Ever since the beginning of civilization, the custom of caring for the deceased, honoring a life passed, and supporting those who mourn has been at the core of our humanity. From the beginning of time, funeral service rituals were truly for the living giving those left behind an opportunity to grieve, accept the loss, and find closure. Even today, it is an important part of the healing process.

Deciding how you would like to remember and honor your loved one is really a personal choice. With so many options available, you can customize a fitting tribute that reflects the life and passions of your loved one. Today, funeral and memorial services can be as varied as the individual they represent. That’s why we take time with each family we serve to get to know their loved one so that we can help them plan a fitting tribute to someone special in their life.

No matter how you choose to remember, you have many options when planning a service, including:

Type of Service

• Visitation

• Memorial Service

• Graveside Service

• Chapel Service

• Church Service

• Committal Service

• Special Gatherings

Time and Place

A funeral or memorial service can take place at any time and can usually be held in the location of your choosing. A service can be held, not only immediately following a death, but also at a later designated date or as an annual event of remembrance.

Personalized Services

Funeral and memorial services may be as varied as the individual they represent and are most meaningful when they provide an understanding of that person's special life. A funeral can be as simple or elaborate as you wish. The things that had meaning to your loved one will also give meaning to the people who attend the service. Sharing memories with others can be as simple as playing a special song or telling a personal story. It might also involve displaying photos or items from a favorite hobby. Your funeral arranger will work with you to help plan a funeral, memorial service, or gathering that reflects your family's wishes and honors and captures the spirit of the person who was so special to you. Read more...

Disclaimer: The photos on this page are examples of what you will find at most cemeteries and might not accurately reflect the cemeteries in our area.

Today, there are many types of unique and personalized interment options to fit individual or family needs and preferences. Our trained counselors will be happy to provide additional details on any of the following options, or to answer any questions you may have.

Traditional Ground Burial | Cremation

Traditional Ground Burial

Traditional ground burial provides a wide variety of choices, and allows for personal preference by offering individual locations within featured gardens and special areas. With traditional ground burial, costs are flexible and there are plans to meet most any budget. In addition, many personalization and memorialization selections are available, allowing families to personalize loved ones' gravesites through a wide range of memorial options.

Family Estate

Family estate sections allow family members to be together in a shared area, often bordered by special landscaping or architectural elements. Family estates are a wonderful way to preserve family heritage and maintain a historical resting place for future generations.

Upright Memorials

Upright memorials have long been considered a prestigious and personal form of memorialization and are a popular choice for many individuals. These memorials come in many different materials and sizes and can be as simple or elaborate as you choose.

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Cremation

Cremation is a growing choice in our country and one that is widely accepted within many religions. When a body is cremated, it is reduced to its natural elements, quickly and without chemicals. A variety of disposition options is available for those who choose cremation, including ground burial, cremation benches, urns, cremation niches, columbariums, and scattering gardens. Cremation also relieves stressful time factors, since the process allows services to be conducted at any time. Visit the Countryside Crematory page, it is the only locally owned and operated Crematory. This ensures the trust and security of the handling of you or your loved one.

Cremation Benches

Cremation benches are the perfect tribute in a peaceful outdoor setting. There are many designs that represent a wonderful way to commemorate the life of a loved one.

Bronze Cremorials

Bronze Cremorials are designed especially for families or individuals who prefer ground burial even when the option of cremation is chosen. An urn fits directly into the tamper-proof bronze memorial.

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You and your family must make many decisions and gather numerous facts and documents when a death occurs. We realize this is a very difficult time and want you to know we are here to help. Following is some information we hope you find helpful as you take care of your loved one's final arrangements.

Notification of the Proper Authorities

When a death occurs in a care facility, such as a hospital or nursing home, the professional staff will notify you and the necessary authorities. If a loved one was in the care of a hospice program, a hospice representative may give family members instructions and procedures to follow. In other situations, such as when a death occurs at home or in the workplace, a family member or co-worker should contact emergency personnel and the person's physician if he or she was under a doctor's care.

In those first few hours...

• One of the first phone calls you will need to make is to the funeral home you will entrust with the care of your loved one. Funeral arrangers are experienced professionals who can provide information and guidance.

• Call or contact other family members and friends.

• Call clergy or other spiritual advisors.

• If your loved one wanted to be an organ donor, inform the hospital staff or the organization to receive the donations.

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The Death Certificate

A death certificate is a legal document signed by the attending physician indicating the cause of death and other vital statistics pertaining to the decedent. If your loved one died in an accident, the county medical examiner or coroner may prepare the form. The funeral arranger can help you prepare and file the death certificate with the state and assist you with purchasing certified copies. Certified copies are needed to apply for benefits due the family, to sell or transfer ownership of property, to gain access to safety deposit boxes and bank accounts and to receive Veteran's benefits. Additional copies may be ordered at any time directly from the county or state agency responsible for vital statistics.

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First Call to the Funeral Home

The first call to the funeral home lets the funeral arranger know that a death has occurred. While you may ask the arranger any questions at this time, you will be able to discuss the arrangements in detail later when you meet in person. During this initial call, the funeral arranger will gather information to be able to transport your loved one to the funeral home. The funeral arranger may ask you several questions, including whether your loved one made any prearrangements and whether you give your permission to embalm the decedent, if necessary. The arranger will schedule a date and time for you to meet at the funeral home and will let you know what you should bring with you. (A checklist of items is provided in the next section.)

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First Visit to the Funeral Home

When you visit the funeral home, the funeral arranger will provide you with price lists and guide you through the entire arrangement process, explaining how you can create a memorable personal celebration of your loved one's life. The arrangement process may include preparing and filing the official death certificate; scheduling the location, date and time of services or events; selecting a casket, urn or other items; preparing an obituary notice; scheduling vehicles; and selecting pallbearers. You may also sign necessary authorizations or make arrangements to have them signed by the appropriate family members. Click here to fill out a prearrangement form.

Feel free to bring any photos, music or memorabilia so that you and your funeral arranger can discuss how you would like your loved one to be remembered. More and more people today choose to personalize the funeral services they plan for their loved ones. A favorite song, a favorite gathering place, even a favorite activity can all become part of the service. Our funeral arrangers will listen and assist you in planning a loving tribute that captures the spirit of the person whose life you wish to honor. To learn more about personalizing the service, please read the “Personalization” section of this Web site. The funeral arranger will discuss personalization with you during your arrangement conference. Click here to see a list of frequently asked questions.

The following checklist will help you remember what information about the decedent and items will be needed when meeting with a funeral arranger.

• Full legal name

• Home address

• Social Security number

• Date of birth

• Place of birth

• Father's name

• Mother's maiden name

• Veteran's discharge papers (DD-214)

• Recent photograph

• Highest education

• Occupation

• Place of burial (if applicable)

• Clothing

• Clergy name and phone number

• Survivors (name and relationship)

• Insurance policies (if applicable)

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Burial and Cremation Arrangements

If you choose interment, you will need to select a grave space, lawn crypt or mausoleum space and will want to choose a memorial or monument. There will be a professional service fee for the interment.

If you choose cremation, remember that you can plan a visitation and funeral ceremony to be held before the cremation. Another option is a memorial service to be held after the cremation with the urn present and/or a display of photos and other items that illustrate the life of your loved one. You also have memorialization options at the cemetery, including permanent placement of cremated remains. Your funeral arranger or cemetery family service counselor can explain all of the options available to you.

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Commonly Used Terms

• Columbarium

  A structure consisting of small vaults or niches for urns containing cremated remains.

• Committal service

  The ceremony at the gravesite following a funeral ceremony or gathering in a church, chapel or other location.

• Entombment

  The interment of human remains in an above-ground crypt or mausoleum.

• Interment

  The placing of remains into their final resting place, such as the ground, a tomb, crypt or niche, etc.

• Inurnment

  The placing of an urn containing cremated remains into a columbarium, niche, crypt, tomb or ground space.

• Memorial

  Any item, other than a mausoleum or columbarium, used for identifying an interment space or for commemoration of the life of a decedent, including, but not limited to, a monument, marker, niche plate, urn garden plaque, crypt plate, cenotaph, marker bench and vase.

• Niche

  A compartment or cubicle for the memorialization and permanent placement of cremated remains.

• Outer burial container

  Any container which is designed for placement in the grave around the casket including, but not limited to, containers commonly known as burial vaults, grave boxes and grave liners.

• Professional service fee

  The fee charged for making an interment including, but not limited to, administrative, clerical, legal and mechanical services performed by the cemetery in conjunction with the opening of an interment space in preparation for the interment of human remains and the subsequent closing of the interment space after the interment has been performed.

• Urn

  A container made from a variety of materials including, but not limited to, bronze, ceramic, glass, porcelain, wood or other materials, into which cremated remains are placed. Many are designed in traditional vase-like shapes or square and rectangular cubes.

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