Traditional Funeral Service A traditional funeral service is a type of service that a particular family, ethnic, or religious group has established as being compatible with its beliefs and traditions. A traditional funeral service may include several common elements. A gathering of relatives and friends is held at a church or the funeral home, most often, with the casketed body present. The casket may be open or closed, which is entirely the decision of the family. There is generally a defined order of service. The service is often followed by the burial in a cemetery, but in some cases, may be followed by cremation. The service is normally organized by custom, tradition, or religious law to provide structure for the mourning and grief process, and speaks about the death and loss. The traditional service usually does have a time limit, but is also flexible to meet the individual needs of the survivors. Traditional services are group-centered, with family, friends, and members of the community of the deceased invited to participate. A wide range of services from simple to elaborate, are available. Regardless of the type of funeral service, acknowledging the death of a loved one can be important to the future adjustment of the survivors. Service Followed by Cremation When choosing cremation, there are several decisions that need to be considered. Will there be a service for viewing the deceased before cremation? A visitation can be arranged with a funeral home just as they are for traditional services. Embalming is necessary if the deceased will be viewed. A casket that is made specifically for cremation can be purchased. The viewing and service are held as in the traditional service and then the deceased is taken to the crematory instead of a cemetery. Direct Cremation A direct cremation option would be for the deceased to be taken to the crematory without being viewed. There would be no embalming and no casket purchase necessary. Cremation can be considered as an end in itself, with no specific laws made for the disposition of cremated remains after the process is complete. The Roman Catholic Church does require the cremated remains to be buried in a consecrated ground. Nevertheless, most families feel the remains should have a final resting place that can be identified with names and dates. This would be called memorialization. Many urns are available for permanent containment of the cremated remains. Any one of our family members would be happy to explain the many options available to families who choose cremation. Veteran's Service The Donohue Funeral Home offers: Specialized Merchandise Service for U.S. Veterans Assistance with all Veteran matters: ordering VA flags, filing of claims, notification Pre-need Service We offer Forethought Funeral Planning to our families we serve. It is a way  to complete funeral arrangements so your family won't have to make all of those decisions. It's not difficult to do. Even the name Forethought says that this is a sensible and responsible plan, the one that reflects your precise desires. For a free no cost obligation consultation, call us at 1-800-DONOHUE. Aftercare Service Many people are in a state of disbelief immediately after a death. Once the funeral is past, a sense of reality begins to return, and you are confronted with a myriad of tasks. Acknowledging the support and expressions of sympathy received, arranging for the grave monument, and turning to the many business and legal aspects of settling the estate are just a few of the many details to be taken care of. While it is important to take care of all of these activities, it is even more important at this time to take care of yourself. We have designed a booklet to guide you through the period immediately following your loss. The subjects covered are varied and numerous— how to change a title, insurance, veterans benefits and much more. There are sections designed to help you understand the grieving process and the programs that we at The Donohue Funeral Homes, Inc. have to offer you and your family. Information about who you should call, if you need help in any area, can be found throughout this Guide. This service is available to anyone in the community just by calling us to schedule an appointment at 1-800-DONOHUE.