3 Reasons Memorial Services Are So Important Even With Cremation

30 July 2015

Jaime Allen

When a loved one dies and is cremated, you may wonder what the proper etiquette is for the funeral. Funerals generally involve viewing the bodies of the deceased, but when cremation occurs, there is no body to view. This is typically why families plan memorial services when cremation is used. A memorial service is similar to a funeral, with the exception of the body being present, and it is important for many reasons.

Allows closure and grieving

The first reason you should still have a memorial service even with cremation is to provide a way for the family to obtain some type of closure. When a close relative passes away, it can be hard on the family members. Planning a special memorial service may not take away the pain of the loss, but it will help everyone through the grieving process.

Grieving is a normal part of loss. Without a funeral or memorial service, the family members may find it harder to get through the grieving process, and they may have a harder time with finding closure.

Honors the person that died

A second thought to consider is how this person would feel if they knew you had skipped having a funeral or memorial service. A memorial service helps with closure and grieving, but it also shows honor and respect to the person who passed away.

If this person was important to you, there's a good chance that he or she was important to other people too. You can show this relative how much you care by planning a service to honor him or her. This is a great way to say goodbye, and you can feel good knowing that you did it in a way that was honorable.

Brings people together

If you decided to skip a memorial service for your loved one, you would also lose out on having people around you for support. A memorial service gathers people together for a purpose, and it allows a time for everyone to pay their last respects to this person. In addition, it can also be a great way to build up a support system.

The weeks and months that follow a loss like this can be extremely hard on you and other relatives. Are you prepared to go through this alone, or could you benefit from some support? A memorial service will bring people in that you may see daily or that you rarely see, but this can be beneficial to you for support. Some of these individuals may decide to check in on you more frequently, or they may call from time to time to see if you need anything. This may not happen as quickly without having a service for your loved one.

To learn more about funerals, cremation, and memorial services, contact a funeral home such as Romero Family Funeral Home Corp.

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