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As previously mentioned, a funeral is an event that allows surviving family members and friends an opportunity to express their thoughts and feelings about an important person in their lives. This celebration can be as personal or unique as your family member being honored. So, just how do you honor a person or pay tribute to them?
Paying tribute to your loved one can be as simple as selecting his or her favorite flowers for the casket blanket and/or sprays or requesting memorial contributions be sent to his or her favorite charity. It can also include other simple expressions such as displaying photographs of your loved one during the visitation and/or funeral service, playing his or favorite music whether religious or not, displaying items representing his or her favorite activities, showing a DVD movie of his or her life, etc.
Your funeral director will assist in personalizing your loved one's celebration by asking questions such as, "was your loved one active in a local church?" or "what words would family members or friends use to describe your loved one?" or "what activities did your loved one enjoy the most?"
By incorporating as many of these details as possible into your loved one's service, the celebration becomes more about your loved one and his or her life and personality and less about funeral rituals and rites. The following are a sample of the many creative ideas our staff has assisted families in including in their loved one's services:
- display your loved one's Harley-Davidson motorcylce beside the casket
- lead the funeral procession with your loved one's restored classic car(s)
- display your loved one's favorite board game such as Scrabble with the letters in place on the board spelling out words which describe his or her character
- show favorite home movies during the visitation
- military honor guard comprised of active duty drill sergeants
- carry your loved one from the church to the cemetery using a caison
- coordinate a fly-over at the cemetery with antique war planes
- butterfly release ceremony at the cemetery
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