. The urn can be made of wood, metal, marble, ceramics, or other material. Another way to keep the ash is to have small amounts added into a piece of custom-made jewelry such as a locket or pendant. But jewelry can only hold small amounts of the ashes, which means you will need to either create a special memorial garden in your backyard to bury the remaining ashes, or even scatter them in a place that was meaningful to your loved one.

It is important to make sure that the ashes are kept, buried, or scattered in a safe and respectful place. Our funeral home doesn’t just offer you quality cremation services in Shelby Charter Township, MI but can also help you and your family members make an informed decision on what to do with your loved one’s ashes.

Choosing The Right Urn For Ashes

You may not be in the right emotional state to pick the right urn for your deceased loved one. Funeral homes in Chesterfield Township, MI, often take over the responsibility of arranging the funeral, but you still have to choose the urn you want. Here are some tips to make it easier for you to choose the right urn for your loved one.

The Final Resting Place Determines The Type Of Urn You Choose

Consider the final resting place for the ashes when choosing an urn for a loved one. You should pick a cheap, temporary urn, such as a scattering urn or water burial urn if you intend to scatter the cremated remains. However, you should get a sturdy marble urn if you intend to inter the cremated remains in a cemetery. Additionally, if you plan to place the urn in your home, be sure to pick one that is both attractive and strong. In the end, the urn you select should go with your personal preferences and your loved one’s final resting location.

The Size Of The Urn Refers To How Big It Is And How Much It Can Hold

There are a few elements to consider while deciding on an urn’s size. Urns are available in adult, medium, and small sizes, among others. A standard urn can hold the ashes of a person who weighs between 200 and 210 pounds. Family members might divide an individual’s ashes among themselves using medium urns. There are also smaller urns known as keepsake urns that are great for preserving a tiny amount of cremated remains to honor and remember your loved one. The urn’s height, width, and diameter are also significant, particularly if you plan to display it in your home or keep it in a columbarium. Prior to purchasing, be sure to give the columbarium a call and find out what size urns they accept.

The Material Used To Make The Urn Can Determine How Long It Lasts And How It Looks

You should also consider the materials the urn is made of. Traditional urns are usually made of brass, but you can also find urns made of wood, marble, and other types of metals. Marble urns have a stately appearance, while wood urns offer a warm and natural feel. If you’re looking for something more unique, you can also find urns made of glass or ceramics. For burials, urns made of cultured marble are a good choice because they don’t require a vault for protection and are durable. There are also many other types of urns available, including multicolored urns and more. You can ask the funeral director to place the ashes in an urn of your choosing after a cremation or have them deliver them in a cardboard box if you want to scatter them.

We can help you find the right urn when you use our cremation services in Chesterfield Township, MI. You can trust us to work with you to arrange a meaningful ceremony for your loved one.

A Guide to Planning a Military Funeral

Due to their sacrifices, it’s important that military members be honored not just when they are alive but also when they pass away. If you are a spouse or family member of a military member, you should know that funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MI can help you honor the unique life of your family member. Here are things you need to know about planning a military funeral for your loved one.

Find Out If Your Loved One Is Eligible For A Military Funeral

You need to verify that your loved one is eligible for a military funeral before you plan for a military funeral. A person is eligible for military burial benefits if one of these is true: the person must be a Veteran who did not receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died while on active duty or training, the spouse or minor child of a Veteran, or in some cases, the unmarried adult dependent child of a Veteran. It is important to check all of the qualifications to make sure that your loved one is eligible for a military funeral.

A Military Funeral Means Access To Certain Benefits

An average funeral can cost up to $9,000 or more depending on the circumstances. But for military members, some of the funeral costs are covered by the VA. For any army veteran that died on or after September 2011, the family receives up to 2,000 in burial benefits. The amount is only $1,500 for service-related deaths that occurred before September 2011. Family members may also be reimbursed for the costs of transportation to the VA National Cemetery.

Other Benefits That Family Members Of Veterans May Receive

If your loved one passed away in a VA hospital, you may be entitled to up to $1,400. But you only get $300 if your loved one did not pass away in a VA hospital. You also get $300 for buying land for burial in a private cemetery. You should consult the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to see if you can access these burial allowances or benefits. The VA only informs you about the benefits you are entitled to if you ask them about it.

Where Can Your Loved One Be Buried

After locating or obtaining the DD 214 form which verifies your loved one’s military service, you can then start looking for a suitable cemetery for burial. Most active duty service members, veterans, and reservists can be buried in a VA National Cemetery. If the state has a veteran cemetery, you may be able to bury your loved one there but you must meet specific requirements. For instance, state VA cemeteries often require that the deceased must have been a resident. People who are eligible to bury in state VA cemeteries may get benefits such as a grave site, a burial flag, a headstone or marker, and so on.

We have years of experience helping families to plan or arrange funerals when they use our funeral and cremation services in Shelby Charter Township, MI. Our main focus is to provide you with the highest quality service.

Maintaining And Preserving A Cemetery Vault Over Time

People who come to our funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MI often don’t know that some cemeteries require a burial vault. Some who know this fact are unaware that a burial vault can still leak even if it was set or sealed correctly. This is because, over time, the vault is going to lose its structural integrity and may not provide adequate protection for the casket. You can prevent this through proper maintenance and preservation of the cemetery vault.

Ensure That The Cemetery Has The Correct Equipment

Some cemeteries are so small that they do not have the correct equipment to set or seal a vault. If they use the wrong equipment, you may have a harder time maintaining the vault. Fortunately, companies that sell vaults can provide the equipment and help you seal the vault correctly. A vault that is sealed correctly lasts for a longer period of time and does not need to be maintained frequently.

Why You Should Maintain A Burial Vault

While it’s true that burial vaults are built to last for a couple of centuries, it does not mean that they cannot be damaged. You want to maintain that vault so that you and your children will still be able to visit the burial site of your loved one years in the future. A damaged burial vault can cause the earth on top of the vault to cave in and expose the casket to water and dirt. That means that the casket will get damaged.

How To Maintain And Preserve A Burial Vault

Burial vaults may not need regular care as your car does but you should clean the exterior of the vault whenever you can. Just removing the dirt and debris that collect on the vault can help protect the structure of the vault and make it last longer. Inspecting the vault periodically for any damage allows you to spot a problem such as a crack or other things that may need repair or restoration. Just applying a special coating on the vault can also make it moisture or dirt-proof.

Be Careful When Cleaning A Burial Vault

Most of the time there will be instructions from the manufacturer on how to clean the burial vault. You will find that the requirements for cleaning a concrete vault differ from those of cleaning a metal vault. Only use a broom or a brush when removing debris or dirt from the surface of a concrete vault. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions if you want to use a pressure washer because using it carelessly could damage the vault and leave the casket vulnerable. Take extra care not to damage the engravings on the carapace of the vault. Metallic vaults just need to be wiped clean with a sponge or soft cloth dipped in soapy water. Make sure you wipe away all the soap residue from the metal surface.

If you still have any questions about maintaining burial vaults, come talk to our friendly staff. We also provide funeral and cremation services in Shelby Charter Township, MI.

Are Casket Rentals A Cost-Effective Alternative to Purchasing

You can ask funeral homes in Washington Township, MI to organize a traditional funeral that includes a cremation of your loved one. Traditional in this context means that there will be a memorial service, a funeral service, and a visitation or wake. For the viewing part of the funeral, you are going to need a rental casket if you are concerned about the cost. Here is what you need to know about rental caskets.

Understanding Rental Caskets

These types of caskets only became a thing when cremation started becoming popular. They can also be used in situations where the family wants to bury their loved one in a biodegradable container. Rental caskets are different from other caskets because they have a removable interior. This insert is a box made of wood or very heavy cardboard. So, the casket itself can be used several times without actually getting into direct contact with a body. The exterior of rental caskets just looks like normal or standard caskets used in traditional funerals.

Rental Caskets Can Save you Money

The average cost of a rental casket is between $690 and $990, which is less than half the cost of a new casket. You may pay lower or higher than the average based on the type or style of the casket you choose. The interior of the casket is cremated together with the deceased. That means that the insert does not have to be made of expensive treated wood or metal, all it has to be is combustible. You can view this option as more environmentally friendly than when you use a traditional casket.

Where to get rental caskets

Ask the funeral home you want to use whether they provide rental caskets. There are also companies that specialize in providing rental caskets and you can find them online or ask your funeral director for recommendations. You should make arrangements in advance so that your requirements are met by the funeral home or company that provides rental caskets. You also need to ask about whether the funeral home requires families of the deceased to buy a cremation casket.

Regulations For Renting A Casket

Renting a casket may not sound like such a hygienic option. Fortunately, there are laws that regulate how these caskets are supposed to be made and used. While these caskets have a standard appearance, they are actually designed for multi-use purposes. They are fitted with a new insert for every use and the renter is informed beforehand that the casket has been used already and will be reclaimed by the company or funeral home. But if the non-removable portion of the casket is stained, contaminated, or soiled by a body placed in the insert, it cannot be reused. Rental caskets are legal to use if these regulations are obeyed.

Rental caskets are becoming popular as more families choose the cremation option for their loved ones. We offer affordable cremation services in Washington Township, MI, and can also help you find the right rental casket for your loved one.

The Difference Between A Funeral Home And A Crematorium

Many people don’t have to organize a funeral for most of their life unless they are funeral directors for funeral homes in Washington Township, MI. So, they often get confused when the words crematorium and funeral home are used interchangeably when they do not refer to the same thing. The difference between the two is mainly based on the number of services they offer to clients.

Crematoriums Are Different From Funeral Homes

Crematoriums often only offer a single service which is the cremation of a body. They will not handle all the details of the funeral, which means you have to do most of the funeral arrangements on your own. But a funeral home not only provides cremation but also helps arrange the funeral including handling all the logistics even if it means transporting relatives from other states to the funeral. Your funeral director can actually help organize the transportation of the body of your loved one across state lines. They can also organize visitation, wakes, memorial services, funeral services, and burial services. A funeral home is basically a one-stop shop for all the funeral services you need.

Other Services Offered By Crematoriums

To actually cremate bodies, crematoriums have to also provide storage for the bodies. This is because cremation can only be done legally after certain paperwork is completed. They can provide an alternative container to hold the body if you don’t want a casket. Plastic containers or cardboard boxes are used to hold the ashes after the cremation. Crematoriums can also provide ash scattering services or sell you some land where you can bury the urn holding the ashes of your loved one. They can also return the ashes to you if you want to keep them at home.

Funeral Homes Provide More Cremation Packages

Whether you want a cremation with no services or one with services including viewing or a wake, a funeral home can arrange it. Funeral homes provide different packages of cremation services that are easy to understand and each package comes at a different cost. There is a direct cremation package that involves the cremation of the body without viewing or funeral service. You can also choose a package that includes all the traditional aspects of a funeral except for the cremation. It all depends on your budget or what your loved one asked for in the funeral plan. Your funeral director can help you choose the option that is right for you.

Should You Choose A Crematorium Or A Funeral Home

Crematoriums work like “depositories” for the bodies that are about to be cremated. On the other hand, funeral homes are run by members of the community which means they deal with real families every day. These establishments are designed to make you feel at ease when you visit them.

We don’t just provide cremation services in Washington Township, MI but arrange memorial services, wakes, funeral services, and others. Contact us today so that we can provide you with the highest quality care and service in your time of need.

Top Vault Personalization Ideas

Many people that want to honor their loved ones often want to know if funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MI can help them personalize their loved one’s burial vaults. You can personalize a burial vault by adding a photo, emblem, and other designs on the carapace of the vault. Here are some great ideas you should consider.

Printing Images On the Burial Vault’s Carapace

The image is not printed directly on the concrete surface of the vault. Instead, the image or photo is printed on a special vinyl material that is then expertly glued on the top of the cover or carapace of the vault. The image can be a photo of your deceased loved one, an animal, the sky, the nation’s flag, and any other thing you can imagine. They can even use your family photo and add a background of your choosing. These images are colorful just like the photos that you have on your phone and they are resistant to the eroding powers of sunlight and water.

Military Appliques And Emblems For Veterans

If your loved one served in the army, you can have your loved one’s military appliques that show their accomplishments and honor their bravery included on the carapace. These include images of military patches or symbols of the military. These include patches that show the branch your loved one served on, their deployments, and other specialized activities they were dedicated to. It’s all up to you what you want to be included in the carapace.

Choose a Color for the burial vault

Most of the time burial vaults retain the color of the material used to make them, which in many cases is the grey color of concrete. You can have them painted in decorative gold, pink, blue, or any other color. Some companies can paint patterns or designs that you love on the whole burial vault. The most popular color choices are silver, copper, gold, black, and dark blue.

Engraving Names And Other Details On The Vault

You can engrave the image together with other details about the deceased on a brass plate and then fix it on the carapace of the vault. Details you can add to the plaque include the name and date of birth of the person buried. You can also include a short poem or a verse from scripture on the plaque. Another option is to just curve the name of the deceased directly on the surface of the vault.

Add Flowers And Other Decorations On The Vault

Another method of personalizing a vault is by adding temporary decorations such as flowers, wreaths, cards, and other types of decorations on the vault. While they are temporary, they clearly show how you personally felt about your loved one.

All these vault personalization methods can be done with the help of funeral homes that provide funeral and cremation services in Shelby Charter Township, MI. Contact us today and let’s help you arrange a memorable and meaningful funeral for your loved one.

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