About Us
Goose Creek, SC
Losing a family member in death can be one of life’s most difficult trials. Feelings of grief and pain can be almost unbearable, yet they are important to acknowledge and process. Holding a funeral and cremation service in Goose Creek, SC can be a source of comfort and support in the healing journey. A qualified funeral care provider will help to carry the burden of planning and conducting a meaningful service.
The work of a funeral director and their staff is in direct support of the families and their deceased loved ones. If the deceased had advance funeral planning in place, then those details will help guide how the services will be carried out. But if services are to be planned at the moment of need, the family will decide whether to hold a funeral or memorial, a casket burial, cremation service, or any other preferred death care practice. There are benefits to all of these service types.
The Benefits of Traditional Funeral Services
As a long-established tradition, most families find great benefit in holding a funeral service for their deceased family members. Traditional funerals typically include a viewing service, a funeral gathering, and a graveside committal.
- Viewing: The body of the fallen is cared for by the funeral home. The deceased person is embalmed, groomed, and dressed for their viewing reception. At the viewing, family and friends can gather to say their parting goodbyes to the deceased person as they lay in the casket. The informal occasion provides a place where people can express their feelings of sorrow and loss. They can share their grief and not feel so alone in their pain. If anyone is struggling to believe that their friend or loved one has died, attending the viewing can help them come to terms with the reality of the situation. This benefit can help them to begin the healing journey.
- Funeral Service: Following the viewing, a tribute service is held in memory of the deceased. This meeting is generally formal in nature, with a service leader and funeral program detailing the order of any talks, readings, musical numbers, memory sharing, etc. How the funeral is held is not as important as whether or not the service meets the needs of the family and community. It may include elements of faith, culture, or customs specific to the deceased, and their family.
- Graveside Committal: After the funeral, the deceased is taken to the cemetery or place of burial and carried to their final place of rest. Some families choose to do this in a manner that will best honor the fallen, such as by special Harley-Davidson or horse-drawn carriage services. Family and close friends are likely to attend this part of services, to bid a final farewell to their loved one. Words, prayer, or other ritual actions may occur there at the graveside. The casket may be lowered with the family looking on, or even casting handfuls of earth into the open grave.
The Benefits of Modern Cremation Services
Many of today’s families are seeking more personalized ways of laying a loved one to rest. Cremation provides a variety of benefits that are different than funeral and casket burial. Sometimes, pet cremation care can also be provided at a funeral and cremations in Goose Creek, SC. These furry friends are considered by many to be just as much a part of their family as any relative.
- Price for Care: Cremations are not as expensive as funerals. There is no need to buy a casket, vault, or grave plot, nor is there a need to pay for an embalming service. Caring for the dead in a dignified manner without exorbitant cost is a compelling benefit.
- Environment: Cremation is considered to be less damaging to the earth. If no embalming chemicals are used, the soil is less likely to be contaminated in time. Precious natural resources such as metal, hardwood, and other material can be kept out of the ground.
- Moveable: In our mobile society, the ash remains can be inurned and taken with families as they move about the country.
- Memorial: A commemorative service after cremation can be planned at a more convenient time than a funeral typically can. The body does not need to be present at a memorial service.
Caring Funeral and Cremation Support in Goose Creek, SC
As you begin preparations, you may find the services of a funeral home and cremations provider in Goose Creek, SC to be invaluable. Funeral directors are generally quite capable in their practice and can help you to decide the right service type for your needs. Contact our dedicated staff at McAlister-Smith Funeral & Cremation Goose Creek today. Our local funeral home is at 869 St James Ave Goose Creek, SC 29445. Call us at (843) 553-1511.