Last updated 5 days ago
A eulogy is a short speech offering praise and remembrance of the deceased during a funeral or memorial service. If you are asked to deliver a eulogy for a friend or loved one, you may feel worried or overwhelmed at the prospect. Taking some time to think about what you want to say and how you want to say it can help you to create a compelling eulogy of which you will be proud. Here are some more tips for writing and delivering a fond farewell to your friend or loved one.
Be Brief
One of the best tips to observe when writing a eulogy is to be brief. Although you may have many things you wish to say about your loved one, a eulogy that is too long will lose its effect and prolong the funeral service unnecessarily. It’s best to choose a few specific things you want to speak about and focus on those aspects of your loved one’s life during your speech.
Use Structure
A eulogy, like any speech, should have a beginning, middle, and end. Sticking to this structure can help you create a speech that flows naturally from one part to the next and guides your audience as they listen. Open by welcoming attendees to the service and speaking about the sadness you feel. Close your speech by summing up your feelings regarding your loved one and thanking your friends and family for sharing these memories with you.
Consider Humor
Laughter can be an incredibly healing experience. While your eulogy should be respectful, consider adding small bits of appropriate humor to put both yourself and your audience at ease. Speaking about happy, funny, or silly times in your loved one’s life will help those attending the funeral to remember that life is a collection of both sad and happy events.
If you’d like help planning or holding a funeral or memorial service for a loved one in the Oakland area, contact Chapel of the Chimes today by calling (510) 455-4004. Our beautiful historic funeral home offers a variety of signature services including assistance with planning and pre-planning funeral services. Click through our website to learn more about our funeral, burial, and cremation options.
Last updated 12 days ago
An obituary is a public announcement of a death, typically published in a newspaper or online resource. Writing an obituary provides you with the opportunity to share your loved one’s life with others. It is often best to start with your loved one’s full name, date of birth, and date of death. You may choose to include the cause of death as well. Obituaries often contain a brief outline of the deceased’s life, noting special achievements and dates, such as graduation and marriage. You may also wish to include information about your loved one’s career, beliefs, hobbies, and family life. Other information that an obituary may contain include military service and honors, volunteer services, education, favorite travel places, and favorite music. Close your obituary with a list of surviving close family members and, if you wish, a public announcement of where and when funeral services will be held.
Chapel of the Chimes Oakland can help you to honor the life of a loved one with signature funeral services, cremation ceremonies, and grief counseling available 24 hours a day. You can reach us today using our web contact form or by calling (510) 455-4004
Last updated 19 days ago
Funeral pre-planning allows you to design your funeral exactly as you’d like it to take place. Making arrangements well in advance of the funeral can lessen both the emotional and financial obligations of this process.
This video answers many common questions about pre-planning a funeral. You will learn more about some of the decisions pre-planning allows you to make, such as whether you would like to be cremated or buried traditionally. Funeral pre-planning also allows you to choose whether you would like to fund your funeral ahead of time or wait until the service takes place to address your family’s unique financial needs.
Chapel of the Chimes offers complete funeral event planning services in Oakland, CA. Contact us by calling (510) 455-4004 to discuss services including cremation, burial, and veteran’s honors. You can find further funeral planning tips on our website.
Last updated 25 days ago
Death is always difficult for young people to understand. When they lose a sibling, the confusion can be even more profound. If you’re the parent of a child who just lost a sibling, you’re likely struggling with how to balance your own grief with helping your other children with their loss. Remember that your funeral home can offer advice for dealing with grief. These suggestions will help you support your young children while they grieve for their sibling.
Be Honest
It is natural to want to shield your children from the pain that you are experiencing. You may also assume that they are unable to understand or handle the reality of the situation. While age may interfere with your child’s abilities to completely process their loss, trying to protect them from the fallout of the loss of their sibling won’t help. Grieve together as a family. Let them know that you are mourning the loss as well and their feelings of sadness, confusion, and even anger are normal. Use clear language about death instead of euphemisms. Doing otherwise will merely postpone their grief, not prevent it.
Involve Them in the Funeral
Being at the funeral itself may not be right for your very young children, but at the very least, involve them in the planning of the services. Be clear about what to expect, and talk to them about how they would like to be involved. It may make sense to enlist the help of a close friend or family member to assist you with childcare at the funeral.
Encourage Questions
Your children are likely to have many questions about losing their sibling. Be available to answer them as much as possible. Encourage conversation. Don’t be surprised if new questions surface well after the funeral, as your kids continue to grow and gain a deeper understanding of their loss.
Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland is pleased to offer a range of grief support services. Our funeral home can help your family find the assistance it needs. Call our funeral home in Oakland today at (510) 455-4004 to speak with one of our grief support counselors or funder planners.
Last updated 1 month ago
When you attend a funeral, it’s natural to have some questions about the proper etiquette. After all, you want to be supportive of the bereaved, and the last thing you want to do is make a mistake that distracts from the service. Etiquette for a funeral is not difficult to adhere to. It is all about respect and paying tribute to a lost friend or family member. If you have questions about what to expect at a service, it is fine to contact the funeral home for advice. These tips will also help you prepare.
Attire
Black or dark-colored clothing is traditional funeral attire in the United States. Dresses, slacks, and suits are usually appropriate, particularly if you are taking part in the ceremony in some way. Clothing and makeup should be conservative. However, sometimes families have preferences about the attire for a funeral service. These requests will usually be communicated to guests by the funeral home. Keep in mind that cultural customs also play a role in the proper funeral attire. If you have any doubt about what you should wear, ask the funeral home for advice.
Flowers
Flowers are a traditional symbol of condolences. Flowers may be sent to the funeral home, a church where the funeral is being held, or to the family home. Include a sympathy note with your name. There are some exceptions, however. Flowers are inappropriate for an Orthodox Jewish service. You should also check the obituary before you send flowers. Some families prefer that donations to a particularly charity be made in lieu of flowers.
Seating
At funerals, seating is usually arranged according to the relationship with the deceased person. Immediate family members sit up front with extended family sitting behind them. If you had a close relationship with the deceased, you should sit closer to the front. If you were an acquaintance, you should sit near the back.
Do you have questions about proper funeral etiquette? Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland can help. Our funeral home is also dedicated to assisting people in planning funeral and cremation services that are a true tribute to a lost loved one. To learn more about our funeral home services, please call (510) 455-4004.
