Monthly Archives: March 2021

Is There a Difference Between Cremation Service and Funeral Professionals?

Whether you’re looking into cremation services in Clarksville, TN or wanting to learn more about funerals and funeral homes in general, it’s important to know the differences between the different titles for these industry professionals as to not offend and be sure to give these hardworking individuals the respect they’ve earned.

You’ve probably heard the terms undertaker, mortician, embalmer, and funeral director, but do you really know what they all mean?

To begin, you probably shouldn’t use the titles undertaker and mortician as they are out of date and a little negative. They are pretty much synonymous with the title of funeral director even though the term funeral director really didn’t start taking hold until the early 1900s when industry professionals actively set out to change their name from undertaker to something new. Funeral Director is the most modern, and correct, term for a professional in the industry. A funeral director is a funeral or cremation professional that helps arrange, plan and coordinate a funeral or cremation services.

Funeral directors are professionals that are hardworking, thoroughly trained, and committed and help with funeral and cremation services. Funeral directors have to be licensed according to local laws. This is especially true in states where the funeral director is legally responsible for making sure the crematory or funeral home is complying with all health, mortuary, and vital statistic laws of the area. They perform a lot of services from funerals and visitations to memorials and wakes, as well as helping prepare the body for a funeral or cremation, including placing the body in the casket or cremation container.

On the other hand, an embalmer is a cremation and funeral professional that is responsible for making sure the body is ready for burial. As the name denotes, embalmers perform the act of embalming, meaning they remove all body fluids and replace them with embalming liquid to slow down the body’s decomposition for a funeral service. In most states funeral directors and embalmers require different licenses and training courses. However, it is common for some people to be both depending on their professional interests, their business models, or local ordinances.

Funeral director is the preferred title as it is the most modern and gives the respect due for these hardworking professionals, even though none of the terms are technically incorrect. The next time you’re in a funeral home for a cremation service or are making plans for a loved one’s recent passing, you will know what to call the industry professional that is helping you.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you have more questions on industry terms and names or would like to learn more about your options for Clarksville, TN cremation services. We offer a range of services and are happy to do whatever we can. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

Non-Traditional Next of Kin Relationships

It can still be challenging for those with non-traditional next of kin relationships when it comes to planning a funeral at a funeral home in Clarksville, TN, even though our laws and perceptions of what it means to be a family are becoming more inclusive.

The most common non-traditional relationships are same-sex couples, Common Law marriages, and separated but still married couples.

There are three criteria that have to be met in order to couples to be considered legally married under general Common Law. If you are married under Common Law, it’s important to know that it might be tricky for a funeral home or service to validate a Common Law Marriage after one of the people passes away. Unless a Declaration of Informal Marriage has been filed by a county clerk, many funeral homes will ask a different next of kin person to sign the necessary funeral documents as there are penalties involved in allowing a non-documented marriage to serve as legal standing to be a next of kin. To avoid any concerns or issues after a death, Common Law couples should file with the county clerk before a death.

Marriage is a complicated relationship, and oftentimes married couples are separated but not legally divorced. In this scenario, the spouse would be still be responsible for making all necessary funeral arrangements and paying for them. Unless there is a clear legal proof of divorce, the marriage is still valid, and the spouse is the next of kin. This is more common than you might think and is a confusing situation that causes a lot of delays in making funeral home or cremation plans.

Thanks to modern legislation, legally married same-sex couples have the exact same rights and next-of-kin spouse status as heterosexual couples. However, the this is only the case if the couple is legally married at the time of death. Without proof of a legal marriage, the funeral home or service will have to look to a different member of the family to take on final disposition responsibilities and decisions.

Be sure to look into the specificities of your state law or reach out to a lawyer for the most up-to-date information and guidance. This way you will be as prepared as possible. These days, most states have a process in place for getting around difficulties with next of kin relationships. Depending on the state, there is usually a form that people can fill out, sign and file to give a specific person the responsibility of all death-related decisions. This form allows you to choose who you want to make your funeral arrangements and is valid at the vast majority of licensed funeral homes and cremation providers.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you have more questions about Clarksville, TN funeral homes. You can stop by and visit us or give us a call to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss or of preplanning.

How Will You Customize a Veteran Service?

Whether you’re planning a memorial veteran service at a unique location or hosting a wake after a cremation service in Clarksville, TN, it’s important that the service is personalized to the deceased.

Studies show that the more personalized and memorable a service is the more it helps not only honor the deceased but also offer some relief for the bereaved during their time of loss – especially when it comes to veteran’s services.

How will you customize the cremation service? If you don’t know, don’t worry. There are a lot of different ways to go about it. The following list of ideas, for example, is a great place to start:

Set Up a Memory Table – A memory table is an easy way to help make a memorial service custom and personalized. It’s a simple and free way to show items that either meant a lot to the deceased, show their personality, or represent the deceased to other people. You can put almost anything on a memory table such as photos, sunglasses, ticket stubs from special events, letters, favorite vases or flowers, beloved clothing, or anything else that was special to or about the deceased. You can also make several memory stations as opposed to just one table. There can be themed tables with each one showing a part of the deceased’s life, such as wedding memories, school items, and children and grandchildren.
Put Out Special Food – Food is a serious comfort for a lot of people. Take inspiration from the deceased’s favorite foods and put out a special spread for guests at the service.
Add Decorations – It might seem like bad form to decorate a memorial service after a cremation, but decorations can actually make the service more special and unique. You can add decorations in any form you want, from lamps and rugs to artwork, flowers and everything in between. Bring decorations that somehow represent or honor the deceased. For example, if she loved to stitch, you could hang some of her work. Or if he loved a certain artist you could display copies of famous artwork.
Share Photos and Videos – Many bereaved families make photo collages or montage videos for a memorial service. These items are treasured by the family, but other bereaved like friends and coworkers would appreciate access to them as well. Consider uploading any montages or videos online to share with other people. You can use GoogleDrive, DropBox, or Youtube. Make the files accessible with only a certain link and print the link on the service program so guests can access it if they choose.

If you need more ideas, look to the deceased for inspiration from his or her life, or turn to Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory. We have years of experience in the Clarksville, TN cremation services industry, and are happy to help you in any way that we can. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

Personalization of Military Services at Funeral Homes

From making the event a celebration of life to using modern technology, personalized funerals are the way of the future. They are popular because they allow the bereaved to both grieve their loss and celebrate the unique life of their lost loved one. There are tons of ways you can choose personalization for military services at a funeral home in Clarksville, TN.

Here are a few interesting facts about personalized funerals in funeral homes and beyond to give you more information:

Religion is on its way out – According to the National Funeral Directors Association, the percentage of people that think religion is an important part of a funeral has gone down by more than 10%. More people are placing personalization over religion.
Most families don’t want a traditional funeral – According to a recent study, 71% of families do not want a traditional funeral as they see them as gloomy or dark. Most families want something unique that reflects the special qualities of their lost loved one.
Funerals are a celebration of life – Funerals are no longer sad and gloomy events. People want to celebrate their lost loved ones in special ways, remembering them for their unique qualities and happy memories.
People want a party – In another recent study, 500 participants were asked to name something they really want at a funeral. The top 5 answers were music, family, people, beer and flowers. When put all together, these 5 things equal a celebration.
Digital obituaries – Since most obituaries are now placed on memorial websites rather than printed in traditional newspapers, they are becoming more and more important, thorough, and personalized.
Webcasting – The internet is also allowing families to be a part of funeral services even if they can’t be there in person. Funeral webcasting is becoming very popular all across the US and is only getting cheaper which makes it more accessible for everyone.
Traditional burials are out – Traditional burials are now thought of as wasteful and bad for the environment. For example, in one year in America, burial puts enough embalming fluid into the ground to fill an Olympic swimming pool.
Cemeteries are overcrowded – About 2.7 million Americans die every year. That’s the entire population of Chicago. With so many deaths, it’s no wonder cemeteries are too crowded. That’s why many people are opting for non-traditional ways of putting their lost loved ones to rest.
Memorial videos – Memorial videos put modern technology to good use. They allow families to make personalized tributes for the deceased for people to enjoy at the funeral and beyond.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you have more questions about personalized funerals or Clarksville, TN funeral homes. We offer a range of funeral, cremation and military services. Please feel free to stop by and visit us or give us a call to learn more about the different ways to personalize a funeral, or for more information about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

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