Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Funeral Home And Cremation Services Near You In Calgary

Whether someone in your life has recently passed away, or you are considering preplanning for your own funeral and cremation, you may find yourself looking for cremation services and funeral homes near you in Calgary. When you are in need of funeral services, we can help with compassionate support and affordable services.

 

cremation services and funeral homes

Traditionally, a funeral home is where you go for all of your end of life needs. When a death occurs, the body is transferred into the care of the funeral home to prepare the body for viewing. Not every family chooses to have a viewing, but if you do, the funeral home will help you to choose a permanent or rental casket. They will work with you to decide how to dress the body and determine anything special you want to include in the casket during the viewing. If your loved one will be buried, you’ll need a permanent casket. If they will be cremated, you can rent a casket for the viewing and choose a cremation container for the cremation.

After the viewing, or if you forgo one, the funeral home will then help you to decide which final disposition is best for you and your family. You may choose burial and the funeral home can offer information and help to arrange the buirla plot, headstone and other details. If you choose cremation, they will walk you through the steps of cremation, what will happen, how your loved one is cared for and how you will get the cremated remains afterward. You may also choose to view the cremation in our cremation chamber, specially built to accommodate family viewing.

Once the decision is made regarding final disposition, most families will choose to hold a service. There are so many options regarding the type of funeral service you have. You may want to hold a traditional funeral with the body present. The service can be held at the funeral home or a religious venue. There are many options for music, readings, flowers, stationery and much more. A traditional funeral usually has the body present, with a procession to the cemetery, or the body is removed to proceed to the cremation chamber. The funeral attendees will then typically move to a funeral reception. In many cases, the reception is held at the funeral home.

If you choose a less traditional type of funeral service, you’ll likely be planning a memorial service or a celebration of life. These services can range widely in how elaborate they are, how many people are involved and where they are held. The body is usually not present and often the cremated remains are present or a loved one was buried at a time when a service could not be held and it is then held at a later date.

When you need help navigating the many decisions, emotions and planning required for laying your loved one (or yourself) to rest, funeral homes in Calgary can help. Please contact us today.

Monday, March 14, 2022

6 Brilliant Ways to Get A Better Experience At Funeral Homes

When considering funeral homes in Calgary, you’ll want to find the best option available for your needs. In order to get a better experience, it’s important to know what you want, choose wisely and let the team at the funeral homes in Calgary share their expertise with you. In order to do this, you need to find an option that you feel you can trust. 

 

funeral homes in calgary

1.    Determine Your Budget And Needs Ahead Of Time - If you want a better experience at funeral homes in Calgary, you’ll want to start preparing for it before you ever search for or reach out to one. The very first step toward a better experience is determining what your budget is and what you need out of funeral services in Calgary. 

2.    Find The Best Calgary Funeral Home - If you want a better experience, you need to find a better funeral home option. Take your time to find the best funeral homes in Calgary by asking others you know and trust for recommendations. You can also check online to view websites and Google reviews. Reviews from families who have previously used the funeral services in Calgary of the option you are considering are worth their weight in gold. Once you think you’ve found a good option, you’ll want to give them an initial call to see how that goes. If all goes well, you can book a time to visit the location and meet the staff. 

3.    Ask A Lot Of Questions - To get a better experience, be sure to ask a lot of questions so you thoroughly understand your options. You may also find that what you thought you wanted or needed is not necessarily what’s best or doesn’t fall within your budget. You may also find that you can afford much more than you thought. Try to have an open mind about what choices you are going to make (on the more minor details) and ask about any option you think you’d like to narrow down what’s truly right for you.

4.    Trust Their Expertise - It can be challenging to trust in an industry you do not understand very well, but if you’ve chosen a geat funeral home, you likely did so because you felt you could trust their team. Let them share their valuable experience and knowledge with you. They may even be able to pick up on things that you’ll want or don’t need without your realizing it.

5.    Preplan And Prepay - When you plan ahead you will be happier with the results and your family will appreciate the effort. Prepaying gives you the best experience possible because it holds today’s prices and makes the entire process of executing your funeral pretty seamless.

6.    Utilize Post Funeral Resources - Most funeral homes in Calgary will provide support after the funeral. This might be help with paperwork, resources and guidance on what to do next or referrals to grief support counseling. Utilize any of the help offered to get the most out of your payments and o help you move into the next phase of your life.

Consider these tips when you are searching for a Calgary funeral home. They will help you to get a better experience overall.

Monday, January 3, 2022

Learn More About The Cremation Process

 With almost 80% of Calgarians choosing cremation these days, it makes sense that those who are beginning to consider their best choice for disposition want to learn more about the cremation process. You can discuss any questions you may have with your local crematorium but we have also compiled some general information below.


Cremation is a process in which all carbon content is removed from the body by exposing it to extremely high temperatures. The heat consumes all organic matter, leaving behind bone fragments, known as “cremated remains” (also called “ashes”), which are then processed into fine particles, packaged and placed in an urn by your Calgary crematorium.


Choosing cremation only determined how your body is disposed of. You can select a crematorium service to dispose of your body, but also have them support your family with burying your remains, scattering them or taking them home. The crematorium you choose in Calgary will also be able to help your family plan a funeral or memorial service.


It is a common misconception that if you choose cremation in Calgary you cannot have a wake, funeral or other type of service. The opposite it true though and all of these options are available to you. Your body can be present for a visitation and your family can have a service with you present, then proceed to cremation or they can have you cremated first and the urn in attendance at a service or celebration of life.


When your body is collected by the crematorium after you pass away, your family can let them know exactly what type of plans you or they have for honouring your life. The Calgary crematorium will then help you to follow through on those plans.


If a visitation is planned, the crematorium service will offer you rented caskets so the body can be present. You are welcome to purchase one but this is very uncommon since it would be incinerated during the cremation process.


Many cultures prefer to have the body present for a funeral service as well. You crematorium in Calgary will help you to plan the event and some more modern facilities are set up to allow the family to proceed from the funeral service into the cremation chamber to witness the cremation.


Once the cremation in Calgary has taken place, the funeral home or cremtorium will help you to choose the right urn for your loved one. They can also help if you’ve decided to use a cemetery for burying the remains, a columbarium or if you want to scatter the remains in a scattering gardens. Alternately, you may also choose a variety of creative ways to keep the remains such as jewelry, custom urns or something very unique like a coral reef or making the remains into a record or firework.


Whatever you choose, the crematorium can help to oversee the planning and ensure that all goes according to your and your family’s wishes. 


Cremation itself is purely a way to dispose of your body. The options before and after the process are plentiful.


Wednesday, December 15, 2021

Does Location Really Matter When Choosing A Funeral Home?

Choosing a funeral home to work with can be a tricky task. Often there are many of them and they can all seem kind of the same. Typically our best advice is to choose the one that feels most comfortable for you by meeting the funeral director and ensuring you click well with them. After all, they will be working with you during a very emotional and difficult time.


But in many cases it’s really important to also choose a Calgary funeral home by location. We believe that location is definitely an important factor when narrowing down which funeral home in Calgary could work for you. Funeral services take time and effort to plan so you’ll want the location to be close to your home and easy to access.


You also want to consider funeral homes in Calgary that can accommodate your service requests and are close to the church, cemetery or facility you are using. They should also be close to the location where msot of the funeral guests will come from.


Here are several reasons you should consider the location when choosing a Calgary funeral home:


  1. Planning - As mentioned, when you are planning a funeral you may need to go to the funeral homes in Calgary several times to fill out paperwork, drop off information or items and to ensure everything is just right before your funeral guests arrive.


  1. Proximity to Place of Worship - If you will be having the funeral service at a church or other place of worship, you’ll want to ensure that it is located in close prximity to the funeral home. Moving the body during the process of preparing it, holding the service and proceeding to the cemetery or crematorium should all be as simple and seamless as possible.


  1. Proximity to Cemetery or Crematorium - If your loved one will be buried, you want to ensure the funeral homes in Calgary that you consider are in close proximity to the cemetery. If your loved one will be cremated, it is best to choose from one of the funeral homes in Calgary that offer cremation or to choose a funeral home that is nearby the crematorium.


  1. Close for Guests - You’ll want to keep the funeral services in Calgary at a location that is convenient for the majority of those who will attend. That way they can get their more easily and can consider carpooling so they don’t use as much of the funeral homes parking up. Some funeral homes in Calgary have limited parking available. It also allows guests to go home between services or be able to attend a visitation at one time and the funeral service or interment at a later time without needing to drive far away to return home.

Choosing a funeral home is a big decision but we hope these reasons to narrow the selections down by location will help to make your decision easier for you. Find a great funeral home that is close by and offers great service.


Thursday, November 25, 2021

Search Our Obituaries in Calgary - Country Hills Crematorium

An obituary is a detailed look at the life of the deceased and a compilation of relevant facts that people need to know. An obituary includes essential details but it expands on them to provide a more complete look at the deceased's life experiences. Calgary obituaries tend to cover the life and times of those who pass away in our city.


The purpose of an obituary is to notify the public of an individual’s passing and relay the details of the services. It can also review the life of the deceased. The length of an obituary may vary by person and preference, but the length can also be limited by budgetary constraints or the space available in the newspaper. 


If you choose to publish your loved one’s obituary in the newspaper, it would be best to check how much space is available and the pricing options they have because it can become costly very quickly. However, there are newer options available when it comes to obituaries, due to the advent and popularity of the internet. Funeral home websites can often offer a larger space on which to publish your loved one’s obituary. Obituaries should be published a few days before the viewing, funeral or memorial service so people have time to find them and prepare to attend the services. Sometimes this isn’t possible, but if you are searching for the information, a simple Google search will help you determine if it is available online anywhere.


When you are searching for an obituary to find information about someone you know who has died, you can count on Country Hills Crematorium to provide the information you need promptly.


Families who work with us to plan the final disposition and funeral services of their loved ones get access to support with writing an obituary and we are careful to publish the obituaries quickly onto our website so that you can find the information you are searching for soon after discovering that someone has passed away. 


At Country Hills Crematorium, we also provide Calgary obituaries to the family so they can share it on social media and email it to those who would like to review the obituary, gain the funeral service details and to notify others that the passing has taken place.


When you arrive on our website, you’ll find the most recent obituaries on our Home page. You can also select the tab in our navigation menu at the top of the website to find all of our obituaries past and present. You can search for the obituary you are looking for by typing their name into the search bar as well.


When you hear of the passing of someone you know, it may feel like you do not want to burden the family with questions. If you know which funeral home they are working with, you can visit their website and find the obituary that way, provided the funeral home puts them on their site. If you do not know which funeral home, a simple online search should point you in the right direction.


Country Hills Crematorium publishes all Calgary obituaries on our website and strvies to have the information available as soon as possible for you.

Monday, November 15, 2021

Top 5 Services to Look For From Funeral Homes in Calgary

When selecting a Calgary funeral home to plan a current funeral with or to preplan your own arrangements with, you’ll want to consider the services they offer. You want to look at the basics to ensure they even pass the quality check you should hold all funeral homes in Calgary to. These basics include:


  • Facilities for a memorial service or funeral reception

  • Obituary writing services

  • Cremation/burial

  • Arranging musical requests

  • Taking care of floral arrangements 

  • Providing information to friends and family members

  • Dealing with paperwork for burial or cremation

  • Recording donations received

  • Arranging for staff and vehicles for funeral and burial services

  • Accepting donations for specified charities

  • Setting up catered meals at another location following the funeral


You may find that you don’t need all of these services for the funeral you’re planning so it helps to consider these needs and which are most important before you start researching funeral homes in Calgary


The remaining notes are not all necessarily services. Some are important details that will influence the choice you make though.


1. Reputation - It’s very important to select a funeral home with a good reputation. A good funeral home will be with you every step of the way through your planning. While planning a funeral is never easy, the right funeral home will help make the process less stressful. 


To find a funeral home with a good reputation, we recommend that you start by asking for recommendations from friends and family members. Once you’ve gathered a list of recommendations, go online to see what others have to say in their reviews.


2. Religious or Cultural Needs - If you have certain religious or cultural customs that you’d like to observe during the funeral, it’s very important that you check that the funeral home can provide for you. 


If religion is your main concern, then you’ll be pleased to know that there are many Calgary funeral homes these days that cater to specific religious needs. 


3. Location - It’s also very important to consider the location of the funeral home that you choose. 


You’re going to be in frequent communication with the funeral home, so a convenient location can be helpful when making preparations. However, if you plan to have the service and reception at the funeral home, you’ll want to make sure that the location is convenient for the guests. 


4. Price - Of course, price is also a factor you need to consider when choosing a funeral home. Before you start calling funeral homes, lay out a budget. Then, call each home you’re considering to get a price quote. Reputable funeral homes will offer you a breakdown of all of the expenses. 


5. Staff - It’s also very important to choose a funeral home that employs caring staff members. 


Oftentimes, the best way to learn about the staff of a funeral home is to call them directly or visit them in person. When on the phone, pay attention to their demeanor and whether or not they take the time to thoroughly answer your questions. 


When visiting a funeral home in person, make a note if someone greets you right away as well as how the staff interacts with you. As we mentioned at the beginning of this article, a good Calgary funeral home can make things less stressful, respectful and compassionate staff is the foundation of good funeral homes in Calgary.


Friday, November 5, 2021

Choose the Right Place for a Funeral Reception in Calgary

Funeral Reception


After a funeral or memorial service, some families choose to hold a funeral reception. The funeral reception often takes place in a different setting, and it serves as a smaller and more intimate gathering to invite close friends. The post service reception is usually more casual and not tied to strict schedules, making it the perfect setting for family members and friends that are coming from farther away. Planning a funeral reception can also happen with the funeral home you are working with. It really just depends on the preferences of your family on where the right place is to hold it.

If you decide that a funeral home is the best plae to hold your funeral reception, it’s importnat to include this in your criteria when choosing a funeral home in the first place. It is much easier to hold but the service and the reception in the same place. 

When choosing where to hold a funeral reception in Calgary, you’ll want to consider the following and be sure to ask the funeral homes you are considering if they can accommodate your needs effectively.

Provided you’ve done some leg work and have determined that each of your options has a good reputation for taking good care of the families they work with, the biggest consideration will be the onsite services, what they include in their packages and the needs that are most important to you. Ultimately for many families it comes down to costs. Here is how to understand the costs associated with planning a funeral reception and service.

1. Professional Service Fee:

A funeral director and staff’s professional and personal staff services typically include: Transfer from place of death, obtaining a medical certificate of death, completing government forms, registering the death, obtaining necessary permits.

Basic sanitary care of the deceased; embalming, restoration and dressing of the deceased for viewing (if requested); and or as required (e.g. transportation by air). 

Complete personal supervision of all service arrangement details preceding, during and following the services which includes: arrangement conference with family; preparation and placing of an obituary notice, consultation with clergy, cemetery and/or crematorium; arranging and caring for floral tributes.

Use of the funeral home and all necessary facilities including: arrangement office, reception areas, chapel, selection room, preparation room, parking and services areas. Use of all specialized equipment required for either a church, chapel or other types of service. Use of funeral coach and any other vehicles.

Transfer of deceased to crematorium and/or cemetery

2. Merchandise:

The merchandise purchased for a cremation or burial can vary greatly depending on individual preferences and needs. Funeral providers that have containers and caskets on display are required by law to display their lowest price container and casket. They are also required to have a book or brochure illustrating the entire product line of caskets for sale.

    • Cremation Container / Casket.

    • Urn for cremated remains

    • Stationery (memorial book, thank you cards, service folders).

3. Cemetery and/or Crematorium:

Cemetery and crematorium charges may be paid to the funeral provider or directly to the cemetery/crematorium. Regardless, authorization for disposition must still be obtained from the legal representative of the deceased.

4. Indirect Costs (or cash disbursements):

Indirect costs or cash disbursements are sums of money that the funeral provider pays out (advances) on your behalf, for such items or services such as:

    • Obituary notices.

    • Organist, soloist.

    • Flowers.

    • Clergy or officiant honourariums.

Choose a great funeral home to work with and they will be a huge help in planning your funeral reception.

Funeral Home And Cremation Services Near You In Calgary

Whether someone in your life has recently passed away, or you are considering preplanning for your own funeral and cremation, you may find y...