Celebrants are becoming more and more popular for memorials after cremation services in Clarksville, TN. But what is a celebrant? And what can one do for you or your loved one’s service, especially if your loved one was in the military?

A celebrant is a qualified Master of Ceremonies that helps to officiate funeral and memorial services by planning, overseeing, and carrying out the proceedings. They can host both religious and non-religious funerals. They are called celebrants because most people aim for the funeral service to be a celebration of the deceased’s life. This celebratory approach puts more emphasis on a life well-lived, unique traits, and special memories rather than grief and loss. A celebrant can help you craft unique services with substance, personalization, and meaning.

Celebrants can be very helpful when planning a service for a military member. Serving in the military is a life-changing and selfless commitment, and a celebrant can help honor that commitment through a memorial or funeral service. Celebrants usually work with a representative from the deceased’s branch of the armed forces to make sure that the ceremony or service is an accurate representation of the brand and the appropriate military honors are used. A celebrant can also officiate the military service ceremony at the memorial or funeral as the bereaved wish.

You should hire a celebrant if you want someone to take charge of hosting and speaking during the funeral. Celebrants are more flexible and open to new things that traditional funeral hosts like ministers or priests, so you can add more customization to the service. A celebrant can also help you come up with ideas for this customization. This help can be very meaningful during a difficult time of loss.

While most funeral homes and cremation providers can recommend a celebrant, it’s a good idea to also do some research on your own. Make a list of possibilities, do some Googling, then call each one to get your questions answered. If you need more information, feel free to meet with your options in person to get a better feel for what they can bring to the table. During your first meeting with a potential celebrant, explain what kind of funeral you want, and how much you’d like him to be involved in the proceedings. Remember, your funeral celebrant is there to help you, and should, therefore, be willing to work with you to develop the funeral services you want. Don’t be afraid to ask questions, as the right celebrant will be more than willing to help out in any way he can.

Hiring a celebrant is an out-of-the-box way to make sure your loved one’s funeral or service is unique, celebratory, and respectful, especially when it comes to military honors. Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory offers a range of Clarksville, TN cremation services and can best advise you on how to proceed with a military service with or without a celebrant. Call or visit us today to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

Interestingly enough, there are lots of laws in place regarding cremation. It’s completely normal to have lots of questions if you’re considering choosing cremation service in Clarksville, TN for your eventual body disposition, or for a recently deceased loved one. Some of the most common questions are about cremation law.

There are, of course, some cremation laws that vary from state to state, so you should always ask your cremation provider for more details regarding your local laws. But, some average cremation laws include:

Cremation Provider Licenses – All cremation providers are licensed and certified, as there are specific rules and regulations in place to protect consumers and ensure the safe handling of the deceased.

Cremation Consumer Protections – There are lots of laws protecting cremation consumers, from laws prohibiting crematories and funeral homes making false statements about body guarantees or cremation merchandise purchasing. If you want more information, check with your local or state government.

Authorization – In most states the next-of-kin, or “authorizing agent,” can authorize cremation. The authorizing agent must complete, sign, and submit an authorization form before the cremation can take place.

Permits – You are required by law to have a cremation permit. Once the death certificate is completed and the cremation authorization is filed, the county will issue a cremation permit. Cremation permits cost anywhere from $10 to $40 depending on the county.

Casket Requirements – Caskets are not required by law for cremations, but most states have laws stating that a rigid container must be provided for the cremation. These containers only have to be combustible and strong enough to support a body when being placed into the cremation chamber.

Remain Handling – Laws about what you can and cannot do with cremated remain can vary greatly from state to state. However, most have similar general ideas like you cannot commingle cremated remains unless by deceased’s request, and you can only scatter cremated remains with appropriate authorization from the local authorities.

Cremation Costs – Crematories are obligated to provide clear and concise descriptions of all services included each cremation price, as people who gave recently suffered a loss might be more susceptible to bad business practices. Cremations range in cost depending on the service and merchandise.

Body Transportation from State to State – If the body is transported over a period of 24 hours or more after the death, embalming may be required. There are airline funeral shipping businesses that also have specific regulations and rules such as the purchase and use of a designated aircraft mortuary-shipping container.

Cremation Viewing – Families viewing the cremation is not regulated by law, and therefore varies from crematory to crematory. Confirm with your chosen provider as it’s not guaranteed.

If you want to learn more about Clarksville, TN cremation services, and local cremation laws, just reach out to Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory. We are experts in our field and can offer guidance and advice on our services as well as general cremation information. Call today to learn more.

From recycling and reducing plastic use to sustainable energy sources, people are trying everything they can to be green. Climate change and environmental consciousness are hot topics these days. But what about body disposition? Are cremation services in Clarksville, TN better for the environment than other disposition methods? If not, are there any options for a greener burial or cremation?

This basic cremation method does have a slight environmental impact as is requires the burning of fossil fuels to achieve the intense heat necessary to break down a body. However, it is better than traditional burial as it doesn’t involve embalming or other harsh pollutants being put into the ground. There are other greener cremation services available thanks to modern advancements and awareness. Green cremation services take a few more steps to make the entire process cleaner and eco-friendlier.

Green cremations, or natural cremations and eco-cremations, use no harmful or toxic chemicals to treat or embalm the body. This reduces the number of harmful gases released during the cremation. Another type of green cremation service is bio-cremation. Bio-cremation uses alkaline hydrolysis, or water resolution, to break down the body. The body is put inside a special chamber filled with potassium hydroxide, water, heat, and pressure for a few hours. Over time, the elemental combination breaks down the body into bone fragments just like traditional cremation services. The remains from bio-cremation can be scattered or buried just like traditional remains. Bio-cremation uses much less fossil fuel and energy and does not let off as much gas or emissions. As it’s still a fairly new method, bio-cremation is not readily available and may be more expensive.

There are also ways you personally can take steps to make cremation services greener. A few ways you can help out are:

1. Choose to scatter the remains post-cremation. Buried remains use up ground space with caskets, and any chemicals leftover from the process could seep into the ground. Scattering takes up less space!
2. Remove any dental fillings before the cremation. When dental amalgams are burned, they release a lot of harmful mercury gas into the air. By removing the amalgams before the cremation, you are helping prevent these emissions.
3. If you do choose to bury the remains, do so in a natural urn or container that breaks down naturally. Choose a receptacle made out of handmade paper or Himalayan rock salt.
4. Use eco-friendly cremation caskets. These are specially built to not release any harmful gases or chemicals when burned, over traditional caskets that are made with chemicals and products that do not burn well.

If you want more information on how you can be greener even in death or want to learn more about Clarksville, TN cremation services, contact Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory. We have years of experience in the cremation industry and would be happy to help you in any way we can, especially during a time of loss and grief. Feel free to call us or stop by anytime.

You know how important it is to preplan your Clarksville, TN cremation service, but do you also know that you should talk to your family and loved ones about your plans? While discussing your death with your loved ones will never be easy, it’s always worth it because preplanning will give everyone peace of mind.

As necessary as this conversation is, it can also be very difficult. Loved ones don’t want to think about losing you, much less talk about the details of your cremation. As hard as it is to talk about preplanning, your family will appreciate it in the long run. If you’re ready to start preplanning for your cremation but aren’t quite sure how to breach the subject with your loved ones, use the following tips to help:

Get Ready for High Emotions: While you’ve taken time to plan and get used to the idea of your own passing, your family and loved ones most likely have not. The people you love will need some time to process all the emotions associated with your probable, eventual, or impending death and loss. They might get angry with you, experience denial about the conversation’s necessity, or be just plain sad at the idea of losing you. If things get too emotional, take a break, and continue the conversation once everyone has calmed down a bit.

Listen and Answer: Even though your final wishes are ultimately your decision and all about what you want, your loved ones will still want to have some input. Be ready to listen to their concerns and to answer any questions they might have. If you don’t have the answer right away, take the time you need to come up with one.

Know What You Want – Don’t try and talk to your family about your post-death wishes until you know what they are. Take time before you bring up the subject to research, think about, and decide precisely what you want. What kind of service do you want? Do you want a burial or cremation? Viewing or visitation? What’s the budget? Once you know the answer to those questions, you’ll be better able to express your concrete wishes to your family.

Stay Strong: While it’s important to listen to what your family has to say about your final wishes, it’s still mostly your decision at the end of the day. Don’t be afraid to be firm about what you want and stand up for decisions that are important to you. Once you’ve come to a decision everyone can be happy with, it’s a great idea to have a legal document drawn up with all the details so there are no questions after you’re gone.

If you would like more assistance with preplanning a cremation service in Clarksville, TN, Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here for you. Please stop by or give us a call to learn more about how we can help you make important plans.

Losing a family member or loved one is never easy. Combine this stress with the financial aspect of paying for cremation services in Clarksville, TN and you’ve got one big cocktail of stress and pain. But it doesn’t have to be that way. There are ways you can cut cremation costs while still giving an honorable and respectful goodbye to your lost loved one.

Even simple cremations cost money, not including the costs of services and other products. There is no shame in looking for help with paying for or lowering the cost of cremations. Here are three ways to do just that:

1. Preplanning – Check the deceased’s papers and information to see if they made any plans to help pay for their cremation. They might have put in place things such as prepaying programs, funeral insurance, life insurance, and payable-on-death bank accounts.
2. Fund Raising – Don’t be afraid to ask for help from your community, neighborhood, friends or other family. You’d be surprised how quickly people will chip in. Get creative with fund raising like car washes or bake sales, church groups or donations, memorial funds at the deceased’s workplace or bank, and crowd funding websites like GoFundMe.com or GiveForward.com. Social media is also a great tool to make your need known and get more people involved. Don’t be afraid to share any fund raising or write posts about your need.
3. Government Assistance – Local, state and even federal government programs can help pay for funerals and cremations. Check with your local social service, county treasurer, or public fiduciary to see if any systems are in place. These programs have varying requirements, especially since local government budgets are tight, and they are making such programs more difficult to qualify for. Be sure to double check that you are eligible. The Social Security Administration can also provide assistance. Call to report a death and you may be eligible for a lump sum of $225 or other survivor benefits. Other federal programs that can help are Medicare, Medicaid and the Veteran’s Administration, The Bureau of Indian Affairs and The Railroad Retirement Board.

If you still can’t get enough funding, there are tons of low-cost cremation options you can choose from, including:

• Host the memorial service at home, the community center, church or other religious establishment
• Bring pot-luck food for the service
• Choose body donation to a medical school or other organization (Science Care is the world’s largest body donor program)
• Look into direct cremations
• Bury the cremains on family land or a family plot

If you need more information on any of these ways to save money on cremation services or would like to learn more about Clarksville, TN cremations, Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help. We offer a wide range of services with an even wider range of price points. We are here to help you in your time of loss, no matter what your budget. Call us today to learn more about what we can do for you.