SERVICES | AT-NEED FORM

Contemporary Gathering

For many different reasons, a family may choose a more Contemporary Memorial Gathering, rather than the more formal Visitation or Funeral Service. This can be anything from a small, casual gathering of family and close friends, to a larger grouping with no formal schedule of events. A Memorial Gathering is a time for family and friends to visit, share and reflect on the life of the person being remembered. A gathering may take place in the funeral home, graveside or place of interment, in a religious facility, a private home or other place of special meaning.

Personal mementos, photographs or video, special music, poetry or readings, and floral arrangements may be used in the gathering to spark memories of the one who had died. Our Directors can help a family arrange a special memory table, memory board or other focal point of tribute. Families may choose to include an open or closed casket or urn in the informal gathering. Our Directors provide guidance, suggestions and assistance in customizing a gathering or ceremony to meet your individual needs.

Cremation Options

The reasons for choosing cremation are varied. Some feel it is a more natural process than a burial, while others make the choice based on environmental concerns. Whatever the reason, cremation has become a more popular choice and the trend continues to grow. Because our primary goal is personalizing services to meet the needs of families, Oakland Memorial Home is committed to offering a range of cremation services. In addition to handling the cremation, we can also help families plan the ceremony they prefer, as well as make arrangements for final disposition and memorialization. Our funeral directors can discuss the options with you, or a member of our Advance Planning team can help you make these arrangements ahead of time. There are as many options as there are wishes, and at Oakland Memorial Home, we can take care of them all.

Traditional Visitation and Service

How one chooses to commemorate a loved one is a personal decision. The type of service chosen varies with each family, but one thing is constant: a service provides a focal point for remembering the deceased at the time of death and provides emotional value into the future.

Most families in our area still choose to say their last goodbyes through a Traditional Visitation and Funeral Service with family and friends. Saying goodbye is a critical step toward healing through the death of a loved one. It has been proven that viewing the embalmed body of a loved one in a peaceful state makes it easier for family and friends to say goodbye and gain closure with that loved one.

A family may choose to create a farewell event which includes Visitation. Usually this is a time when family and friends are invited to view the deceased and pay their last respects. Visitations may last form two to six hours. They usually occur the evening prior to the Funeral Service. The immediate family may secure some time prior to the public visitation for a private, quiet time with the deceased. Floral arrangements, photographs and personal mementos are used in the Visitation to spark memories of the one who has died and pay honor to the life lived. This is a time to share memories and emotions with those who share in your loss.

A Traditional Funeral Service is usually a more formal or religious ceremony. It may involve a minister or other official overseeing the service. A eulogy is said or read by someone close to the deceased and special music may be selected. Oakland Memorial Funeral Directors are experienced in the wide variety of funeral service protocol chosen by area families. If needed, Oakland Memorial can provide a Clergy Person. This service will usually precede the burial.