Traditional Funeral Ceremonies

Offering Traditional Funerals, Visitations, and Viewings

It has become commonplace to say that funerals are for the living, but here at Kerr Brothers Funeral Home, we believe it's true.

It is often the dying who say things like there is no need for family and friends to view them in the casket or to have any funeral ceremony at all. Oft times, they say this because they don't want their death to be upsetting or to cause pain.

But death is a fact of life that brings pain that must be dealt with, and a funeral addresses many of the emotional needs that follow the loss of a loved one and our abruptly altered lives.

A funeral ceremony marks that a death has occurred and commemorates a life lived. It also offers family and friends the opportunity to come together, pay tribute to someone they love, and experience closure.

Viewing the Dead Can Be Emotionally Healing

Of course, it's not unusual to cry when you look at the deceased, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing. As a famous writer once said, "Not all tears are an evil."

Although it may be tempting to avoid the pain of seeing the deceased by opting for a cremation or a closed-casket ceremony, many mental health professionals say that a viewing and the attendant emotions are a healthy part of working through our grief.

The choice is up to you, but please consider that you or other members of your circle may feel a great amount of relief when seeing the deceased looking much better than he or she did during the last days of a critical illness.

Visitations Allow Many People to Take Part in Your Loss

Visitations, usually held in the afternoon or evening before the funeral ceremony, allow people who work to pay their respects and support the family of the deceased.

Visitations are also less formal than the funeral itself, which may appeal to those who do not want to deal with the emotional toll of a ceremony or feel they are not part of your inner circle but still want to show they care.