Monthly Archives: August 2022

cremation service in Monroeville, PA

Can You Have Pallbearers with Cremation Services?

While pallbearers are traditionally used when the body is buried in a casket, people can choose to have pallbearers carry the casket at a funeral before a cremation service in Monroeville, PA They can also carry or walk alongside the urn before or after a memorial service.

Were you asked to be a pallbearer for someone’s service before or after a cremation service? Here’s everything you need to know about pallbearers in order to help prepare you.

  1. How Many Pallbearers are There? While there can be as many or as few as desired, there are traditionally six to eight pallbearers. If there are six, three stand on each side of the casket. If there are eight, the extra two stand on the front and back.
  2. Who Can be a Pallbearer? Pallbearers can be anyone the bereaved or deceased choose. However, they are usually close family or friends like siblings, older children or grandchildren, colleagues, or friends. And yes, women can be pallbearers even though it doesn’t happen very often.
  3. What is a Pallbearer? A pallbearer is someone that helps carry or officially escorts a casket during a funeral or service. Their duties traditionally consist exclusively of carrying the remains from the hearse to the church or funeral home before the service, and then back into the hearse after the service. If the remains are to be buried or inurned, the pallbearers also carry them from the hearse to the final resting place.
  4. How Heavy is a Casket? Caskets can weigh as little as 60 pounds up to 400 pounds or more depending on the type of casket and the size of the remains inside. For example, pine caskets generally weigh about 150 pounds, while mahogany can weigh up to 250. Metal caskets, on the other hand, can weigh between 160 to 200 pounds depending on the kind of metal and the metal gauge.
  5. What Is an Honorary Pallbearer? An honorary pallbearer is someone who will not actually carry the casket but is still recognized in some way. This title is usually used for older friends or relatives who might not be able to physically carry the casket. Sometimes people even choose to have deceased friends or family members as honorary pallbearers, as they don’t have to carry the casket or even be physically present to have the honor.
  6. What Should Pallbearers Wear? Its best for pallbearers to dress conservatively, ideally in a dark suit and tie, dress, or pantsuit. However, be sure to wear clothing that is comfortable enough for you to move and lift in. Don’t forget to wear flat or low-heeled shoes so you don’t trip while carrying the casket.

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As intense or scary as this job seems, being a pallbearer is not as overwhelming as you might think. We are here to help if you have more questions about pallbearers or Monroeville, PA cremation services. Call or visit us today to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss or preplanning.

funeral home in Monroeville, PA

All About Body Processing After a Death

As troubling as it might be to consider what happens to a body after death, this information is good to have if you’re planning a cremation or a service at a funeral home in Monroeville, PA.

Here is a breakdown of what happens to a body after death, from death pronouncement to final decomposition.

  1. Pronouncement of Death – The death pronouncement is when the person is officially declared dead by a medical professional. It can be different from the actual time of death as sometimes doctors are not present when the person actually dies. Instead, the death pronouncement is given after the doctor examines the body and determines that passing has occurred.
  2. Body Transportation – After a death, someone has to notify the funeral home or cremation provider and then have someone come to the place of death and transport it to the funeral home or cremation location.
  3. Preservation – There are several ways bodies are preserved before a cremation service or funeral including refrigeration and embalming. Bodies are kept cold with ice, dry ice, air conditioning, or refrigerators. They can also be traditionally embalmed or eco-embalmed, which is a method that does not use formaldehyde.
  4. Various Memorial Events – Most people choose to have some kind of memorial event for their lost loved one. The most traditional events are viewings, visitations, and wakes. A viewing or wake is when the embalmed body is present, and a visitation may or may not have the body present. Viewings and wakes are also generally more religious than wakes. There are also traditional funerals, which are services in which the body is present in a casket. Funerals are also usually religious events held at funeral homes or churches. Families can also choose to less traditional and host a memorial. Memorials are services at which the body is not present, either because the body was cremated or because the body was already buried.
  5. Service Before the Final Disposition – The body’s final disposition is where the body will be put to rest. Whether the body is buried or interned in a tomb or mausoleum, the service for final disposition is called a committal. When a body is cremated and placed in an urn or scattered, the ceremony is called a cremation ceremony or a scattering service.

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Next comes the final disposition. There are many different ways to put a body to rest, but the most common include burial and cremation. Bodies can be buried in the ground at a cemetery, above-ground in a mausoleum, entombment in a lawn crypt, or naturally buried in other locations. Final disposition options for after cremation include cremation with burial in a cemetery, above-ground burial in a columbarium, scattering of ashes, and inurnment with the urn kept at home. There are also alternative disposition methods such as alkaline hydrolysis, burial or scattering at sea, and body preservation.

We are here to help if you want to learn more about the process or Monroeville, PA funeral homes. After all, this is just a short explanation of what happens to a body after a death. Call or visit us today for more information.

cremation service in Penn Township, PA

Do You Know How a Body Prepared for Cremation?

Learn the different steps a body goes through, from processing and identity verification, to be prepared for a cremation service in Penn Township, PA after the death of a loved one. Here are all the details of how a body is prepared for a cremation:

  1. The Funeral Home or Crematory Picks Up the Body – After the death, the funeral home or crematory of your choice will usually pick up the body and bring it to the funeral home or crematory. Once there, it will be placed in a prep room or in refrigeration.
  2. Planning the Service – The bereaved will then meet with a funeral director or cremation provider to plan a service, if desired, and determine the cremation details. During this time, the body is kept in a refrigeration unit between 36 and 39 degrees to slow decomposition. If the deceased or bereaved chose direct cremation, the body will stay refrigerated till the cremation. If they chose a public viewing, the body will be placed in a prep room for embalming.
  3. Preparing the Body – The cremation provider will prep the body by removing all jewelry, pacemakers, or medical devices in order to prevent melting or explosions during the cremation process. Jewelry is returned to the family and medical devices are often recycled or returned to the family. If the family or deceased chose direct cremation, there is no other preparation required. If the family chose a public viewing, the body will be embalmed, bathed, dried, dressed, and put in a casket.
  4. Verifying the Identity – A family member or next-of-kin will complete and ID Verification form after preparation to signify that the body has been properly identified and is ready to be cremated or viewed at a service. Each facility and state have different procedures, but your funeral director or cremation provider will walk you through each step.
  5. The Cremation Itself – After the body is identified and after any chosen service, the body is then placed in a cremation container. Cremation containers can be solid wood caskets designed for cremation or corrugated cardboard boxes also designed for cremations. The cremation container with the body inside is then put into the cremation chamber and heated between 1400 and 2000 degrees for about two hours. Some crematories allow family members to view the cremation itself. If you wish to view the cremation, speak with your provider.

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After the cremation, the remains are cooled for about an hour and then processed through a machine that grinds the remaining bones into powder. These powdered remains are returned to the family in an urn of their choice or in another kind of container.

We are here to help if you want to learn more about the cremation process or Penn Township, PA cremation services in general. Stop by and pay us a visit or give us a call today for more information on what we can do for you in your time of loss.

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Must-Read Pallbearer Tips

A pallbearer is someone that helps carry or officially escorts a casket during a funeral at a funeral home in Penn Township, PA. If you were asked to be a pallbearer for someone’s funeral or service before a cremation service, you need these tips for serving as a pallbearer for guidance and inspiration. Hopefully these tips will help you calm your nerves and make sure you are ready to take on this honor:

  • Wear Sensible Shoes – You really don’t want to trip when carrying the casket. Be sure to wear sensible shoes that will help keep your feet firmly planted on the ground and will be supportive when you lift the casket.
  • Being Nervous is Normal – It’s true that all eyes will be on you when you carry the casket, so it’s OK to be nervous. Just follow the instructions, breathe deeply, and you’ll be alright.
  • What Does a Pallbearer Do? – Pallbearer’s duties traditionally consist exclusively of carrying the remains from the hearse to the church or funeral home before the service, and then back into the hearse after the service. If the remains are to be buried or inurned, the pallbearers also carry them from the hearse to the final resting place. Here are more tips:
  • Turn Off Your Phone – It would be horrifying to have your phone ring during the service or, even worse, when you’re carrying the casket. Turn off your phone completely or leave it in your car or at home.
  • Consider Your Attire – Pallbearers need to dress appropriately. Unless the bereaved specify otherwise, men should wear dark, solid suits with white shirts and conservative ties, and women should wear dark pantsuits or dresses.

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  • Be Prepared to Lift – The main job of a pallbearer is to lift and carry the casket, so prepare yourself. Remember, it’s OK to turn it down if you’re asked to be a pallbearer by can’t physically do the job.
  • Stay Back and Support the Family – Don’t rush out as soon as the service is over. Hang around for a bit to offer support, comfort, and assistance to the family.
  • Follow Instructions – Always follow the instructions of the family, bereaved, and the funeral direction. This is true even if you’ve been a pallbearer before or have different ideas of how things should go. It’s not your time to shine, it’s your chance to be respectful and honor the deceased.
  • Be On Time – You need to arrive at the funeral home or service location at or even before the time specified. This way you can be as prepared as possible and not rushing or worried after a late arrival.
  • Serving as a Pallbearer is an Honor – Being chosen as a pallbearer means that the bereaved trust you and care about you. It’s a privilege, so do your best to treat the honor with dignity and respect.

Do you need more guidance when it comes to pallbearers or Penn Township, PA funeral homes? We are here to help. Call or visit us today to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss or of preplanning.