What if My Loved One Didn’t Want a Funeral?
Having funerals at funeral homes in Camillus, NY may present a quandary for families if their deceased loved one expressly said they didn’t want a funeral. Bereaved families may struggle with honoring the wishes of their loved ones and satisfying their own needs to have a venue to pay their respects and to say goodbye.
It happens more often than you might think. However, there are ways that both the wishes of your loved one can be honored and you and your family can still hold a ceremony that commemorates their death.
One of the ways that this can be done is by holding a visitation. This allows friends, extended family members, neighbors, and acquaintances to express their sympathy and condolences to the grieving family in a way that still respects the wishes of the person who has died.
Having a ceremony is an integral part of the healing process when someone you love has died. It provides support in the middle of sadness, shock, and grief, and reminds you that you are not alone. It also demonstrates that your loved one was cared about and that their life mattered and impacted others in a positive way.
Another way to remember your loved one is to hold a tribute ceremony. This can include things like a table that shows memorable moments of your loved one’s life or that shows their life in chronological order through pictures, mementos, awards, and personal items that were representative of the life they lived and what they loved and were passionate about.
For example, if your loved one was a military veteran, you could display pictures of them during their time of service, medals, awards, and commendations they received, and their dress military uniform hat on a table. If they were a chef or a baker, you could set up a table with their cooking attire (aprons and hats), cooking or baking utensils, their signature recipes, and photos of them doing what they loved best.
There are many creative ways to pay tribute to your deceased loved one, so it’s a good idea for the family to discuss ways in which you could accomplish this and still honor the wishes of your loved one who didn’t want a funeral.
Another way to remember your loved one is to hold an informal ceremony that features a tribute video that includes pictures of them throughout their life with quotes, poetry, or scriptures that were meaningful to them, accompanied by music that they loved or that would immediately remind everyone of them.
With the video playing in the background, people could gather together to trade memories and stories with you and your family about your loved one. The memories and stories might contain nuggets of new information that none of you knew about. These are special treasures that everyone can hold onto as you all go forward without your loved one.
Whatever kind of ceremony you decide to have for your loved one who didn’t want a funeral, you and your family can be at peace that you honored their wishes, but you can also have the closure and the care and support of family and friends that you need to begin the healing process.
For more information about non-funeral ceremonies at funeral homes in Camillus, NY, our compassionate and experienced team at Bagozzi Twins Funeral Home, Inc. is here to help you. You can visit our funeral home at 2601 Milton Ave., Solvay, NY 13209, or you can call us today at (315) 468-2431.
