Why a Funeral?
Funerals fill an important role for those mourning the loss of a loved one.  By providing surviving family members and friends a
caring, supportive environment in which to share thoughts and feelings about the death, funerals are the first step in the healing
process.

The ritual of attending a funeral service provides many benefits including:

  • Providing a social support system for the bereaved.

  • Helping the bereaved understand death is final and that death is part of life.

  • Integrating the bereaved back into the community.

  • Easing the transition to a new life after the death of a loved one.

  • Providing a safe haven for embracing and expressing pain.

  • Reaffirming one’s relationship with the person who died.

  • Providing a time to say good-bye.

It is possible to have a full funeral service even for those choosing cremation. The importance of the ritual is in providing a social
gathering to help the bereaved begin the healing process.







Copyright © 2008 National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA)