Monthly Archives: March 2022

How to Deliver a Eulogy

Most of us in our lifetime will have a close friend or family member pass away. Depending on the circumstances of how close you were to the deceased, you may be asked to deliver a eulogy at the funeral service. While services at funeral homes in Michigan City, IN., are never easy to attend, presenting a eulogy can add extra stress and anxiety if you have never had to deliver one before.

If you are in this situation, knowing a general outline of the eulogy format as well as tips can help you feel more confident and deliver a touching eulogy that truly honors your loved one.

What Exactly is a Eulogy?

A eulogy is simply a speech given about the deceased and their life. It is a way to honor and pay tribute to your loved one who has passed. They are given at the funeral service and normally delivered by a close friend or relative of the deceased.

How to Write a Eulogy

Writing a eulogy may seem overwhelming, but if you make a simple outline in the beginning and fill in each section, the wiring process will go much more smoothly. Most eulogies have three main parts:

Beginning or Opening
Body or Meat of the Speech
Closing remarks

Let’s dive into these sections and cover what exactly should be included.

Beginning or Opening – In this section you can begin with a poem or song lyric that holds meaning or shows support for the family. Next, you will mention the deceased and any nicknames they went by. You also want to mention who you are and what your relation is to the deceased. If you feel comfortable, you can share how the deceased passed away although you certainly do not have to if it doesn’t feel right.

Body of Speech – This is the longest part of the speech and talks about your loved one. This is where you tell about their life and highlight any accomplishments they had. You can also share fond memories or funny stories. You may also wish to discuss their influence on friends and coworkers and any others that they touched. The point here is to highlight and honor their life.

Closing Remarks – This is the time where you recap the deceased’s life and share what you would like people to remember about them. You can also take this time to thank everyone for attending and end with a poem, song lyric, or other meaningful passage.

How Long Should the Eulogy Be?

Typically eulogies are anywhere from about three to ten minutes long. When writing a eulogy that translates to about 500-3000 words. If you go longer than the ten minutes, you run into the risk of people not paying as much attention. Unfortunately, after that time, people may start tuning you out and not listening as closely. If you want everything to be heard and make an impact, keeping it short and sweet is much better.

Just remember that when you are delivering a eulogy, nobody is judging you for how well of a public speaker you are. That’s not the point of this speech. This is a time to honor your loved one and pay a special tribute to them so as long as you stay focused on that goal, you will deliver a wonderful eulogy. While attending services at funeral homes in Michigan City, IN., is never easy, keeping these tips in mind will help you deliver a wonderful eulogy if the situation arises.

Choosing the Right Urn Material

Deciding what to do with a loved one’s ashes after their cremation services in South Bend, IN., is a very important decision. Many families choose to scatter the ashes while others want the remains close to them in their home. If you choose to keep the remains, knowing what type of urn to choose can help ensure it lasts for years to come. We are going to go over some of the most popular materials for urns so that you can have the knowledge you need to make the best decision.

Wood Urns

You can find urns made from all types of wood including:

pine
cedar
hickory
walnut
maple
cherry
oak

They can also be made from bamboo, veneer, birch, rosewood, elm wood, myrtle, bubinga and more. With so many options, you can see why this choice is so popular. You are bound to find a beautiful urn that would make a wonderful addition to any room of any style. One thing to be cautious of with wood urns is to make sure they are not in direct sunlight for long amounts of time as this can cause them to crack or warp over time.

Ceramic Urns

A ceramic urn can be a lovely choice as they come in so many colors and styles. They are also smooth and have very clean lines so they are a timeless deign. One thing to keep in mind is that ceramic is very delicate. If you choose this option, it’s best that the urn is placed high on a mantle or other place that it wont be easily knocked over.

Glass and Crystal Urns

Urns made from glass or crystal can be immensely beautiful and provide a wonderful resting place for your loved one’s ashes. One advantage of these material is that they are easy to clean with a cloth and glass cleaner. Anther great benefit is that these materials never go out of style and tend to lend themselves as a compliment to any design style you may have in the room. If you want to have a truly impressive urn, you can find many that are handblown.

Just as with ceramic urns, these materials are obviously very delicate and can be easily broken. It is important to find a steady and durable spot for these urns to e placed.

Metal Urns

Meta urns come in a variety of materials such as:

copper
brass
stainless steel
pewter
bronze

Metal urns are a great choice if you are looking for something to stand the test of time. Since they are so durable and usually coated with a layer of lacquer to help preserve their coat, they can last for years to come. And since they are so durable, they can actually be kept inside or outside, giving you many options as to where to place it.

When you are purchasing an urn after your loved one’s cremation services in South Bend, IN., keeping a few things in mind like design and durability can hep you make the perfect choice. With so many options of material and styles, you will have no problem finding the right one.

What to Expect at a Funeral

If you have had a family member or close friend pass, you most likely will attend services at a funeral home in South Bend, IN. While this can be a difficult time due to the grief you will be experiencing, you may also feel a little anxious if you have not attended services before. Kowing what to expect, and what’s expected of you, can help if feeling confident when you have to attend these services.

While every service can be different based on the religion and personality of the deceased, this article refers to a typical traditional Christian funeral service.

Before the Service

The service will normally be held at a Church, chapel, or other religious venue. Before the services, guests will enter and take their seats. It is a good rule of thumb to arrive about 20 minutes before the services start. This gives you a chance to mingle with other guests and find a seat.

When you find a seat, know that the first couple of rows are typically reserved for the family members. Taking a seat anywhere behind these rows should be fine.

During the Service

When the service begins, there will be a small procession of immediate family members and pallbearers who are carrying the casket down the main aisle of the church or chapel. They will normally place the casket at the alter in the front of the room. Then the family and pallbearers will take their seats and the service will begin.

Normally, the priest will start with an opening prayer or other words that show support for the family and thank everyone for being there. The priest may then continue with a short sermon and other readings, prayers, and hymns will be read and sung. The service is normally concluded by a eulogy given by a family member or very close friend.

After the Service

Once the service has ended, there will be a procession to the cemetery for the burial. Once everyone arrives at the cemetery and has gathered around the gravesite, the committal will be read.

If you are part of the official funeral procession, when you arrive at the church, before the services, an attendant will most likely tell you where to park so that you can be in line with the other cars. If you are not part of the official procession, you will park in another area and follow the procession to the cemetery.

If the family has decided to hold a social event after the committal reading, everyone will then drive to the location and attend that event. This is a wonderful time to be able to offer condolences to the family, share fun memories, and help celebrate the life of the deceased.

Attending services at a funeral home in South Bend, IN., can be intimating if you have never had to attend before. You want to be respectful and do everything correctly so that you show the upmost respect for the family. Knowing a few key points ahead of time to help you know what to do and what to expect can really help in making you feel more comfortable with the situation.

Using Facebook Groups for Grief Support

Dealing with the loss of a loved one is never easy. After your loved one’s cremation services in Rolling Prairie, IN., finding support to help you in the grieving process can make all the difference in how well you get through this. Luckily, there are several various resources where you can find this support. One of these places in online.

Today we are going to talk about Facebook. While you may already be on this platform as a way to stay in touch with your friends and family, you can also utilize the “groups” feature and find a support group tailored to your situation.

A couple of things to know about Facebook groups. First they can either be set as:

Public – Which means that anyone on Facebook can see the group as well as any posts written. To join these groups, simply select the button that says “Join Group”

Private – This means that while everyone can see the group listed on Facebook, only its members can see the posts written. These groups often times require the admin of the group to approve you. You will select the button that says, “Request to Join” and then you will get a notification on Facebook once you have been approved.

Top Grieving Support Groups on Facebook

To find a group, you can simply do a search on Facebook. If you don’t know the exact name of a group, you can enter keywords and Facebook will bring up groups with those words. If you are not sure what to search, here are a few of the top groups you could join.

Grief Speaks Out – This is a group with the message that there is no right timeline to move on from loss. They encourage members to share stories, pictures, and anything else that might be beneficial to help process your grief.
The Loss of Fathers and Father Figures – Their Facebook page states that the group is “a place to share your thoughts and feelings and give remembrance to the special father figure that you’ve lost”.
Grieving Parents Healing Hearts- With this group focusing on empathy and support, it is a wonderful place for parents to support one another through the devasting loss of a child.
Covid 19 Loss Support– This pandemic has affected so many people’s lives with the loss of a loved one. Not only that, with Covid restrictions and regulations you may be mourning in isolation. This group is a perfect way for you to connect to others and not be alone.

While these are just a few of the many, many groups on Facebook, you can see how they are very specific and you are certain to find a group that feel connected to. If you can’t, or simply don’t want to join a support group where you meet in person, online support groups such as this can be a wonderful option to help you connect to others, share your struggles, and know you are not alone.

If you would like more resources for support after your loved one’s cremation services in Rolling Prairie, IN., be sure to reach out to Cutler Funeral Home and Cremation Center. Let their compassionate and experienced staff help you find the support you need.