Many people today choose to avoid holding a funeral or memorial service. At Memorial we have served tens of thousands of families over the years. These families come from all walks of life and we’ve had the chance to hear their stories. From our experience, we have grown to believe that a funeral or memorial service is fundamentally important in the grieving and healing process. Here’s why:

A funeral allows for a time for you to receive support from extended family and your community in a safe setting where you can be open and raw with your feelings.

A network of support is crucial in the immediate aftermath of a death of a loved one. Studies show that expressing your grief and mourning in an outwardly manner is important to the healing process. Oftentimes, there is a stigma surrounding a crying, mourning individual when its not in the “funeral” setting that makes people feel like they can’t be honest with their feelings. A funeral or memorial service provides an opportunity for you to openly grieve in a safe space where you have the support of your family, friends, and community members.

A funeral or memorial service is a unique opportunity to honor and remember the life of your loved one. Sharing memories and experiences helps us create a lasting legacy and tribute of our loved ones.

Have you ever heard a loved one in your life say something along these lines at some point, “I don’t need a fancy funeral. Just put me in a pine box or an urn”? Or, have you said the same thing about yourself to your spouse or children? It’s very natural for us to be somewhat dismissive about our own funerals. But, the reality is, when it’s our spouse, child, parent, or grandparent who has just passed away do we really believe their life and how it impacted us was so insignificant?

A funeral or memorial service’s purpose is to help us create one last tribute to honor the lives of those we love so much. It allows us to record our memories and experiences and create one last tribute to a life well lived. We also learn more about their life as extended family and friends come and share their own experiences. We as funeral professionals have received feedback from so many families where they tell us, “I would have never learned so much about my loved one if we hadn’t held a funeral” or “It felt so good to honor Dad this way”.

A funeral or memorial service allows you to openly express your feelings and acknowledge the reality of death.

One of life’s greatest tragedies is that our loved ones get taken from us on this Earth. However, it is to our detriment to shy away or try to ignore that reality. In fact, studies show the avoidance of grief and the inability to acknowledge the reality of death can lead to what is known as delayed or complicated grief. Delayed or complicated grief can affect individuals for years, even decades. A funeral or memorial service creates a safe venue for individuals to acknowledge the reality of death and openly express their feelings. This is one of the most crucial steps in the grief reconciliation process.

We at Memorial are here to guide you through each step of the process. If you have any questions about funerals or memorial services feel free to visit our website at www.memorialutah.com or give us a call at 801-262-4631.

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