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Service Options
When someone close to us dies, we are left with the loss of that person, and we are left with needing the opportunity to say “good-bye”. By having a funeral/memorial ceremony, you are offering your family and friends a chance to come together and a time for supporting one another through storytelling, laughter, and tears.
Visitation Options
Having the visitation the day or night before the funeral enables a great number of people to come and share time with the family that otherwise might not be able to make it to the funeral or memorial service.
For families choosing cremation, visitation does not imply viewing. People come to the visitation to have a chance to extend their condolences, share their stories, and offer their support and love in an informal setting. This embrace by the community empowers the family to begin moving forward in life in a healthier way.
Burial Options
These options simply mean that plans are made around your loved one's being buried. The funeral service/ceremony can take many shapes. So what would these look like? Some options would be a traditional type of service with the body present for viewing and visitation. Another option might be a more laid-back memorial service after the burial has already taken place. Whether the ceremony takes place at the funeral home or in a church, it should always meet the needs of the surviving family. We can help you with any special requests that will personalize and add meaning to the ceremony.
Cremation Options
If you are leaning more towards cremation, keep in mind that this term only refers to the disposition of physical remains. To acknowledge this death and your loss in a personal and public way, we still urge you to have a ceremony - either funeral or memorial - to offer you and your family the opportunity to support or be supported by others, and to start the healing process. Speak with one of our funeral directors to find out which option may fit you and your family the best.
Funeral Service Options and Their Benefits
Whether you are preplanning your own funeral or planning a service for a loved one who recently died, it is important to know there are many service options available. But which service is best for you? More importantly, which option is best for your survivors? Are you considering a service that includes cremation? Or is a traditional, casketed burial preferred? Whichever your preference, we will give you the information you need to make an informed decision.
Many of our families find value in holding a visitation the evening before the service. This gives loved ones a chance to visit with one another and offer needed support in a relatively casual setting. Like the funeral, the visitation can be held either at a funeral home, place of worship, or another preferred location. Some families might even choose to hold the visitation at either the home of the deceased or a close relative. We often hear how much the stories shared during this time are cherished by both family and friends.
The casket or urn may or may not be present at the visitation the evening before. This is a decision that can be made by the family. Sometimes, a pastor or priest will deliver a message or invite friends and relatives to share memories toward the end of the visitation.
Burial or Cremation?
Both options have their benefits. Cremation allows loved ones to keep the deceased’s remains with them in an urn for a period of time. Of course, you can also choose to have the urn interred at a cemetery or placed in a memorial of your choosing in a cremation garden. Cremation has no time restraints, and permanent placement of the urn can take place when all of the family can be present.
Burial or interment of a casket or an urn gives loved ones a singular spot where they can come to visit the deceased’s remains. You and your loved ones have personalization options for the headstone, casket, and location site. Family and friends can return for years and place decorations per the cemetery's guidelines as a way to honor and remember the deceased.
Memorial Service vs. Funeral
The difference between a memorial service and a funeral service is whether or not the body is present for the service, though the terms are often used interchangeably. A memorial service would not have the body present for viewing. The body may have already been buried in a private burial or cremated prior to the service.
A Memorial service is often a great way to celebrate the life of a deceased loved one who had many ties to their community or made significant contributions to it.
Funeral services are more formal services that, unlike memorial services, involve the body being present. In many cases, an open casket is chosen so that loved ones can have one final viewing of the deceased. Funeral services typically occur within one week of death.
Planning Ahead
Even if you plan on living for many more years, planning and budgeting expenses for your final wishes is something all adults should do. Contact us at Miller Funeral Home & on-site crematory for a planning guide and price estimate on the service plan of your choice. We offer many funeral options in Sioux Falls, SD that offer compassion, dignity, and a chance to come together and heal.