The  value of a traditional funeral service can be measured in many areas. The death of a loved one is a difficult time for the family and friends left behind.
    The traditional service provides a chance for those left behind to gather to express their love and respect for the deceased. It also provides a chance to share in the grieving process, which is essential to adjusting to the loss of the loved one.
    The traditional service includes the Visitation, the Funeral Service, and the Burial Service.
    The Visitation provides a chance for family and friends to gather to express love and respect and to share grief in the presence of the body. It helps provide a point of closure, which is an emotional necessity for those left behind. It can be public or private, and the number of days and hours of visitation vary according to religion and local customs and are determined by the family.
    There are many options available for the Funeral Service, beginning with location. The service can be held at our facility, at the appropriate church or synagogue, or at any other appropriate location chosen by the family. The service usually includes the reading of certain prayers or religious passages as well as a eulogy or other tribute read by a close friend or relative.
    The traditional service concludes with a brief graveside ceremony followed by the burial.

Traditional Service

    A graveside service, sometimes referred to as a direct burial is another available option when choosing the final disposition of the body.
    A graveside service is similar to the traditional service, in that there is a short service conducted at the gravesite that is attended by the friends and family of the deceased. Families who choose this option forego the visitation and funeral service portions of the traditional service.
    There are several reasons for choosing this option. It is an alternative to cremation for those who don't wish to be viewed during a visitation service. Some smaller families who may not have many living relatives may not have a need for visitation and choose this option. It is also a cost saving option available to those in need.

Graveside Service

     Cremation is another option when choosing the final disposition of the body. Cremation is gaining widespread popularity for it's many economical and ecological advantages.
     When choosing cremation, there are three basic services available which could include an unlimited amount of options.
     The three basic services include a Traditional Service followed by Cremation, Cremation with a Memorial Service, and Direct Cremation.
     The first service is a traditional service inlcuding visitation at the funeral home, a funeral service and a graveside service, after which, the body is cremated.
     The second service involves cremation of the body followed by a ceremony celebrating the life of the deceased at a later time. This ceremony can be held at the funeral home, a house of worship, or other location deemed appropriate by the family and can include visitation for family and friends. Private ceremonies can also be arranged. If a traditional viewing is not desired, in most cases arrangements can be made for the family to view the deceased before cremation.
     The third option is direct cremation. When choosing this option, the deceased is cremated without any viewing or ceremony and the remians are returned to the family.

Cremation

Preplanning is another service offered by Daniel J. Hughes Funeral & Cremation Services. Preplanning is a great idea for many reasons. First and foremost, it takes the burden off of your family during their difficult time. Most try not to be a burden during their time of living, but usually don't like to think of their time of death. Preplanning allows you to take care of every detail in advance so that your loved ones can better use their time together during your loss to grieve and heal.
    Preplanning arrangements can be made at any time during a personal meeting either at our home or yours. During the meeting, you can plan every detail of your funeral. Choice as basic as burial or cremation and as detailed as the make and model of casket, type of urn, color of clothing, etc. can be detailed. Preplanning is a very responsible choice and its popularity is ever-growing for obvious reasons.
    With preplanning also comes the option of prepaying for your funeral. While not required, prepaying can be a very cost-effective method of financing your funeral. There are several options available when prepaying. These can all be discussed during the pre-planning meeting. For more info please contact us for a personal consultation.

Preplanning

As always, our goal at Daniel J. Hughes Funeral & Cremation Services is to provide the most personal service possible. To this end, we make every effort to offer the most personal, unique services available to each family.
     All of our services are fully flexible to meet the needs and desires of the family. We encourage each family to inquire about introducing any effects or possessions of the deceased into the viewing and other memorial services to make it a more personal experience for all involved.
     Just a few examples are memorial easels set up during viewing to display photos to the deceased, displaying certain favorite items relating to hobbies of the deceased, displaying a favorite automobille or actually using it to transport the deceased or their family members during the ceremony are all things that have been done in the past. We try to work with each family to make their experience as unique as the individual they are mourning. Your options are basically limited only to your or the deceased's imagination.

Personalized Service

We can also arrange for:
 

• preparation and transportation of human remains nationwide and worldwide

• out of town death certificates

• out of town obituaries

• notification of decedent's clergy, if none, help to provide clergy

• after funeral delivery of floral tributes

• hairdresser services

• chairs sent to family home, if requested     

• cemetery notification for grave opening and closing

• help in arranging for after funeral gathering

• assistance in ordering floral arrangements

• notification of death to Social Security Administration and potential benefits.

• assistance in completing and filing Veteran's Benefits Applications

• assistance in completing and filing Life Insurance/Pension Policies

Additional Services