After your friends and family members attend the funeral service or cremation service of your loved one, it is customary to send a note to thank them for their presence. A funeral thank you card shows the people who attended the funeral service that their encouragement and support was meaningful to you.

Watch this video for some helpful advice on writing thank you cards to those who attended a funeral service or cremation service. Steve Spann, a funeral home director, gives tips on what you can say, and how to begin the thank you note process.

If you’re funeral planning or funeral pre-planning near Oakland, come see us at Chapel of the Chimes Oakland . Our funeral home staff has experience planning funeral ceremonies, memorials, burial services, and cremation services for community members of all religions and cultures. To learn more about our funeral home and funeral services, call us today at (510) 654-0123.

If you are considering cremation services for your deceased loved one, you may be wondering what options you have for burying the ashes. The most popular options for burying cremated remains include columbarium, urn garden, and plot burials.

Columbarium Interment
A columbarium is a building or vault made specifically for holding cremated remains in urns. These buildings are above ground and usually consist of many small niches for housing individual urns. If you choose columbarium interment for burying cremated remains, a plaque identifying the deceased will be added to the outside of the niche once the urn is in place.

Urn Garden Burial
It’s common for cemeteries to have an area dedicated to urn gardens. Urn gardens are specifically for the burial of urns, and are sometimes small, landscaped areas in the cemetery. Urn gardens can also be very elaborately designed, and still others offer options for burying urns in parts of the hardscaping such as fountains, rocks, and benches.

Plot Burial
Urns of cremated remains can also be buried in a grave plot and, because they a smaller than a coffin, many cemeteries will allow more than one urn to be buried in a single plot. If you decide to bury the cremated remains in a plot, most cemeteries will require the use of an urn vault. An urn vault’s purpose is to support the soil around the urn, and to prevent the soil above from collapsing. If you are uninterested in purchasing an urn vault, you might consider seeking out a green burial ground, which are burial locations that do not require the use of grave liners or urn vaults.

At Chapel of the Chimes Oakland, we offer personalized service to every family and hold unsurpassed experience in funeral planning. If you are considering cremation services, please reach out to us to learn about planning a funeral service in Oakland. For information about our different ceremonies and signature services , please contact us at (510) 654-0123.

Funeral pre-planning offers you and your family several advantages. By organizing it yourself and planning ahead, you ensure that your funeral service is precisely how you would like to be. You also help your surviving family by having the paperwork organized and most of the decision-making already completed. Most importantly, preparing financially for your funeral beforehand can make the funeral process easier for your family members.

Planning Your Ceremony
Preparing for and purchasing your funeral services in advance can save your family money and stress. Start by deciding what type of service you would like, whether you would prefer cremation or burial, and if you would rather have people send flowers or make donations to charity. It’s also a good idea to leave information regarding the locations of any family heirlooms, photographs, or family history documents.

Creating a Will and Living Trusts
Preparing a will or living trust is one of the best ways to make sure your property, money, and any money owed to you or your family end up where you want it to end up. You will want to locate all documents regarding your will or living trust, as well as any pension, annuity, life insurance policy, or retirement account records. Also, be sure to designate a power of attorney for health care along with a living will so your wishes can be carried out if you are unable to due to illness, and give your executor a copy of you will so it’s immediately accessible.

Reviewing Financial Documents
Organizing any documents regarding property and money will help keep your wealth in the right hands. If you own bonds, stocks, or money in mutual funds, be sure to locate and organize the records, as well as the deeds to any real estate that you own. You can save your surviving family extra hassle and costs by arranging for any utilities, telephone services, or subscriptions to be canceled.

If you are interested in funeral pre-planning near Oakland, please contact Chapel of the Chimes Oakland at (510) 654-0123 to meet with one of our pre-planning advisors and learn about funeral pre-planning resources.

When it comes to planning funeral services, there are many decisions that must be made in a short span of time. Funeral homes recommend that the surviving family consider what type of memorial gifts they would prefer. Memorial gifts such as personalized plaques and psalm blankets can often be supplied by funeral homes. Some families choose to ask for a donation to their charity of choice in lieu of flowers, and this notice can be added to the deceased’s obituary. It’s possible that friends or family will wish to make a donation to the surviving family directly. In this case, it’s best to be prepared to graciously accept or deny their contributions.

We understand that you wish to honor your deceased with respect and a uniquely beautiful ceremony. If you are planning a funeral near Oakland, Chapel of the Chimes Oakland can help you plan a funeral ceremony in honor of your loved one. Please contact us at (510) 654-0123 to learn about our funeral and cremation services.