Planning a funeral can be overwhelming, and if you’re unfamiliar with the terminology or structure of a traditional service than it can be difficult to know where to start. Our knowledgeable and compassionate funeral directors and their staff will help answer any questions about the cemetery, mortuary or funeral services, and ensure that you’re getting the information that you need to make the right decision for your loved one.

What to Expect

Just as every life is different, so is each final celebration of life. A graveside service can precede a memorial, but most often is the final element in a traditional ground interment ceremony. This may be the most brief portion of the memorial for your loved one, and there may not be a great deal of room for sitting or standing around the deceased. Since it is generally an outdoor service, there is always the possibility of inclement weather, and not all of the family and friends generally travel to the grave site so this service may be smaller and more intimate than a traditional memorial held at the funeral home.

Key Service Elements

While in general, participation is optional, there are certain elements that are found in many graveside services. These include:

• Reading of a poem or Bible verse
• Shared song, where visitors are encouraged to sing
• Eulogy
• Prayer or spiritual thoughts from the officiant
• Lowering of the casket

While in some cultures it is customary to have guests shovel a bit of dirt into the grave, in others families lay a single flower on top of the body. The casket is customarily closed and sealed before the service begins in the cemetery so it is ready for final interment into the ground after the mourners have left the area.

Graveside services are often open to the public, even when a service may be limited to the family only. If you have any questions about whether or not to attend, contacting our staff at Mountain View Funeral Home and Cemetery is a good option as we will know the specific requests of the family and can share recommendations.