Losing a pet is never easy. But, just like how memorials and funerals can make the loss of a loved one a bit easier, funeral and cremation services for pets can help ease the pain of that loss, too. There are many funeral homes in Clarksville, TN that offer various types of funeral and cremation services for pets. Losing a pet is painful, but a funeral or memorial service and help ease the pain.

Planning pet funerals and cremations starts with deciding how you want to send your friend to his final resting place. Pet cremation is one great way to memorialize your pet. You can scatter the ashes somewhere special after the cremation or keep them in a pet cremation urn.

Pet burials are another common and more traditional option. You can bury your pet in the comfort of your own yard, or in a special cemetery dedicated to pet burial. You can also plan a pet funeral or memorial service to go along with the body disposition. You can hold the service at your home, where you plan to scatter the ashes, in a funeral home, or in the pet cemetery. Be sure to choose a location that allows you to express your grief in a healthy way and sets you up to properly begin the healing process. Also, be sure to get any necessary permissions or permits before you host a ceremony in a public space, especially if you plan to bury the pet or scatter the ashes.

Just like a traditional service for a deceased person, a pet funeral or memorial is an honorable way to memorialize your pet’s life and say goodbye in a constructive way. There are many different ways you can celebrate your pet in a memorial. For example, you can invite friends and family members who were a part of your pet’s life or understand how important he was to you.

Gather around the grave or ashes and share pet memories or stories. You may also choose to play music, read poems or share feelings. You can ask attendants to help eulogize, say prayers, or just talk about how your lost pet made them feel. Bring along special stationary, cards or paper on which people can write down their feelings or thoughts. This way you can hold onto these ideas and memories to go through later on when you miss your pet.

Just like traditional funeral services, most pet funeral and memorial services can benefit from some sort of visual representation of the deceased. You can craft a small tribute or viewing in the memory of your pet by decorating a table with memories of your lost pet like tags, collars, favorite toys or photos. If you chose to cremate the body, you may also choose to display the urn for the viewing.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help if you want to learn more about pet funeral or cremation services, or have questions about Clarksville, TN funeral homes in general.

It may seem like an impossible task to write a eulogy for someone you know and love after they’ve passed away. Whether you’re speaking at a memorial service, or at a funeral in a funeral home in Clarksville, TN, you can use these tips to help make your eulogy writing easier.

• Keep it Personal – Focus on the good and positive things in the deceased’s life, and don’t be afraid to add a bit of mild humor to keep things light. Most importantly, don’t be afraid to add a few personal stories or memories.
• Be Prepared – Write your eulogy before the service. That way, everything you are going to say is planned out, so you don’t have to worry in the moment. Print it out on a paper so you’re not messing with a phone or tablet.
• Stay Positive – Although cremations and memorials are somber, you should still remain focused on the person’s life and not their death. Avoid talking about negative moments or things that might cast a poor light on him or her, as the purpose of the eulogy is to honor the deceased.
• Add a Bio – While you can structure the eulogy with stories and moments, it’s easier to frame it as a short biography. Include details like place of birth, marriage, children and other big milestones to keep the story linear and easy to follow. Though these details may seem trivial, they are an important part of every eulogy.
• Details – Don’t forget to add details like your name and your relationship to the deceased. You should also be sure to thank everyone for coming and mention why everyone is gathered.
• Keep it Brief – Although it seems tough to cram a whole life into a few minutes, the eulogy should not be longer than 5 minutes. Focus on the main parts of the deceased’s life and be sure to write your speech down so you don’t stray off topic.
• Delivery is Key – You don’t have to be a professional actor or public speaker but be aware of your delivery. Try to use a light conversational tone and look up from the paper every few sentences to connect with the rest of the people at the service.
• End High – End your eulogy on a good note, like a fond memory or the impact the deceased had on your life. You can also finish by saying a final goodbye or mentioning that this is exactly the way the person would want things to be. You never want to leave the funeral attendees feeling more upset than when they arrived.

Use these tips to make sure you’re as prepared as possible to honor your lost loved one through the eulogy. Giving a eulogy doesn’t have to be stressful if you are prepared. If you want more tips on eulogies, or want to learn more about Clarksville, TN funeral homes, just get in touch with Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory. We are happy to help in your time of loss.

Most people don’t think about funerals and funeral homes in Clarksville, TN until it’s time to plan or visit one. This is understandable, but it’s not helpful when you’re suddenly facing a loss and have to plan a funeral. Use this list of six unknown funeral home facts to help you be better prepared.

1. Military Funeral Services – Military funeral service honors are given to members of the United States Armed Forces that consist of the Marines, Army, National Guard, Air Force, Navy, and Coast Guard. The individual must also meet one or more the following requirements: died in active duty or Selective Reserve, completed at least one term of enlistment or initial obligated service in the Selective Reserve, and were not dishonorably discharged, or served on active duty, or in the Selected Reserve, and were not dishonorably discharged.
2. You Cannot Authorize Your Own Funeral – While you can preplan and prepay for your funeral, you cannot sign the final authorization for your own burial or cremation because of the Right to Control law. This law, except in situations where a funeral agent is designated, outlines a specific family hierarchy that shows who has the right to authorize the funeral of a recently deceased person.
3. Headstones for Military Services – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can also furnish a headstone at no cost. These veteran’s headstones are available for any veteran regardless of the date of death. The headstones are available in bronze, marble, and granite in various styles to match existing headstones in the place of burial. This same service is available for cremated remains in the form of niche markers for the columbarium. While the headstone itself is free of charge, the family is in charge of all installation fees.

1. Coffins and Caskets Are Two Different Things – Coffins and caskets are different things. Coffins have six sides and are shaped like a hexagon to go along with the lines of a human body, meaning tapered at the head and foot with a wider construction at the shoulder. A casket, on the other hand, is rectangular with four sides adjoined at right angles.
2. Embalming is Optional – Embalming is not always required by law. You can choose to skip embalming or be embalmed with eco-friendly preservatives. You always have the right to choose a body disposition method that does not require embalming if you don’t want to be embalmed. However, some funeral homes may require embalming depending on public viewings of the body and similar services.
3. You Can Compare Prices – Prices actually vary from one funeral home to another, and you have the right to call and ask what prices are in order to compare. Funeral homes must provide you with a General Price List that outlines their prices when asked as per California state law. Always do your research to make sure you’re getting a good deal, and don’t be afraid to ask for a price list as per your rights.

These are only six out of many unknown funeral facts. Want to learn more about Clarksville, TN funeral homes, and military funeral services? Just get in touch with Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory today.

From choosing a funeral home in Clarksville, TN to picking out flowers, there’s a lot to accomplish when you lose a loved one. This to-do list includes writing an obituary, especially if your lost loved one was a veteran of our nation’s armed services.

Obituaries are a traditional way to let family and friends celebrate the life of the deceased in a public way and announce the death in a compassionate manner. They are also important for veterans to show the community how the brave soldier gave of him or herself to our country. To be better prepared to write an obituary for your lost loved one, here are the common parts of obituaries:

Announcement of Death – Obituaries usually start with basic information such as the name, age, and place of residence of the deceased. This is followed by the death announcement, including the time and place of death. Most people choose to use a softer word or term that “death,” such as “passed away”, “died”, “went to be with the Lord” etc. Many people are unsure whether or not to list the cause of death in the obituary. At the end of the day, the cause of death is only the family’s business and does not need to be shared unless the immediate family chooses. However, if the death was sudden and unexpected, listing the cause of death in the public obituary might field questions and repetitions at the funeral.

Biographical Sketch – The keyword in this portion is “sketch.” Many people are tempted to write a full account of the deceased’s life. While some people may find that interesting or helpful, the obituary is only meant to detail the most important aspects of his life. Some key pieces to include are the date and place of birth, parent’s names including mother’s maiden name, date, and place of marriage, birth name of spouse, education, work, and military service. Feel free to list events chronologically, or to take a more creative approach.

Veteran Information – Be sure to include the details of your veteran’s service. Where did she or she serve? With which part of the armed forces? Are there any stories of his or her bravery or commitment to the country?

Family – As the saying goes, the funeral is for the living. The same can be said for the obituary, so a key element is listing the surviving family members and loved ones. Take care to not forget anyone, but don’t feel the need to list every single member of the extended family.

Service Times – While tradition varies on this element, most obituaries include funeral information so people can attend if they choose. List the essentials: time, full date and place of service along with the name of the officiate; time, full date and place of burial or interment if applicable; and finally, time, full date and place of visitation.

If you have more questions about obituaries or other aspects of service at a Clarksville, TN funeral home, just reach out to Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call today.

From right after the service at a funeral home in Clarksville, TN to the following months and years, losing a loved one will always be hard and painful. It’s true that everyone experiences grief in different ways and for different amounts of time, but it’s also true that there are some common warning signs that your grief might be too much for you to handle on your own.

If you experience any of the following, you might want to consider seeking help for your loss:

• Avoiding Time with Loved Ones – Sometimes it’s easier to process grief on our own, but it’s also important to be with loved ones. If you find yourself consistently avoiding other people, you should consider counseling.
• Inability to Move On – There is nothing to be ashamed of about not being able to move on. Sometimes we all need a bit of help.
• Numbness to Emotion – Grief comes with a range of emotions, from sad and confused to even happy. Each emotion is acceptable during periods of mourning, but numbness is not. If you are feeling entirely numb and unable to feel any emotions, it may be time to seek help.
• Hallucinations/Voices – It may be comforting to imagine your lost loved one is with you but hearing voices or seeing things that aren’t there is always a cause for concern. Be especially wary if what you are seeing, or hearing is accusing or angry.
• Loss of Enjoyment – You shouldn’t stop living your life completely during grief. You’re still allowed to pursue your interests and goals. If your grief is preventing you from pursuing activities that you enjoy or enjoying things you normally would, you may just need help finding your way forward.
• Sudden Changes in Behavior – If you find that you don’t recognize the choices you’re making or the person you’ve become, this may be cause for concern. Keep an eye out for irrational anger, excessive drinking, and drug use.
• Escapism – Staying busy or trying to escape to avoid feeling sad is not a long-term solution. Eventually, you will need to face your feelings. If you are don’t feel up to doing so on your own, it may be wise to ask for a helping hand.
• Inability to Continue Normal Activities – If you are unable to perform normal activities like going to work or school, or even eating or sleeping, you may need help with coping.
• Fear of New Relationships – Apprehension of new relationships due to the fear of loss is common when grieving. However, in order to move forward and continue to grow, we must forge new relationships
• Thoughts of Hurting Yourself – Feeling you want to hurt yourself should not be ignored and must be addressed with a professional.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is a Clarksville, TN funeral home with years of experience with grief and loss. We can offer you more information on dealing with or getting help for grief in addition to our funeral services. Please give us a call to learn more about what we can do for you.

The majority of funeral homes in Clarksville, TN usually offer resources and guidance for extra grief support. Because, even as much as we would prefer otherwise, the sadness and mourning associated with death don’t end at the funeral home. In fact, it usually lasts much longer and can manifest in many different ways.

Getting support for your grief is never a bad thing. Rather than feeling shame, feel pride in the strength it takes to realize you need help and seek that help. From connections to online support groups and resources to in-house counseling, funeral homes offer a range of grief services. The following is a list of online resources for coping with bereavement and grief to give you additional grief support you can seek on your own if you need it. This list includes convenient online support like professional counselors, community sites, and bloggers you can access from home at any time.

• Light A Candle: This website has a page where people can “light” a digital candle in honor of their lost loved one. You can attach a name, date, or photo to the candle, too.
• The Grief Recovery Method: The Grief Recovery Method is a website developed by the Grief Recovery Institute. It has lots of valuable grief information and been a leading resource for 30 years.
• National Center for Victims of Crime: This organization voices and supports abuse and crime survivors. They have a broad focus but offer help to a wide variety of victims and surviving families.
• Resources for Survivors of Suicide: This group emphasizes that you are not alone when you lose a loved one through suicide. They offer different tools, interactive online supports, and more.
• The Sweeney Alliance: Founded by Peggy Sweeney, this non-profit offers a range of programs for adults and children who’ve suffered a loss. Check out their regular newsletters and online resources.
• Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors Inc: TAPS specifically serves families who’ve lost a member of the military through peer-based support.
• National Child Traumatic Stress Network: The NCTSN helps support kids who have gone through trauma from the death of a loved one to injuries. They strive to reinforce stability and healing.
• Association of Death Education and Counseling: ADEC has over 2,000 members, including physical and mental health professionals, educators, funeral directors, and clergymen. They host grief conferences, workshops, and seminars frequently.
• Open to Hope: Open to Hope is a non-profit that helps people find hope again after a loss. They offer community support, articles, books, and more to help people work through their loss and start to live meaningful and happy lives while working through their grief.

If you want to learn more about grief support resources like these or have additional questions about Clarksville, TN funeral homes and their services, Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory can help. You can stop by and visit us or give us a call anytime as we would be happy to help you in any way we can in your time of loss.

Sometimes funeral homes can be confusing. What do all the terms mean? Use this list of important funeral home terminology and lingo to be better prepared in the event of the loss of a loved one, or to better plan for your eventual passing and funeral in a funeral home in Clarksville, TN.

1. Bereaved: The deceased’s loved ones or immediate family.
2. Burial Certificate: A legal document authorizing burial. The same documents apply to cremations, and it made by your local government.
3. Death Certificate: A document proving the cause of death, generally issued by the deceased’s doctor.
4. Columbarium: A wall with niches or holes in which cremation urns are housed.
5. Committal Service: A service in which the body is buried or interred.
6. Cremains: Another word for cremated remains.
7. Crematory: The furnace in which bodies are cremated. It can also refer to the building that houses the furnace.
8. Death Notice: An article or newspaper section announcing someone’s death and providing funeral or memorial details.
9. Embalm: Preserving a dead body by running preservative fluids through the arteries and veins.
10. Eulogy: A speech praising, remembering, and celebrating the deceased’s life.
11. Exhume: Digging up the remains of someone who was already buried.
12. Flower Car: The car or vehicle used to transport the flowers from the church and/or cemetery to the funeral home.
13. Funeral Director: The man or woman who works with the bereaved to plan and execute a funeral service and all accompanying details. Generally, funeral directors maintain or run funeral homes.
14. Funeral Spray: A floral tribute traditionally given to the bereaved at a funeral.
15. Grave Liner: A wooden, metal, or concrete casing that holds the casket in the ground. Grave liners help prevent the ground around the grave from sinking for safety and help keep the grass above the grave level as the earth settles for aesthetics.
16. Pallbearers: Family, friends, or religious members that help carry the casket.
17. Memorial Service: A service held to honor the deceased when the body is not present.
18. Mortuary: Another word for a funeral home.
19. Obituary: A death notice in a newspaper or on a website that gives a small biography of the deceased and often includes a photo.
20. Plot: A piece of land, usually owned by an individual or a family, that’s reserved for two or more graves.
21. Reposing Room: A room in a funeral home that stores the body until the burial or funeral.
22. Vault: Almost synonymous with grave liner, but vaults tend to be more expensive. Vaults are usually made of wood, metal or concrete.
23. Viewing: The time at which friends, family or funeral-goers can view the casket.

The more you prepare now, the easier your experience in a Clarksville, TN funeral home will be. If you want more information, you can reach out to Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory. We offer a wide range of services designed to help you through your time of loss. Give us a call or pay us a visit today to learn more.

There are lots of funeral homes in Clarksville, TN and the rest of the USA, but where did they come from? Most people are unaware of America’s rich funeral home history, but it’s actually quite fascinating.

It starts in a very interesting place. Almost everyone stayed close to home before the mid 1800s, so when they died their bodies could be displayed in the family parlor until it was time for burial. Since there wasn’t any delay from death to display to burial, the bodies didn’t need any sort of preservation. In fact, this tradition of hosting funerals in the home’s parlor is where the term “funeral parlor comes from.” This all changed in 1865 when President Lincoln was assassinated.

Due to his nearly nationwide popularity, heads of state decided to bring his body on a national funeral procession. Since this trip took several weeks, his body had to be embalmed to slow decomposition. After seeing President Lincoln be embalmed, people all across the USA decided embalming was a good idea. With embalming popularity growing, people were given the opportunity to expand their funeral traditions outside the home.

Bodies were more easily transported and displayed, so funerals could be held later after death allowing for more people to attend. Since more people attended, it was easier to host the service in a neutral place. The Bucktrout family in Virginia witnessed a growing need for places to host funerals and rose to the occasion. Originally coffin and cabinet manufacturers, this family expanded their business to include funeral home services, just like those we have today.

The Bucktrout family opened America’s first modern funeral home. Funeral homes were labeled as such because undertakers, or funeral directors as we now call them, usually operated their business out of their home. The 1900s saw even more growth in the funeral home business. This large expansion called for formal training for funeral directors in order to streamline the business model and help the businesses grow by changing the conversation.

The National Funeral Directors Association was formed in the early 1900s to help consumers view the members as professionals. Coffin makers, florists, life insurance agencies and other connected fields also blossomed, helping funeral homes become what they are today. By 1920, there were around 24,469 funeral homes in the United States, showing a 100% growth in less than 80 years.

Like many other United States institutions, funeral homes grew out of Christian roots. Immigration laws began to relax in the 1960s, and other cultures slowly became more accepted. This influx of new beliefs created a market for funerals, and once again funeral homes stepped up. They began offering services for other ethnic and religious groups from Vietnamese and Eastern European to Buddhism and Hinduism.

Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is honored to be a part of this grand tradition. We are a Clarksville, TN funeral home offering many services designed to help in times of loss. Call us today to learn more.

Everyone knows about funeral homes whether from the movies and TV shows or if they’ve attended a service for the loss of a friend, coworker, family member or acquaintance. However, very few people can say exactly what funeral homes do. For starters, funeral homes in Clarksville, TN and beyond offer a wide array of services, but they have a singular goal: helping people in their time of loss.

Grief can make it hard to get through everyday tasks, much less plan a funeral service. That’s where funeral homes come in. The main way funeral homes help people during their time of loss is by helping make arrangements for the deceased and the funeral or memorial service. This includes more menial tasks like processing the death certificate as well as more involved services like planning the funeral.

You can rely on the right funeral home to provide the clear-headed logic you need to stay organized and deal with the more menial, legal steps surrounding a death like gathering information for the death certificate like full name and address, date and city of birth, marital status, and occupation. They also aid in recording and collecting documents like account statements, loans and leases, beneficiary information, tax returns, last will, and bill copies to file the death certificate and other legal paperwork. And, when necessary, filing the paperwork and certificates and making contact with legal counsel.

A funeral home will also usually assign you a funeral director. The funeral director will sit down with you and discuss the deceased’s final wishes and how best to memorialize his or her life. You may discuss ways to personalize the funeral, from the deceased’s favorite sports team, music or hobbies to his or her special memories or accomplishments. A funeral home can help you arrange many funeral details such as:

• Choosing and contacting a religious official for the service
• Finding a cemetery or crematory
• Sending out Obituary and Death notices
• Purchasing a casket, vault, urn or headstone
• Choosing and buying books, flowers, registries or cards
• Hosting the service

Some funeral homes also offer continued support and help with grief. Funeral homes often have accesses to grief resources such as contact information for support groups and councilors, articles and information on grief and the best ways to deal with it, and more specific help for special grief situations like losing a child or a traumatic or unexpected loss. A good funeral home can even help you better personalize the funeral arrangements by helping you plan and execute things like dove or butterfly releases, monument sales, memorial shirts, customized photos or video presentations, limousine services, and even burials at sea

Are you looking for a Clarksville, TN funeral home? Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory offers services such as these. We would be more than happy to help you in your time of loss. If you want to learn more about funeral homes in general, or want more information about our particular services, please give us a call.

There are tons of funeral homes in Clarksville, TN. How are you supposed to know which one to use, either for your future passing or for the recent loss of a loved one?

It’s never fun to think about and plan for death, but it’s better to start looking for a funeral home now before you need one. This way, you won’t be scrambling to find one if you lose a loved one, or your family won’t be stressed out looking for one for your funeral after you pass. You don’t want to be stuck with the easiest or most accessible funeral home when the time comes because you don’t have the time or money to find a better one.

This choice may seem especially difficult because most funeral homes seem to be very similar in services and costs at first glance. However, choosing a funeral home is very personal, as you need to make sure the one you choose matched with your preferences and needs. When looking for a funeral home, you need to take the following into consideration:

• Reviews – Research other customer’s experiences with funeral homes to gauge efficacy, pricing, compassion and more.
• Location – Sometimes this doesn’t mean closest to your home, as oftentimes funerals take place in different towns where the deceased wants to be buried, or where other family members live.
• Service Prices – You’d be surprised how much funeral home prices vary. Be sure to shop around and get quotes from different homes to make sure you’re getting the best prices for services.
• Product Prices – Caskets, urns and other funeral accessories and products can get pricey. Compare funeral home’s product prices as well.
• Services Offered – Make sure your funeral home offers the services you want. Such services include burial options like cremation, traditional burial, or green burial. They also include different technology like online obituaries, digital guest books or live streaming.
• Veteran Services – If you or your loved one served, that should be recognized in a special way. Check that funeral homes offer veteran services if applicable.
• Cultural and Religious Needs – Make sure the funeral home you choose is able to provide you with your cultural and/or religious funeral needs.

Start gathering information on funeral homes in your area to get a head start on choosing one. When researching, look for things like price comparisons, as every funeral home is required, by law, to have and make accessible a general list of prices for their offered products and services. Make a note of service fees, as what is and what is not included in services fees varies greatly from funeral home to funeral home. Don’t forget to add funeral insurance to your current life insurance policy.

If you want to learn more about Clarksville, TN funeral homes, just reach out to Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory. You can stop by and visit us at 424 Franklin St Clarksville, TN 37040 or give us a call at (931) 647-1562.