Monthly Archives: January 2023

cremation services in North Versailles, PA

Companion Cremation Urns

Companion urns are large containers that hold the remains of two people after their cremation services in North Versailles, PA. Do you love someone so much that you don’t want to be apart from them, even after the cremation service? A companion urn might be the answer.

Often intended for a husband and wife or other partners, these urns generally have two separate compartments or one open area large enough for both sets of cremated remains. Companion urns also have double the capacity of standard adult urns. Standard adult urns usually have a capacity of 200 cubic inches, while companion urns have a 350-400 cubic inch capacity to hold the cremated remains of two people.

Companion urns also come in many different materials. You can find companion urns in almost any material, from metal and granite to wood, glass, ceramic, marble, and more. In order to narrow down your options, consider how the urn will be used. For example, do you want it to be buried? Choose a durable material like stone, granite, or marble if you want it to last, or wood or another biodegradable material if you want it to decay naturally.

Wondering if your companion urn will be large enough? Assume that 1 pound of a person’s body weight will leave about 1 cubic inch of cremated remains. So, for example, if someone who weighs 200 pounds wants to be buried with a 150-pound person, they need a 350 cubic-inch companion urn. You can personalize companion urns even if one or both of the people are still living. Pre-planning for your eventual passing can also include personalizing your future companion urn. Try inscriptions with a personal sentiment, important dates, or even a special message from you to your loved ones. Companion urns come in two standard shapes.

Are you into saving the environment? Biodegradable companion urns can be released into the ocean. Biodegradable companion urns are eco-friendly vessels that allow you to bury or scatter the remains out in nature. They are made from natural materials that will decompose over time, returning your loved one’s remains to the earth. There are two standard companion urn shapes: vase-style, rounded, and box-shaped, rectangular. The vase-style, rounded urns are often ceramic as they are made on a potter’s wheel, while the rectangular urns are often made from metal, stone, or wood as square-cornered construction is easier with those materials.

Want to be sure generations to come know who is in the urn? Add a photograph! You cancremation services in North Versailles, PA personalize a companion urn with individual photos of who is inside or, even better, a photo of the two people together. Try a photo-etched stone or granite urn that has the picture carved directly into the urn’s surface. You can also look into photo frame urns that allow you to change out the picture as often as you’d like.

We are here to help if you’re interested in learning more about companion urns or other North Versailles, PA cremation services. Simply call or visit us today to learn more about what we can do for you.

funeral homes in North Versailles, PA

The Meaning of Common Funeral Home Flowers

From weddings and births to deaths and funeral home services, flowers have a rich tradition of symbolism in many important life events. Have you ever wondered about the significance of common flowers brought to funeral homes in North Versailles, PA? Keep reading to learn what common flowers represent so you can choose the perfect bloom to bring to a funeral, memorial, or any other kind of service after death.

To begin, you can try tulips. Tulips are generally spring flowers, harkening thoughts of renewal and rebirth. However, these flowers can also be associated with forgiveness worthiness, and love, making them ideal for use at a funeral or memorial.

Lilacs, like lilies, often signify youth and innocence. This symbolism makes lilacs a common choice for the funeral or memorial tribute of a young person or someone who had a childlike nature or good heart. With their signature floral scent and youthful appearance, lilies signify purity and innocence. They are often brought to funerals and memorials to represent the idea that the deceased’s soul has become peaceful and innocent in death or that the deceased will be reborn in a new life.

There are also gladioli. The gladiolus flower is very common for funerals and memorials as it symbolized strength, moral integrity, and faithfulness. What about orchids? Orchids are recognized as symbols of everlasting love all over the world. Perhaps this idea comes from orchids’ rarity or maybe from their incredible beauty. But no matter the reason, orchids are always a great choice for a funeral or memorial service to represent your everlasting love for the deceased.

You can’t forget about roses or forget-me-nots. Simply put, roses symbolize love. While different colors of roses have other meanings, the most common theme is one of love. White roses are very common at funerals because they represent rebirth and renewed love as well as pure love. Like their name suggests, these flowers are all about remembrance. Forget-me-nots signify lasting love for the deceased and the idea that the love will always live on in your memories, heart, and mind. This symbolism makes these flowers ideal for funerals and memorials.

funeral homes in North Versailles, PA

Like many flowers, carnations come in different colors. Each color has a different meaning. For example, red carnations depict admiration, white connotes innocence and pure love, and pink carnations convey remembrance. In the United States, chrysanthemums sometimes called mums, represent the truth. But in parts of Asia and Europe, these flowers represent death, mourning, and grief and are therefore only used at funerals and memorials. What about camellia? With its delicate petals and soft scent, the camellia is a perfect representation of excellence, refinement, and perfection. These flowers are often brought to funerals and memorials of someone respected in their community. There’s also the hibiscus. Often thought of as a feminine flower, the hibiscus symbolizes delicate beauty and fertility. Therefore, its often used at service for beloved wives or partners. Because of its prominence in several island cultures, the hibiscus can also signify an association with Hawaii or Haiti.

We are here to help if you want to learn more about memorials, funerals, or North Versailles, PA funeral homes. Call or visit us today.

cremation service in Monroeville, PA

How to Support to Someone in Grief

If someone you know and loves recently lost someone, you probably want to help them however you can. But how can you help them? Losing a loved one and going through their memorial and cremation service in Monroeville, PA is never easy. Use these 10 simple ways to express sympathy to inspire your actions:

  1. Gift Flowers – While sending flowers after a funeral or memorial might feel stereotypical, it’s tradition for a reason. Flowers are a lovely, simple way to show the bereaved you care and are thinking of them in their time of loss.
  2. Provide Condolences – Even saying something as simple as, “My condolences” or “I’m sorry for your loss” can go a long way towards helping someone feel supported and not as alone in their grief.
  3. Join the Service – Attending the funeral or memorial service will show the bereaved that you care enough to take time of out of your busy schedule to show up for them. If you can’t make it, be sure to send a card or note, or at least make a phone call to express your sadness at missing the event.
  4. Cook a Meal – Simple, easy, and straightforward, bringing a meal helps meet the bereaved’s physical and emotional needs. Cook something comforting like soup, casserole, or pasta, or try something the deceased loved.
  5. Pray – While not everyone believes in a higher power, knowing that someone cares enough to pray for you always feels good.
  6. Just Be Present – Oftentimes, the best thing you can do for a grieving person is to just be with them. Sit with them at home, bring coffee or baked goods, call, text, or simply listen to them talk. Don’t try to fix the grief or offer advice. Instead, listen, acknowledge, and be there for them however they need. Your presence alone can be a genuine comfort during this difficult time.
  7. Offer Understanding – Grief can feel impossible, leading some people to seek company, others to find alone time, and yet others to lash out. Be patient and understanding with the bereaved and don’t be offended.
  8. Offer Help – When offering assistance, be specific. The bereaved won’t take you up on a general “let me know how I can help.” But they will most likely accept specific help. For example, offer to watch the kids, mow the lawn, or bring groceries.
  9. Acknowledge the Loss – You might go back to life as usual after the funeral, but thecremation service in Monroeville, PA bereaved won’t. Remember, your friend will still mourn long after the funeral is over. Don’t be afraid to acknowledge the loss and talk about the deceased. Ask how they’re doing, share a memory of their loved one with them, and let them know you miss him or her, too. This will mean a lot.
  10. Send a Sympathy Gift – If you can’t be there in person to support the bereaved, try sending gifts like practical items or memorial keepsakes.

For more information on grieving or Monroeville, PA cremation services, pay us a visit or give us a call today. After all, these are just a few of the many ways you can help someone going through a loss.

funeral homes in Monroeville, PA

Death Positivity and You

When you think about funerals or cremations, you most likely picture somber, dark rooms full of grief, formality, macabre moments, and feelings of loss. Like most, you probably associate death with negative feelings and thoughts. The death-positive movement, however, seeks to accept death as a natural part of life without treating it as taboo. Keep reading to learn more about the death-positive movement and funeral homes in Monroeville, PA.

Now gaining popularity around the world, the death-positive movement is thought to have first been derived from the work of anthropologist Ernest Becker in his 1973 book “The Denial of Death.” The term “death positive” was later created by coined by author and mortician Caitlin Doughty, who was heavily influenced by Becker. The movement centers around the concept that, as death is a natural part of life, we need to be comfortable with talking about, planning for, and generally accepting death.

The movement’s leaders give examples including having honest discussions with loved ones and family about the process of dying, what happens to bodies after death, death rituals and traditions, options for burial, funerals, body disposition, and ceremonies to honor a person’s legacy. No matter how or what you do as part of the death positive movement, its main idea is that if we talk about and approach death from an open and honest place, we won’t be so afraid and anxious about it.

The death positivity movement also believes in the incorporation of meaningful rituals and ceremonies into the activities surrounding death. Science has shown rituals such as eulogies, readings, songs or singing, donating a body to science, or even the simple act of burial or cremains scattering offer closure, aid in grief, and lead to healthier mourning. Modern generations are very uncomfortable with death and dead bodies. However, the positive death movement believes that personally taking care of a loved one’s body after death results in open and healthy grief. They also believe green or natural burial options should be available for all. Natural burials are when the body or cremated remains are buried without embalming or a shroud and in a simple pine casket or cremation urn. This does necessitate a quick process after death, but it is most similar to how our ancestors lost and grieved.funeral homes in Monroeville, PA

Family-centered funerals should be the norm. Instead of being written in a will or discussed after death with a funeral director, end-of-life wishes should be openly and honestly discussed with the family. This encourages positivity and normalcy around death and also helps ensure the deceased’s final wishes are carried out. The idea that hands-on participation in the service, body preparation, and burial or cremation can be healing is another core death positivity belief.

We are happy to help if you want to learn more about the death positivity movement or have questions about Monroeville, PA funeral homes. Please call or visit us today for more information on what we can do for you in your time loss or preplanning.