• Tips for Writing a Bereavement Thank You Card

    If you’ve recently lost a loved one, you might want to send thank you cards to friends and family who supported you at the funeral home and in your time of need.

    Watch this video for helpful tips for writing a bereavement thank you card. Thank you cards are appropriate when someone donates to a funeral or memorial, makes a charitable donation in the name of the deceased, sends flowers or food, or does something else that is above and beyond in your time of need.

    If you’re in need of grief counseling or grief support services in Oakland after the death of a loved one, come see us at Chapel of the Chimes Oakland. We offer individual and group online grief support services 24/7. To learn more about our funeral home, cemeteries, and grief support services, call us today at (510) 654-0123.

  • A Brief History of Our Columbariums

    Funeral Home Oakland

    Back in 1909, a crematory and columbarium called Chapel of the Chimes Oakland was first built. Today, it is one of the most beautiful columbariums in the state of California, and Chapel of the Chimes is widely regarded as one of the best places to conduct funeral services in Oakland. It’s why many families come to us when they need end-of-life services performed.

    Columbariums are buildings that are used to house the cremated remains of people who have passed away. We take pride in our ability to house these remains in our beautiful columbarium, and we have also added to our columbariums over the years and built additional structures to house those who wish to be buried above ground inside of mausoleums.

    Chapel of the Chimes Oakland would love to show you our columbariums today and tell you more about why you should choose us for your funeral needs. Call us at (510) 654-0123 for more information.

  • Starting a Conversation with Your Family About Your Final Wishes

    Funeral Planning Oakland

    Very few people enjoy talking about death, especially their own death. But by doing funeral pre-planning and discussing everything from burial methods to funeral homes, you can ensure that your final wishes will be met when you pass away. You should take the time to start a conversation about your final wishes with your family so that you can plan ahead . Here’s how to get the conversation started.

    Set aside a specific time to talk about your final wishes.
    If you want to make sure your friends and family are prepared to talk about your final wishes, choose a time to do it and let them know ahead of time what you want to talk about. You shouldn’t randomly spring a discussion about burial plots and funeral services on them at the dinner table. Instead, let them know you want to talk about funeral pre-planning and ask them when they are available to speak about it.

    Tell your family exactly what you want to happen when you pass away.
    When you speak about your death and your final wishes, you should be as open and honest as you can possibly be. If you are against the idea of being buried in a cemetery or you want your ashes spread in a specific spot after you are cremated, this is the time to let your family know about it. They are going to be responsible for seeing your final wishes through, so let them know the details of what you want.

    Be open to listening to the ideas your friends and family might have.
    While your friends and family will likely be open to all of the ideas you have about your funeral, you need to be reasonable with regards to what they will be able to do. Listen to concerns they have and make adjustments accordingly.

    Chapel of the Chimes Oakland specializes in funeral pre-planning in Oakland. Once you have spoken with your family about your final wishes, contact us at (510) 654-0123 for further assistance.

  • Comparing Types of Burial Options

    Burial Options Oakland

    When you pass away, how do you want to be buried? It’s a question that many people don’t like to think about, but you should give it some consideration in order to make the decision easier on your family. By doing funeral pre-planning and picking your preferred burial method, those you love won’t have to decide which burial option is best for you. When you pre-plan a funeral in Oakland, your family will know exactly what you want. Here are some of the burial options that will be available to you.

    In-Ground Burial
    This is the most common burial option. In order for a funeral home to arrange for an in-ground burial, you should use funeral pre-planning to buy a burial plot. Many spouses choose to buy burial plots together towards the end of their lives so that they can be buried in the same spot. When you pre-plan your funeral, you will also be able to pick exactly which cemetery you want to be buried in.

    Mausoleum Burial
    Not everyone wants to be buried when they pass away. For those people, mausoleums are a great option. Whether you want to be buried above ground in a community mausoleum that everyone can visit or you want to be buried above ground in a private mausoleum that only your friends and family can access, mausoleums are excellent choices. Your family will not have to worry about maintaining your burial plot when you are buried in a mausoleum.

    Cremation
    Do you want your loved ones to have access to your remains once you are gone? Or do you want your ashes to be spread in a place that you loved when you were alive? If either of these things appeal to you, you should choose cremation. It’s usually the more affordable choice.

    Chapel of the Chimes Oakland can help with planning ahead for a funeral and assist families with the funeral process in the days after a death. Call us at (510) 654-0123 to learn more.