Monthly Archives: October 2021

cremation service in North Versailles, PA

Common Questions About Cremation Services

Maybe you’ve looked at your wardrobe before going to a memorial and wondered what in the heck you’re supposed to wear. Or perhaps you’ve been to a memorial after a cremation service in North Versailles, PA and wondered who that person in the dark suit was.

You’re not alone if you’ve wondered about these and similar topics. Many people have lots of questions about cremations, funerals, and other related topics. Want to shed some light on your queries? this list of common cremation service-related questions and their answers can hopefully help:

  • Should Kids Come to the Service? – The memorialization process is very important for mourning and dealing with grief in a healthy and constructive way. This is true for kids just as it is true for adults. Childcare experts say that children should have a say in the matter of whether or not they should attend a funeral. Ask your child if he wants to go to the memorial service and make every effort to respect his choice.
  • Should I Send a Sympathy Card? – Sending a card is just one of the many ways you can show support for the bereaved. If you do send a card, send it within two weeks of the death. If you don’t want to send a card, you can reach out in another way like a phone call, email or visit.
  • What do Funeral Directors Do? – Funeral directors are, first and foremost, in charge of preparing a body for burial or cremation, but they also help with a ton of other things from arranging memorials and funerals to providing transportation to and from the place of disposition.
  • What Do You Wear to a Funeral or Memorial? – This question has a tricky answer, as it really depends on the service. Some funerals and memorials are more traditional with guests wearing black clothing to honor the somber feel of the event. But other services are more modern and celebratory, making it OK for guests to wear color or more casual clothing. Use the location of the service as a clue to the type of clothing you should wear. A funeral at a church? Black, more formal attire is best. A memorial at a beach? Casual is most likely just fine.
  • What’s the Difference Between a Memorial and a Funeral? – The main difference is the presence of the body. A memorial is when the body is not present at the gathering to celebrate the life of the deceased, and a funeral is when the body is present at the service. Generally, memorials happen after cremation service or other instances that would prevent the body from being present, like when the body is donated to science.
  • What Does “In Lieu of Flowers” Mean? – “In lieu of flowers” is often the phrase used in a service program, death announcement or obituary when the bereaved request that mourners memorialize the deceased in other ways besides sending flowers. This could mean a donation to a charity or even a gift of food for after the event.

cremation service in North Versailles, PA

Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is here to help if you want to learn more about these topics or North Versailles, PA cremation services.

funeral home in North Versailles, PA

Types of Burial Markers

You will most likely need to choose some kind of burial or cremains marker, whether you’re preplanning for your own eventual passing or dealing with a loved one’s recent death and service at a funeral home in North Versailles, PA.

A burial marker, like the name denotes, is what marks a burial site. However, they mean usually mean much more than that as burial markers are also what will symbolize the deceased for the rest of time. While you will always have the memories of a lost loved one, their burial marker will be what you go to visit or show future generations, and what other people will see. So, choosing a burial marker is a big deal!

Use these tips to help you choose the right one:

  1. Upright Cemetery Monuments – More commonly referred to as gravestones, upright cemetery monuments are what you will most commonly see in cemeteries and graveyards around the world. These upright markers are easy to see, making it simple to find a certain marker in a full cemetery or field. You can easily customize a gravestone into almost any shape, size, color or material from classic stone headstones to white crosses, marble angels and more. You can also customize what the gravestone says, with most people choosing to put their loved one’s name, dates of birth and death, and a short message.
  2. Consider the Deceased – As you consider which one you might choose for your lost loved one, just remember that there really is no wrong choice if you choose from the heart. Think about what your loved one would have wanted and what would best symbolize him or her, but don’t over-complicate it or get stressed.
  3. Mausoleums – Mausoleums are free-standing, above-ground structures that provide a secure, dry and clean place for bodies to be interred. They also come in many different shapes and sizes, with some being small for just one body and others being massive to house multiple generations of the same family.
  4. Flush and Flat Markers – Flush and flat grave markers are inserted into the ground above a gravesite. They are usually very simple and subtle to match their streamlined, in-ground design. But there are some kinds of more elaborate flush and flat markers, like those with vase attachments that allow the bereaved to leave flowers and other tokens on the grave.
  5. Benches – Bench memorials are just what they sound like: benches that either mark a grave or are a memorial for a deceased person. Though they are more unconventional and can be expensive, they create peaceful spaces that allow the bereaved to sit and reflect on the life of their lost loved one. Some people choose to decorate their loved one’s memorial bench with quotes, etchings, and the name of the deceased. There are even some benches that house cremated remains.

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These are just a few tips to choose a final resting place. If you want to learn more, get in touch with Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., a North Versailles, PA funeral home. We can help you choose the best grave marker for your loved one. Call or visit us today.

cremation service in Monroeville, PA

Things to Think About When Planning a Funeral

There are a lot of decisions to be made when planning a memorial after a cremation service in Monroeville, PA. And, to make things even more complicated, traditions surrounding death, grieving are changing. While this change is good as it allows for ultimate personalization for celebrating the life of the deceased, it can also make planning tough.

Where do you start? How do you even begin to make all the necessary decisions and choices? Use this list to help you get started:

  • Memorial Gifts – There is a new tradition of giving small gifts, like party favors, to memorial guests. These gifts are a nice way to help them keep the deceased in their minds and hearts long after the service is over. Feel free to get creative, like making recipe cards with the deceased’s favorite dishes.
  • Disposition – Burials used to be the default, but not anymore. There are tons of options these days from cremation services and body donation to entombment and more.
  • Venue – The traditional funeral home or church isn’t necessary the only choice for a memorial anymore. You can also choose to have a service in a park, on a beach, at a home, in a museum, or almost any other place that holds significance to you, the deceased, and the rest of the bereaved.
  • Celebrants – Sometimes families don’t want a religious service led by a pastor or clergy member. In these cases, they may want to hire a celebrant. Celebrants are licensed masters of ceremony that work with the bereaved to customize memorial services in fresh and unique ways. Most funeral homes and cremation providers can offer lists of recommended local celebrants.
  • Personalization – It’s always a good idea to personalize parts, if not all, of a lost loved one’s memorial. You can really have fun with this part of the planning! Readings, poems, prayers and even music can be easily combined with a service, as can any other aspect of the deceased’s life and personality. For example, if the deceased loved antique cars, you could have old cars parked in the funeral home or ceremony location’s parking lot. Or, if the deceased loved jazz music, you could hire a jazz band to play at the reception or play jazz music during the service. Don’t forget to also include personal memorabilia like photos, videos, and beloved objects.
  • Donations – Another new trend is asking for people to send donations “in lieu of flowers”. You can ask guests to make contributions to a cause the deceased believed in as a good way to carry on his or her memory.
  • Flowers – Flowers are a traditional part of memorials and funerals, and probably aren’t going anywhere anytime soon. They can transform any room into a comforting and welcoming space perfect for grieving a loss and celebrating a life. Consider getting personalized floral displays or arrangements for even more flair.

cremation service in Monroeville, PA

Planning a funeral or memorial service after a cremation service is very personal, so these ideas are just to get you started. Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is here to help if you want more ideas or help planning a funeral or service after a Monroeville, PA
cremation service. Call or visit us today.

funeral home in Monroeville, PA

All About Funeral Agents

Someone will have to be in charge at the time of your death. This person will have to make decisions about your funeral planning at a funeral home in Monroeville, PA, from where you will be buried or cremated, how your will estate be carried out, and many other important jobs. This person is usually one of your next of kin.

Your next-of-kin is an immediate family member, like a husband, wife, or common-law spouse, a child, your parents, a domestic partner, or your siblings. However, there are plenty of situations in which you don’t have any next of kin, or if you don’t want your next of kin to be in charge of your will and funeral arrangements.

For example, people often get divorced and therefore are estranged from their ex-spouse and children. People outlive their family members. Or, in other instances, someone may not want their children to be in charge as they might argue about how to execute the cremation and estate funeral after the death of their parents. If these or similar situations apply to you, what can you do?

You can designate a funeral agent.

A Funeral Agent is a person designated to have legal responsibility over all the matters concerning someone else’s disposition. In the funeral world, this is called the “right to control.” You can hire a Funeral Agent and give them the right to control your cremation service planning and the legal power to override the decisions of anyone else, including your children, siblings, spouse, domestic and civil partner, and parents. Funeral Agents can be anyone you choose, from a friend or clergy member to a neighbor, coworkers, social worker, or extended family member. However, its best to choose someone that will outlive you and will understand and be able to handle the ins and outs of planning a cremation.

How do you appoint a Funeral Agent? While the laws vary from state to state, the most common process is by either adding a codicil to your will or by filling out a form. If you want to designate a Funeral Agent in your will or in a codicil to your will, you need to talk to a lawyer and explain your wishes. Since the executor of a will is not necessarily the Funeral Agent, it is important to make the wording clear and specific in your will.

Have your lawyer draw up a will or amendment that makes it clear who your Funeral Agent will be. If you want to fill out the form, you should get the form from your local government and make sure its notarized and signed by the intended funeral recipient and two witnesses. Remember, whether or not you appoint a Funeral Agent is completely up to you, as it is a very personal choice.

funeral home in Monroeville, PA

If you want to learn more about preplanning for a Monroeville, PA funeral home or Funeral Agents, Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is here to help. Call or visit us today for more information on what we can do for you in your time of loss or of preplanning.