Service Options

This type of commemoration is especially touching and does much to help family and friends appreciate the life that has been lived.  The family provides photos of the person who has died and we craft them into a video presentation accompanied by favorite music.  This 3 to 5 minute video uses sight, sound, music, and motion to create a powerful, loving tribute that tells the story of a life and imparts loving impressions of the person who has died.  This can be shown at visitations, the service itself, or simply as a keepsake.  Multiple copies for other family members are available as well.  Our staff works with you to select the photos and music and we coordinate every aspect of the video editing process.

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These laminated keepsakes can include photos, prayers, and quotes.

Live webcasting is a unique way that family and friends around the world can view the funeral or memorial service as it is happening. Webcasting is commonly done from the funeral home, but can be done in a church or chapel setting if a viable WiFi signal is available. The webcast funeral can then be burned onto keepsake DVDs for later viewing

Depending on the size of the gathering, simple food service facilities may not be sufficient.  We often arrange complete catering for attendees at the visitation, memorial service, and funeral.  Our relationships with several excellent companies allow us to provide buffet (or seated) lunches and dinners for even the largest group of attendees.  We offer a wide selection of dishes that are appropriate for the occasion and comforting to all who share them. View catering menu

While sending flowers to a funeral is a cherished and time-honored tradition, there are times when families wish to select certain types of arrangements for themselves.  Usually, they pay tribute to the person who has died by decorating the memorial service with a favorite type of flower or plant. We work with a number of fine florists in the area and handle any special request, such as sending flowers to hospice volunteers who have meant so much to the deceased or preserving flowers from the funeral for a meaningful keepsake.  Flowers are traditional symbols of the passing of a soul, and important symbols of the continuation of life.  We are ready to help you make the most meaningful choices, provide delivery, and set up arrangements to your specifications.

In addition to our online obituaries, we also offer families the opportunity and the tools to create their own personalized commemorative website.  For a small charge, family members can celebrate a life with a beautiful design theme, including stories, photographs, biographical information, family tree, and even a family forum. This service is meant to be a living memorial of a life’s accomplishments using the advancements in today’s technology.  Visitors around the world can sign the guestbook, share memories, and keep in touch.

To honor a person’s service in defense of our freedoms, we frequently arrange for our nation’s veterans to be commemorated with special military observances.  Depending on the branch of service, military detachments may provide a color guard, musicians, gun salute, or even a flyover.  We have contacts with all branches of the military, so the proper arrangements can be made easily and efficiently.

Centuries ago, the deep rich tones of bagpipes were used to honor Celtic chieftains.  Today, bagpipes continue to be played in ceremonies of all occasions.  Commemorate a loved one with this musical tribute - touching your deepest emotions, when words cannot express.  Ask us how you can enhance a funeral or committal service with this special dedication. 

Speaking at a funeral is never easy.  There are so many emotions that cannot be put into words.  Our funeral professionals can help you find just the right things to say because we’ve compiled a complete reference library of Bible verses, poems, and literary quotations on all appropriate subjects.  Please allow us to assist you with this important form of tribute.

We think music at a funeral is one of the most personal tributes.  Often, families make the event even more meaningful with live music at the service.  Consider going beyond the traditional recorded music, the organist or bagpiper, and allow us to suggest harpists, string quartets, vocalists, or other instrumentalists to give your service another special touch.

For most of us, memories are preserved through photographs and other paper images that are representative of the things we’ve done in our lives.  Newspaper clippings, for example, and even ticket stubs from an important event we once attended are saved and stored.  We can arrange all of your special items on a handsome picture board…creating a beautiful collage that brings back memories of days gone by.

These provide a truly touching form of remembrance.  We assemble a display of cherished objects and personal possessions that help to tell the story of the life of your loved one.  One of our personal funeral counselors can make recommendations to help you choose the items that make for the most personal kind of remembrance, and we take care of arranging the objects in the most attractive manner.

Forever preserve your loved one’s obituary in a “bookmark” style keepsake. Photos, prayers, and quotes can also be added to the laminated obituary for further personalization.

There are so many lasting keepsakes available in the form of jewelry so that the memory of a loved one can be cherished forever.  If cremation is chosen, we can arrange for a small portion of the cremated remains to be enclosed in a decorative piece of jewelry or other remembrance item. Another jewelry memento can be created by transferring the fingerprint of the deceased onto a wax mold, which is then used to create an exact 14K gold or sterling silver casting of the print.  This unique charm can be worn on a necklace or bracelet and treasured for generations to come.  Ask us about other meaningful types of remembrance jewelry that honor a lost loved one.  

We provide our own vehicles for the transpiration of the person who has died as well as the immediate family.  For larger funerals, our affiliations with the most professional limousine and livery services in the area allow us to secure limousines and town cars of all sizes.  Perhaps a family member or guest has to be picked up at the airport or an extra car is needed for the services.  Whatever the need, we are happy to assist.  Your convenience is important to us.

When friends and relatives gather at a funeral, they care about only one thing…offering their sympathy and support.  That’s why we try our best to make everyone as comfortable as possible.  Our convenient valet parking service adds to that comfort, especially during times of inclement weather. 

Many families who choose cremation wish to retain the cremated remains as a memorial and tribute to the person who has died.  It is fitting to keep the cremated remains in a container that can become a family heirloom through generations.  It is even more of a tribute to your loved one to select an urn that somehow memorializes a life’s interests, pursuits, and accomplishments. We maintain a complete selection of keepsake and memorial urns, crafted of the richest materials, in designs that represent many aspects of life, including military service, religion, special interests, and professions.  These may be smaller than the traditional urns and purchased additionally.  As you make your plans for the funeral service, ask to see this important collection of beautifully crafted memorial items.

Cherish the memory of your loved one with custom automotive decals.  Made from exterior grade vinyl, this is truly a personal tribute that will last for years.  Celebrate memories with custom decals that can reflect personal interests.

To offer a unique alternative, we work with a local livery company to provide a horse-drawn carriage for transportation to the cemetery for the deceased or for the immediate family.  Arrangements will be made for the horse-drawn carriage to arrive at just the right time before or after the services.  This old-fashioned mode of transportation often provides a peaceful and serene atmosphere during a time of loss.  If any inclement weather should occur, we will provide an alternate method of transportation for your convenience. 

For the families of our nation’s military veterans who are being buried in Arlington National Cemetery, we can arrange to have a special videotape presentation of the annual Veteran’s Day services at Arlington National Cemetery in Washington, D.C.  This moving commemorative video is a tribute and an inspiration to friends and family who might not be able to attend. 

To provide you with unique and dignified forms of commemoration, we have secured access to an advanced process that forms cremated remains into brilliant crystals. Like diamonds, these crystals can be set as a commemorative bracelet, locket, or other piece of fine jewelry. The process used to produce this glittering memorial heirloom is the same as that which creates diamonds.  The cremated remains are subjected to tremendous pressure and become transformed into a gem of dazzling clarity and fire.  It is said that a diamond is forever. These crystals are an alternative to cremation urns or scattering.  The shipment of the cremated remains to the facility is arranged for you so you can select the perfect way to display the finished gem for generations to come.

Our web site offers families the ability to post the story of a life on the World Wide Web, making it available to those who live far from us.  This service allows distant friends and relatives to participate in the mourning process, to write online condolences and recollections, and to say their own farewells to the person who has died.  If desired, the message can be read aloud during the funeral service. 

Combining the brilliance of a diamond with the brilliance of a life. We have secured access to an advanced process that combines the DNA of a loved one with the molecular and atomic structure of a natural diamond.  From just a strand of hair, nail clippings, or cremated remains, we can create an everlasting memory of your loved one in exquisite form.  Your diamond comes complete with a certified Diamond Grading Report, providing information on carat, cut, color, and clarity – all of the information you would expect when purchasing a high quality diamond. We facilitate all arrangements for you to ensure the highest standards of quality.

Our funeral home will provide a “bouquet” of balloons in various colors according to your preferences.  Some families choose elegant white, while others prefer the joy and cheerfulness of a multicolored display.  The balloons are specifically formulated to be safe for the environment, and as they drift gently upward they leave with us an impression and memory that lasts a lifetime.  Our staff will coordinate the release ceremony to occur at just the right time in the service.

At this particularly touching ceremony, butterflies are released into the air, creating clouds of fluttering color that ascend toward the heavens.  The sight of these delicate creatures taking to the air is quite symbolic and it creates a lasting memory for all who witness it.  We are able to coordinate every element to enhance the service. (Seasonal).

Illuminated candles display a certain ambiance that creates a calm and peaceful environment for friends and family. Just as candles are used in many ceremonies, we can also arrange to have candles at the visitation or memorial service that can represent something significant to the family, whether it is a religious, cultural, or sentimental preference.  We welcome all special requests involving our candlelight services and other ceremonies.

It is now possible to break down the hierarchy of the family tree to the smallest molecular particle a person is made up of.  DNA, as original as a fingerprint, provides volumes of medical information.  One last way to preserve a loved one is to imprint their life from their DNA. Procedures to obtain a DNA sample involve collecting a skin sample or drawing a small quantity of blood.  The sample is then packed in a sterile kit and sent to a laboratory where a molecular biologist extracts the DNA.  There it is stored securely at minus 80 degrees.  Results are made available to only those individuals designated prior to one’s death. We are proud to offer this service to you as it is an invaluable source from your loved one that can be passed on the protect future generations.

For millennia, the dove has been the symbol of the human soul.  These elegant birds leap into the sky in a burst of energy and exuberance, reminding us of the soul’s ascent to heaven and the abundant life that blesses each of us.  This is particularly meaningful for a graveside service.  To make this event more beautiful, our staff coordinates the release with the words of the minister or speaker at the ceremony.

We all know what “comfort food” is and it becomes especially important during times of sorrow.  Catering service provides refreshments of all kinds, from coffee and beverage service to sandwiches, cookies, and light fare to full buffet meals. During the visitation or gathering, you might prefer a simple selection of fruits and cheeses.  After the funeral, a shared meal is the perfect way to say farewell and share recollections with friends and family.  Ask about the menu selections.  

As a lasting tribute to your loved one, we can arrange to have custom wristbands personalized for you.  Made popular by a national cancer fundraiser, you too can create a wearable piece, easily shared by family and friends.  These silicone wristbands are lightweight, waterproof and known for durability.  Select a color and design to commemorate your loved one with a versitile keepsake that will last for years.  Ask us about these special remembrance momentos to honor your loved one.

We believe in providing you with several options to personalize and remember your loved one.  One truly invaluable keepsake offered you, is our thumbprint charm.  Let us create a timeless jewelry piece for you with the fingerprint of your loved one on a wax mold.  This is then used to create an exact 14K gold or sterling silver casting of the print.  This can be worn on a neckless or bracelet and treasured for generations to come.  Ask about how we can help keep their memory close to your heart.