Funeral Service Options

Family and friends getting together to honor a loved one’s life is one of the most important steps in the grieving and healing process.  You may opt to have a traditional religious or military service, or as more and more people are doing, you can choose to have a non-traditional ‘life celebration’.   

Decisions need to be made about the location of the funeral, the choice of casket or urn and who the pallbearers should be.  Another decision to make is who will be officiating the service.  You can choose to have a minister (or other religious leader) or a celebrant officiate the service.  The difference between a minister and a celebrant is a celebrant is non-denominational. 

Whatever you choose, some sort of service is expected from family and friends of the deceased.  We are here to help create a unique and memorable service that people will remember fondly for years to come.

Funeral Etiquette

Have you ever asked these questions?

What is involved with cremation – can it be done right away?

Cremation is a form of final disposition for your loved one.  There are many options for the final disposition of the urn that will hold the cremated remains.

With cremation there are legal requirements and documents that need to be completed.   Once all of this documentation is in order the cremation will take place, usually within 2 – 5 days.  The funeral home will look after these necessary requirements.  Public or private services can be held before or after cremation.

Can I see my loved one before they are cremated?

Yes, at the time of the funeral arrangements, the family will be advised that a private or public viewing may be set for those wishing to pay respects before the cremation takes place.

Is it really necessary for myself, or others, to view the body of my loved one?

We do have a policy that requires identification by a family member or friend prior to cremation.  This ensures peace of mind for the family that it is indeed their loved one and the cremation container they have chosen.

Why is it necessary to purchase a cremation container AND an urn?

The Alberta Funeral Service Regulatory Board requires that your loved one be placed in a suitable enclosed container in order to be placed into the crematorium. This is done out of respect for the deceased as well as for safety of the crematorium operator.

It is also very important to select a suitable urn where the cremated remains can be safely held.  You may want to put some thought into where the urn will be interred.  We have many options available for you.

If you have any further questions, please feel free to read our library of Frequently Asked Questions.