Only you can answer that question. The type of service conducted for the deceased, if not noted in a preplan, is decided by the family. The service is usually held at a place of worship or at the funeral home. The service may vary in ritual according to religious denomination or the wishes of the family. The presence of friends at this time is an acknowledgment of friendship and support. A private service is by invitation only where selected relatives and a few close friends attend the funeral service. A memorial service is usually a service without the body present and can vary in ceremony and procedures according to the family's community and religious affiliations.

Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body, retards the decomposition process, and enhances the appearance of a body disfigured by traumatic death or illness. It makes it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final disposition, thus allowing family members time to arrange and participate in the type of service most comforting to them. Embalming the body enables mourners to view the deceased if they wish. The emotional benefits of viewing the deceased are enormous, particularly to those having difficulty dealing with the death.

Except in certain special cases, embalming is not required by law. But, certain factors of time, health and possible legal requirements might make embalming either appropriate or necessary. For example, embalming may be necessary if you select certain funeral arrangements such as a funeral with viewing or when a cemetery requires embalming before entombment. Pennsylvania rules and regulations number 13.211A requires that any human remains held 24 hours beyond death be embalmed or sealed in a hermetically sealed container that will not allow fumes or odors to escape or shall be kept under refrigeration provided, however, that this does not conflict with any religious beliefs or medical examinations.

No, cremation is an alternative to earth burial or entombment for the body's final disposition and often follows a traditional funeral service. We can assist you with the necessary information for a funeral with a cremation following or a memorial service.

At Jefferson Memorial, memorialization means having a final resting where the mortal remains of someone important to us are interred and will be visited and remembered. Cremation, like traditional burial, should not be considered an end, but a beginning, as the first step in the process to create a lasting tribute and a place of honor for the present generation to pass on your story to the next generation.

Yes. Cremation does not preclude having a visitation period and a funeral service. Cremation is simply one option for final disposition of the body.

The biggest regret we hear from families about cremation services is that they did not hold a funeral service or visitation - there was no final goodbye. When you choose any cremation service, we encourage you to consider holding a memorial service and choose a final resting place.

Never. Not only is it illegal to do so, most modern cremation chambers are not of sufficient size to accommodate more than one adult. Thus it would be a practical impossibility to conduct multiple cremations simultaneously.

The Federal Trade Commission General Price List Format has been required to be used by all funeral homes in the United States since 1994. It affords the consumer the opportunity to compare prices easily since every funeral provider must present their pricing in the same way. A copy of our complete General Price List is available at the Funeral Home.

Other than the family, there are veteran, union, and other organizational benefits to pay for funerals. Most funeral directors are aware of the various benefits and know how to obtain them for the indigent. However, funeral directors often absorb costs above and beyond what is provided by agencies to insure the deceased a respectable burial.

Identification Viewing means a brief, non-public viewing of the deceased by the next of kin or responsible party to identify the remains. Cremation laws are very strict when it comes to positive identification of the deceased. Jefferson Memorial asks each and every family to provide positive identification of the deceased before any burial, entombment or cremation as required by Pennsylvania law.

Cash advances are third party items that are requested by families when making funeral arrangements in which the funeral home is advancing payment to the vendor on behalf of the family. Examples of cash advances are newspaper obituaries, death certificates, cremation permits, floral arrangements, clergy honorariums, and cemetery or crematory fees.

Families often choose to make their pre-planned funeral arrangements irrevocable to ensure that they turn countable assets into noncountable assets for Medicaid eligibility purposes. Not only can an irrevocable funeral contract be purchased for the Medicaid applicant, but also for immediate relatives such as spouses and children, further allowing “spend down” of countable assets. Each county in Pennsylvania has specifications as to how much may be set aside for funeral expenses. Some people also make their arrangements irrevocable to ensure that after their death, their family cannot change the type of service that was requested.