Frequently
Asked Questions
Here are answers to some commonly asked questions about funeral services. We are happy to elaborate on these topics with you or answer any other questions you may have. Please feel free to contact us for more information.
A funeral is a traditional way to recognize death and celebrate a life. It is a ritual for the living to show their respect and to help survivors begin the healing process. We strongly encourage personalized services based on your own traditions that will bring together family and friends to honor a loved one who has passed away.
It is traditional in many cultures to have visitation hours or a public viewing to allow people to show their respect. Many grief specialists believe such a viewing is helpful to the bereaved, assisting them in recognizing the reality of death. As such, public viewing is totally a personal preference and should be decided according to the wishes of the one who has passed and their family.
Cost varies depending on the type of funeral service we plan with you. We are always respectful of what families and individuals wish to spend and, on principle, we always make sure to present pricing options that are fair and that you are comfortable with, while still delivering the highest quality service. Above all and regardless of price, what really matters to every person on our team is that our attention, warmth, and professionalism is given to you and your family unconditionally. It is a belief and practice that guides us every day.
Actual costs would include the services provided by our funeral home and specific merchandise items if purchased from us, such as a casket or urn. Additional costs, which we are happy to arrange for you, may include expenses from your selected cemetery or crematory, as well as obituary listings or notices in selected newspapers and on specific websites.
Contact us and we will be pleased to provide you with a detailed overview of the expenses involved with your choice of services. Also, you can visit our online gallery to review pricing information on caskets, urns, and related items.
Our pricing for caskets is comparable to that of casket stores or outlets. We can review and discuss the options with you in person or you can view them here on our website from the comfort of your own home.
Crematory fees are typically less expensive than traditional burial costs. Caskets, cemetery grave sites or burial vaults are not required. Ultimately, the overall expense depends on your family’s plans and wishes.
We are available twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year. All you have to do is call us at (800) 625-6105 and we will take care of the rest. One of our funeral directors will immediately be at your service to discuss the arrangements with you and to take care of all the details.
Embalming prepares the body for visitation. It is typically chosen when the selection of services include personal or family viewing.
Yes, we can help. As soon as we hear from you, we will make the appropriate contacts and take care of the details according to your wishes.
Yes, you can choose to have a viewing, a funeral or memorial service, and then a cremation. We will arrange the services for your loved one based on your wishes.
We believe that everyone deserves a dignified service. Based on the legal residence of the individual who has passed, county regulations specify allowances for funeral and burial arrangements. We will make contact with the county and work with the family. In many cases, we absorb costs above and beyond what is provided by government agencies to ensure the individual a respectable burial.
Our priority is to be there for you always and to provide our compassionate and professional support for your family. We listen to you and your family. We listen to your wishes and those previously made known by your loved one who has passed away. With our warm and experienced approach, we carefully handle all of the arrangements to create a service that is authentic, polished, and of the highest quality. It is because we care and because we know you and your family deserve an experience of lasting value.
In detail, some of our responsibilities include seamless coordination with clergy, cemeteries, crematories, reception halls, restaurants, florists, musicians, veteran honor guards, veteran benefit offices, social security, city/town clerks and health departments, doctors offices, medical examiners offices, newspapers, airlines, and websites. It is our privilege to serve you and your family and to closely handle everything that needs to be done as to provide a meaningful service for your loved one.
We are required to complete two years of specialized education and two years of apprenticeship. Following these requirements, state and national exams must be passed to become a licensed funeral director. Here at Friedel, Williams, & Edmunds, we also actively attend many seminars and courses to continue our education and complement our experience.
Many experts recommend that they do. It allows the child to be part of the family at a time when they need love and attention the most. If a child is leery of the funeral, we can help arrange a private moment before or after the service for the child to say goodbye. The important thing is that the child is with friends and family and not isolated from the situation.
In our experience, here are a few pieces of advice that may help a grieving child:
- Simply be there for the child. When they need to talk, listen. When they need comfort, embrace them. Show the child that you are there for them.
- Tell stories and share fond memories about the departed and encourage the child to share their own memories.
- Encourage the child to draw a picture or write a letter to their loved one who has passed away. These items could be placed in the casket or displayed during the service.
- Frame a picture of the loved one for the child or give the child another memento to remember their loved one by.
- Involve the child in the funeral service. Encourage them to read a poem or letter they wrote, or sing or play a song during the service. If they would prefer to just attend the funeral with family and friends, let them do what is most comfortable for them.
Some city areas may have limited available cemetery space, but in most areas of the country, there is enough for the next 50 years without creating new cemeteries.
Mausoleums offer a viable alternative for those who may not favor interment underground. They are clean, attractive settings and allow for a maximum number of entombments in a minimum amount of space.