Monthly Archives: March 2021

Memorial Services Can Help

Any kind of service will offer benefits to the bereaved. It doesn’t matter if it’s a large and extravagant funeral or celebration of life, or a small and simple memorial service after a cremation. That’s why, whether it’s a funeral, memorial after a cremation service in Oakland, CA or celebration of life, everyone should take the time to remember and honor the passing of a loved one.

The service can be whatever you want and need it to be, with whatever kind of tradition or personalization you’d like because any kind of service can offer benefits like:

They Bring People Together – The saying is true: people do need people. This is never truer when people are going through a loss. Honoring a lost loved one with a service brings people together to so they can grieve alongside one another and show how the deceased positively impacted their lives in positive and memorable ways.
They Offer a Chance for Closure – Losing a loved one send you on a rollercoaster of emotions that can be incredibly overwhelming and painful. A service, however, allows you to feel those feelings in a safe space and find closure. This way, you can better transition into a new life after the loss that moves on from a physical relationship with the deceased to a spiritual and emotional one.
They Allow You to Celebrate a Life Well Lived – Almost every human being gathers with family to celebrate life milestones. A memorial or funeral service is no exception, as death is certainly a major milestone. While a loss is certainly sad, the service can allow the bereaved to celebrate their lost loved one’s amazing life. Instead of simply mourning the loss, a service helps families celebrate a life filled with happiness, love and wonderful memories. Plus, services give friends and family members a chance to share stories that can be passed down from generation to generation to keep the deceased’s legacy alive.
They Provide Time to Say Goodbye – A service of any kind gives the bereaved a chance to formally say goodbye to their lost loved one. This might seem trivial but being able to say your final goodbyes among loved ones and friends is a vital step in the grieving and healing process so you can begin to move forward. In fact, studies have shown that the ritual of saying goodbye at a service plays an important role in healing.

Remember, no matter how big or small, simple or extravagant the service is, it’s incredibly beneficial to everyone that attends – especially the bereaved.

Are you looking to say goodbye to and honor your lost loved one with a service? Deer Creek Funeral Service is here to help. We offer a wide range of Oakland, CA cremation services and more with the goal of helping people like you remember and honor their lost loved ones. Stop by and visit us or give us a call today to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

Dealing with an Unexpected Loss

How can you get through a sudden, unexpected pain and loss? Losing a loved one and planning a service at a funeral home in Oakland, CA is always hard, but it’s especially challenging when that loss is sudden and unexpected.

While everyone’s grief journey is different in both presentation and length and no one can truly understand someone else’s pain, there are certain thing you can do to make a sudden bereavement easier. Here are some helpful tips for dealing with the sudden death of a loved one.

To begin, spend time with others. It can be so easy to withdraw from friends, coworkers and family after going through a loss. However, talking and spending time with other people can be a big help. Not only is being around other people comforting, but it can help make your grief more manageable. It does this through allowing you to share your feelings which in turn can help you come to terms with your loss. It also accomplishes this by giving you space to reminisce and receive emotional support.

Next, try and get back into your regular routine. It might seem impossible, but life will go on after you lose a loved one. As tough as it might be, getting back to your everyday routines can help relieve your grief. Go back to work if you feel ready. If not, try and continue your normal morning and evening routines. Hold family dinners, take the kids to school, and don’t be afraid to acknowledge how these routines have changed because of the loss.

Also, everyone who experiences a sudden loss will most likely also experience a whirlwind of emotions from anger and shock to disbelief, guilt and sadness. These tough emotions won’t follow a certain timeline as everyone grieves at their own pace. Therefore, it’s important to be prepared to endure difficult feelings for an undetermined amount of time. Being aware of that fact will make dealing with the situation simpler, if not easier.

It’s natural for people to want to help when someone they know is going through a loss. While you might not feel up to interacting with others, it’s probably true that you will need that help. From meals and assistance with household chores to help planning services, help is necessary when you’re going through a loss. Don’t be embarrassed or afraid to accept it. Also, don’t be embarrassed to seek out help when you need it.

Finally, seeking professional help for dealing with the psychological and physical symptoms of grief is not only often incredibly beneficial but it’s also often necessary. When a loved one dies suddenly, it can be a traumatic experience like getting in a severe car accident or spending time in a war zone. There isn’t shame in a veteran or car accident survivor getting help, so why would there be in someone going through a loss getting help?

Do you want more information on grief or on Oakland, CA funeral homes? Deer Creek Funeral Service is here for you, so call or visit us today to learn more.

Memorials After Cremation Services Begin the Healing Process

Memorial and funeral services are intended to preserve the memory, celebrate, and share the life of the deceased in a healing, healthy way. Planning a memorial after a cremation service in Oakland, CA or at some other location, is one of the best ways that the bereaved can not only say goodbye to their lost loved one but also so they can begin the healing process.

How can planning a service help?

One of the best things about our modern world is that traditions aren’t as rigid as they once were. This means that you can make a service for your lost loved one whatever you want it to be. You have the flexibility and freedom of choice necessary to honor your lost loved one in a way that’s just as unique as they were. The following are just some suggestions for planning a service, so feel free to go in a different direction if it’s what you feel is best.

The first step in planning a service is choosing a location. This can be a funeral home, cemetery, church or any other location that has meaning to you and your family. Some popular service locations include funeral homes, beaches, lakes, backyards, churches, golf courses, restaurants, and even local parks.

Whatever location you choose, just be sure that it can fit the desired number of attendees and that is has the necessary amenities to meet your needs, from electricity and microphones to bathrooms and chairs. You also need to consider music. Music is very important when it comes to services. Take some time to think about what kind of music will be best for your service and what kind of music will best reflect the deceased.

Don’t forget about the guest list. You can host a service of any size, from an intimate moment with close family to a large event with the entire community in attendance. Just be sure you take some time to consider the space you choose and how many people will fit. What about multimedia presentations? Our modern world has afforded us the benefits of technology, including multimedia presentations that can share memories of your lost loved one. Plus, these presentations are wonderful ways to preserve all your favorite memories in one simple place. Put together a presentation with photos, video clips, and music. And finally, think about guest participation. Guests don’t have to be simply attendees – they can also participate in the service by doing things like telling stories about the deceased, lighting candles, scattering ashes, or helping to release doves or butterflies.

These are just a few tips to get you started on planning a healing service. Remember, every person is different and therefore every service can be different, too. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box to honor your lost loved one.

Do you want more tips or information on Oakland, CA cremation services? Deer Creek Funeral Service is here for you. Stop by and visit us or give us a call today to learn more about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

Celebrations of Life at Funeral Homes

Most people have been to a traditional funeral at a funeral home in Oakland, CA, but celebrations of life are non-traditional services that, rather than mourning a loss, remember and celebrate a life well lived. They give attendees a chance to say goodbye by sharing stories and memories and then laughing and smiling about those stories rather than crying over them.

Since celebrations of life aren’t rooted in long traditions, they can be whatever the bereaved and the deceased want. The best thing about celebrations of life? They have no rules at all. They can be whatever you want them to be! Unless, of course, the deceased left specific instructions for their service.

But if there are no rules, how do you go about planning one? Where do you start? Here are some tips to help you plan a celebration of life. Start with the guest list. Who do you want to invite? Keep the guest list small if you want an intimate celebration or open it up to the whole community if you want a large celebration. Once you have a rough idea of how many people are going to attend you can start to choose a location. Some celebrations of life are held at traditional places like churches, funeral homes, and banquet halls, but others are held at much more unique locales.

Don’t be afraid to think outside the box: campfires in the woods, dinners at restaurants, services in a field, or even just a backyard barbeque. Next, think about the service itself. You also need to do some planning for how you will honor and celebrate your lost loved one. Generally, celebrations of life have some kind of officiant or MC that leads the group in memories, speaks about the life of the deceased, and ushers the ceremony along.

However, you can also have a more informal ceremony without a specific leader. If you go this route, consider passing out programs so guests know what to expect, where to be, and what to do. What about activities? A celebration of life can be full of a range of activities to help remember and honor the deceased. Some common activities are scrapbooks or memory boards, reading the deceased’s favorite literature or listening to their favorite music, watching memorial tribute videos, and eating the deceased’s favorite foods. Remember, a celebration of life is a celebration. As such, it should be uplifting and fun. Don’t shy away from good fun, drinks, and even decorations like balloons and streamers. They are interesting, unique and heartwarming ways to celebrate lives.

Deer Creek Funeral Service is here to help if you want more tips on planning celebrations of life or on Oakland, CA funeral homes. We are honored to do to however we can in your time of loss and celebration of a life well lived. Call or visit us today. After all, while there’s nothing wrong about being comforted in tradition, there is something to be said for going a different route: a celebration of life.

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