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.

Death is never easy, but it becomes especially difficult when you’re faced with all the steps between your loved one’s death and the Clarksville, TN funeral home. Use this list of 8 steps to help guide you through the process and make your lost loved one’s funeral go smoothly.

1. Report the Death – The first step is to report the death to the proper authorities. If the death is at a hospital, nursing home, or hospice, the officials there will know what to do and will make the report for you. If you are at home, or have no other options, call 911.
2. Prepare to Work With A Funeral Director – You will need the assistance of a funeral director to complete the death certificate, transport and store the body. Take note if the deceased made pre-arrangements for his or her funeral and be prepared to relay these wishes to the funeral director.
3. Pick a Type of Service – There are several service options you need to be prepared to choose from:
   • Funerals, in which the service is held before the body is cremated or buried and the body is present
   • Memorials, in which the service is help after the body is buried or cremated and therefore not present
   • Graveside services in which the funeral takes place at the grave
4. Make Cemetery Arrangements – If you choose a burial rather than a cremation you will need to make cemetery arrangements. Decide where the burial will take place, and if necessary, purchase a plot. If you’re unsure where to start, your funeral home will most likely be affiliated with a cemetery and can help you find a plot. You could also check with your church, synagogue or other place of worship for further guidance.
5. Make Funeral Arrangements – Feel free to get creative when making funeral arrangements to make the service personal and meaningful. Flowers, music, pre or post service events and other special touches help make the service personal for you and the deceased.
6. Plan Formal Transportation – If you choose to do a burial, you will need a hearse to move the body from the funeral location to the burial location. Most funeral homes have one available for use and will include that cost in the overall funeral bill.
7. Inform the Family and Write Death Notice – Personally inform all close family, friends and loved ones of the death, ideally over the phone or in person. If you’re nervous, take the time to write a script to help you make key points. Don’t forget to write and release a death notice to notify the rest of the friends, coworkers, associates etc.
8. List Pre-Funeral Tasks – Make a list of what you need to accomplish before the funeral to help you stay organized and not forget anything important. This list could include your attire, personal items or collecting photos.

If you want more information on Clarksville, TN funeral homes and their services, just reach out to Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory by visiting 424 Franklin St Clarksville, TN 37040 or calling (931) 647-1562.

Funeral homes in Clarksville, TN and, in fact, the rest of the world, can be very expensive, and if you don’t do some planning right now, you’re going to leave your family and loved ones with a very big bill when you die. However, setting aside money to pay for funeral services isn’t as simple as just putting money aside in a savings account. When someone dies, his or her money is usually frozen for at least a month. So, your family can’t access any money you had in an account for your funeral until long after the funeral is over.

Luckily, there are a few ways you can easily and properly set aside money to pay for your funeral home needs such as:

• Low-Cost Options – If you don’t have money to set aside right now, and feel like you won’t later on either, you can plan for low-cost funeral options. From direct cremations and at-home funerals to green burials, or even donating your body to science, there are definitely low-cost options out there. If you do plan to donate your body to a medical school or other institution be sure to enroll in advance.
• Insurance – Most life insurance policies will pay out a lump sum of money to a beneficiary when you die. This lump sum can go a long way towards paying for your funeral or memorial service. These insurance payments are made almost directly after death so your loved ones can pay for the funeral right away. There are also special insurance policies for death related costs like burials, funerals, cremations and more.
• Veterans Benefits – If you served in the military you may be eligible for veteran’s benefits, including burial and funeral at no cost. The Veterans Administration will pay a burial allowance to your loved ones to cover funeral expenses. Check the VA website to see if you’re eligible.
• Payable-on-Death Account – Payable-on-death accounts, or PODs, allow you to set money aside specifically for funeral and other death-related expenses. Your beneficiaries simply have to present a death certificate to the bank in order to obtain the money. They will not have access to the money until after your death.
• Borrowing – Banks also offer loans specifically for funeral expenses. However, as these loans are personal and unsecure, they can get expensive. Interests range usually from 16 to 35 percent on these kinds of loans. Since the FCA recommends that you do not go into debt for a funeral, be sure to only take out a loan you can easily pay back.

These are just a few ways you can put aside money for your funeral. If you want to learn more about your funeral payment options, or want more information on Clarksville, TN funeral homes in general, Sykes Funeral Home & Crematory is here to help. Please feel free to pay us a visit at 424 Franklin St Clarksville, TN 37040 or give us a call at (931) 647-1562.

Serving in the United States armed forces is a great sacrifice, and all of our veterans deserve to be honored. One such way our country honors veterans is with veteran funeral services at funeral homes in Clarksville, TN. There is a range of post-humus benefits available to veterans to ensure they get the honor and respect they deserve. All you have to do is submit a formal request.

The United States has laws that provide eligible veterans with military funeral services honors. If an eligible service member’s family so requests, the government must provide no-cost honors including:

• Flag Folding and Presentation: All eligible veterans have the right for to have at least 2 Armed Forces members serving as an honor guard during the funeral. At least one of these guards will be from the deceased’s service branch, and this guard will present a traditionally folded American flag to the next of kin or designated person upon the funeral’s completion.
• “Taps”- “Taps” is a bugle song traditionally associated with military and patriotic funerals. Though live bugle performances are rarely seen these days, military funeral honors require that a high-quality recording of the song be played at any eligible funeral services if no live bugle is available.
• Flag Burial – A flag is provided at no cost to the family to drape the casket or accompany the urn. The flag will then be folded and presented to eligible family members such as the next of kin or requested friends. Family members may donate their flags to national cemeteries with Avenue of Flags so the flag can be flown on patriotic holidays to honor the deceased, or they may keep the flag as a keepsake or at-home memorial.
• Headstone – The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can furnish a headstone at no cost to the family. These veteran’s headstones are made available for any veteran regardless of date of death. These headstones come in bronze, marble and granite in various styles to match existing headstones in the place of burial.

Military funeral service honors are given to members of the United States Armed Forces, or those that served in the Marines, Army, National Guard, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. The veteran must also meet one or more the following requirements:

• Passed away while in active duty or Selective Reserve
• Completed at least one term of enlistment or initial obligated service in the Selective Reserve, and was not dishonorably discharged
• Served on active duty, or in the Selected Reserve, and was not dishonorably discharged

If you would like to learn more about veteran funeral services or eligibility, please contact the department of Veteran’s Affairs. For more information on Clarksville, TN funeral homes, please 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 to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.