We’d love to see you September 21st at 2 p.m. for this month’s Jazz at the Chimes! General admission is $15 and only $10 for seniors and students. The box office will open at 12:30 p.m., so make sure to arrive early to secure your spot. For more information, call (510) 654-0123 or visit our website . 

Creating a personalized memorial is an excellent way to tell the story of your deceased loved one, while preserving his or her memory forever. At Chapel of the Chimes in Oakland, CA, we offer a wide variety of personalized memorials—from simple designs to intricate works of art. We have benches, flat memorials, pedestal benches, private cremation estates, posts, upright monuments, and Asian estates in a range of materials and styles. Browse our selection and you are sure to find a memorial that gives you a unique and visually attractive way to celebrate your loved one’s story.

Chapel of the Chimes Oakland encourages families to visit our website to learn more about the personalized memorial options we offer. You can also call us or visit our funeral home in Oakland to see some of our personalized memorials in greater detail. If you have any questions, give us a call at (510) 654-0123 for more information.

Though planning a funeral is usually not a pleasant undertaking, it can alleviate much of the stress that comes with making funeral arrangements after the loved one has passed. When planning ahead for a funeral, you will need to know how your loved one wants to be buried. Does he or she want to be cremated or laid into a casket? If your loved one wants to be laid into a casket, then you will need to estimate the casket size. Watch this video clip for more tips on how to plan ahead for a funeral.

To learn more about funeral pre-planning, contact Chapel of the Chimes Oakland at (510) 654-0123. Visit our website to learn more about the funeral services and cremation services we offer, or call us today to speak with one of our funeral planning experts.

Emotional support is not easy to provide to a grieving friend. If your friend is dealing with a recent loss, let Chapel of the Chimes help. In addition to offering funeral services in Oakland , we have extensive grief support services and tips on our website to help ease the pain of losing a loved one. Here are a few tips that will help you provide the emotional support your friend needs during this difficult time.  

Your Role is the Supporter

Remember that grief belongs to your friend; your role is to provide emotional support and respect for his or her unique process of grieving. The reason this is worth mentioning is because many people who are grieving are told they need to grieve, feel, or behave differently than they do. Grief is highly personal, so even if you would do things differently, follow their lead rather than trying to change their course.

Stay Present

It’s easy to talk about the past and future when the present is so unpleasant. But what your friend needs right now is someone who can stay present with them, even with the pain. Avoid saying how good his life once was or that the future will be better. And do not make generalized statements about the situation in an effort to soothe your friend or take his pain away, because these are rarely helpful. Just stick with the present—your friend is in pain, and you are there for him or her in this difficult time.

Take Care of Yourself

Providing emotional support is not easy. Your friend might not be in a place to make you feel appreciated, and your feelings may be hurt in the process. Try not to take it personally and avoid taking out your frustrations on your friend. Find other friends to lean on during this difficult time.

To learn more about the ways you can help your friend through his or her grieving process, contact Chapel of the Chimes, a leading funeral home in Oakland . In addition to providing funeral and cremation services, we provide 24/7 grief support. For more information, give us a call at (510) 654-0123 or visit our website.

Join us this Thursday from 5:30-8:00pm for a free grief workshop at Sutter Care at Home. There will be a helpful discussion about grief and a community film screening. 

If your loved one wished to be cremated after death, you will need to choose a cremation urn to hold his or her ashes. Choosing the best urn for your loved one is a deeply personal decision. If money is no option, choose the urn that captures your heart and speaks to the life and experiences of the deceased. You may also want to look for an urn that incorporates some of your loved one’s passions or interests. Even selecting an urn in a shade or hue that your spouse or family member loved can help you think of your loved one every time you look at the urn.

At Chapel of the Chimes Oakland, we perform our own cremation services onsite. This allows us to monitor all aspects of the cremation process to insure that everything has been handled properly and that you or your loved one is taken care respectfully. Our funeral planners can also help you select an urn for yourself or a loved one. To learn more about our cremation services in Oakland, visit our website or call us at (510) 654-0123. 

Being asked to be a pallbearer at a funeral is a tremendous honor and allows you to make a final gesture of love to the deceased. Men and women can be selected as pallbearers. Once you accept the invitation to be a pallbearer at a funeral, you will need to arrive at the funeral home early to receive instructions from the director about where to sit and where to take the casket following the service. To learn more about the duties of a pallbearer, watch this short video clip. 

Chapel of the Chimes Oakland can help you plan a fitting farewell to a friend or family member. Whether your loved one wished to be buried or cremated, we can help you plan a unique and meaningful ceremony to honor and cherish your loved one. We can also help you pre-plan your own funeral to save your loved ones the expense and stress of planning a funeral after your death. To learn more about our funeral services , please call us at (510) 654-0123. 

It’s hard to put into words what those closest to us mean, how much we love them, and how much we will miss them when they’re gone. And while it can be even more difficult to come up with these words while you are grieving the death of your loved one, it is important to take time and think long and hard about the eulogy you will prepare. If you will be delivering a eulogy at your loved one’s funeral , here are some tips for capturing the deceased’s memory.

Reach Out to Friends and Relatives

As you begin brainstorming, reach out to fellow mourners and ask for their stories and suggestions about how to best capture your loved one’s life. If other family members will be delivering eulogies, ask them if you can include the stories they shared with you to make sure you do not steal anything from their speech.

Give Examples and Include Anecdotes

To paint a clear picture of who your loved one was, use concrete examples and include anecdotes whenever possible in your eulogy. For example, don’t just say that your father was a generous man, but tell a story or two that gives listeners an example of his generosity. And don’t be afraid to tell funny anecdotes, as laughter can be very healing for those in mourning.

Keep Going

It may prove to be incredibly trying, but don’t give up on completing a eulogy for your loved one. Putting in the effort and then offering other mourners your heartfelt thoughts and memories is the greatest gift you can give those who are also suffering with the loss of a loved one.

In addition to our funeral services, Chapel of the Chimes Oakland offers grief support for individuals who are struggling to come to terms with the passing of a closer friend or family member. And if you are looking for a funeral home, know that we strive to deliver the most touching memorial services. To learn more about our funeral home in Oakland , call us at (510) 654-0123. 

Pre-planning your own funeral may seem morbid, but it should be seen as a natural part of life, as it provides you with time to make end-of-life decisions in a calm and rational atmosphere. Additionally, pre-planning spares your loved ones the stress and heartache of planning your funeral after you’ve passed away. Planning ahead can also help cut down on your funeral costs. Here’s a look at how funeral pre-planning can help you save. 

Find the Right Casket or Urn

One of the biggest funeral expenses is the burial vessel. Whether you wish to be buried or cremated, you can save money in the long-run by shopping around for the best deal on the casket or urn that you want. This will also spare your loved ones the grief of picking out your casket or urn for you.

Budget Your Funeral and Memorial Services

When you pre-plan your funeral , you will be able to break down the cost of every service you’d like as part of your funeral and memorial. This will allow you to see exactly how much your funeral will cost. This is much better than making wishes for your family without considering how much it will cost them when you pass away.

Protect Your Family from Inflation

If you pre-fund your final arrangement, your money is put in a state-approved trust account or top-rated insurance company until required by the funeral home. Because your expenses are paid for upfront, the cost of your funeral and memorial services will not go up due to inflation.

If you would like to start pre-planning your funeral, contact Chapel of the Chimes Oakland . When you pre-plan with Chapel of the Chimes Oakland, your plan will go where you go—meaning that no matter where you reside at the time of your passing and no matter what funeral home you choose to work with, your plan will be transferable to any funeral home in the U.S. To learn more about our funeral pre-planning services, call us at (510) 654-0123.