Funerals - Common Questions
In this article we're going to cover some of the most commonly
asked questions people have when it comes to preparing for a
funeral and try to give some simple answers to them.
The first question most people ask is, "What's the advantage of
advanced planning for a funeral?"
If you've never had to plan for a funeral before then you have
no idea how much work is involved. There's the mortician,
cemetery, clergy, flowers, limo and hearse service and the list
goes on and on. Having to do all this the last minute while at
the same time suffering through what could be a traumatic loss
is more than any one person should have to go through. But with
advanced planning, all of this is already taken care of. All
that needs to be done is in the days prior to the funeral, make
the necessary calls letting whoever is coordinating all this
know that the person is deceased. It really does make life a lot
easier for those left behind.
Another commonly asked questions is, "What do I do with the
body?"
For each family this is a personal decision but many families
aren't even aware of the options that they have open to them.
The first thing they have to decide is whether this will be a
burial or cremation. Then they have to decide who is going to
handle the remains. If the body is living outside the state or
country in which burial is to take place then plans have to be
made for transportation of the body across state lines. There
are usually laws governing such transportation. In the case of
cross country transportation then the U.S. Embassy has to get
involved.
Then there is the question, "How long do I wait before burial?"
This question is usually answered by the religion of the
deceased. For example, in the Jewish faith a person must be
buried within three days. In other traditions burial must be
made within a day of death. What is becoming very common is to
have a quick burial within a few days and then have a more
elaborate memorial service in the near future.
Another common question is, "What do I do about viewing and
visitation?"
Again, this is a personal matter. Some religions don't even
allow viewing of the body after death. Also, the family has to
decide if the body is even suitable for viewing. In the case of
a terrible accident this may not be a good idea. As for
visitation, this is also a matter of personal preference though
in some religions there is a designated period for mourning and
visitation such as in the Jewish faith where the family sits
shivah for seven days during which time family and friends come
to visit and pay their respects.
Many of the questions about funerals are really a matter of
common sense and what is dictated by the person's religion and
the laws of the state where they live. If in doubt about
anything simply ask your clergy or people in your faith who have
gone through the process of having planned a funeral.