Funeral Services

Smart Ways to Cover the Cost of a Funeral

You probably don’t want to think about it, but at some point, you are going to die and someone's going to have to pay for the funeral.

The attached article from AARP offers some suggestions for covering the costs associated with a cremation/funeral/memorial service.

Consumer Reports - The Last Goodbye: How to Plan a Funeral

A complete guide to giving loved ones the right send-off—from traditional services to new green burials from Consumer Reports.

"Many people are embracing a new model for saying goodbye to family members and other loved ones. Cremation, for instance, is growing in popularity, as are environmentally gentle burials and even at-home funeral services."

"And whether these services are traditional or more unusual, there are now more ways than ever to personalize end-of-life arrangements—and to keep them low-cost."

"The key is making some choices well beforehand, which more people appear to be doing. For instance, according to an April 2024 Consumer Reports nationally representative survey (PDF) of 2,042 adults in the U.S., 50 percent said they planned or intended to plan ahead either for their own funeral or for someone else’s."

Check out this July 2024 article for insights on current trends and costs.

J. Warren Funeral Services - Maricopa

At J. Warren Funeral Services, our purpose is to help you honor your loved one after they've passed away, no matter your personal preference, budget, culture, or religion.

Our family-owned funeral home is ready to help you with a variety of services, including funeral planning, onsite cremation, grief counseling, and more.

Our staff is available in Maricopa, AZ to lessen the burden on your family so that you can focus on celebrating your loved one's life and beginning your grief journey. Contact us with any questions you may have regarding our services.

Heritage Casa Grande Funeral Home and Cremation Society of Arizona

Service Options:

Planning a funeral service can be a very difficult process for families who have just lost a loved one. But it’s important to provide those who are grieving with a supportive environment in which they can begin to find closure, say goodbye, and come to terms with the loss.

Gathering with friends and family gives everyone the opportunity to connect, share memories, offer words of sympathy, and create a lasting network of comfort and support as they start the journey toward healing.

Burial Services

There are different services that you can choose for a loved one’s burial, depending upon your individual needs and preferences:

Immediate burial means that your loved one will be buried or entombed without a public service or gathering.

Visitation, also called a viewing, wake, or calling hours, allows family and friends to gather in a room with the departed loved one in an open or closed casket and say goodbye or offer their support and sympathy to the bereaved.

Funeral or memorial services can take place at a funeral home, in a church, or even at your home. The service is a ceremony which serves to celebrate, honor, and remember the life of the deceased. Whether traditional or unique, both the visitation and the funeral service can be personalized to reflect the individuality of your loved one.

Graveside, chapel, or committal services are held at the cemetery, and allow family and friends to be present as their loved one is transferred to his or her final disposition through ground burial.

Cremation Services

The biggest misconception about cremation is that there can't be a funeral service or visitation. This is absolutely not the case, and we encourage you to consider holding a memorial service to celebrate the life of the deceased as well. There are many options open to you when it comes to honoring your loved one's life. After the cremation and memorial services, there are a variety of choices for your loved one's final disposition:

Interment means that you'll bury or entomb your loved one's cremated remains. This can be in a family plot, a memorial site, a cremation niche or urn garden, or in a variety of other indoor and outdoor locations. Ask our staff for a detailed list of interment possibilities.

Graveside services are similar to those celebrated alongside a traditional ground burial, in which loved ones are present at the burial of the cremated remains and honor the deceased through memorial prayers or other meaningful tributes.

Scattering allows you to spread your loved one's cremated remains in a memorial garden, a cemetery, over water, or across any other meaningful site. You also can choose to scatter some of the cremated remains and retain the rest in an urn for interment or another form of disposition.

Placing cremated remains in multiple urns allows family members who are separated by distance to each feel the comfort of having their loved one's final resting place in a nearby location.

Green Burial Services:

For those who want to be more environmentally friendly with their end-of-life decisions, we offer green burial options. This way, you can honor your loved one’s life while reducing their environmental impact. A green burial service may be right for your loved one if they were an avid nature lover, worked in an environmental science field, or were passionate about living an eco-friendly lifestyle.

To learn more about our green burial options, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Information on Planning Your Own Funeral

AARP has published a number of articles on funerals. This article provides information on how to plan for your own funeral in advance.

Help Your Family Plan Your Funeral Far in Advance

Make life easier for your family by gathering information and providing them with your preferences before you die. Notes on what you would like included in your obituary or at your service can make this difficult time much easier for your loved ones.

Shopping for Funeral Services by Phone or Online

"When a loved one dies, family members and friends often need to make decisions about a funeral quickly and under emotional stress. If your loved one dies in another state, or you can’t meet in person for any reason, you may need to plan a funeral by phone or online. Here are some steps to help you make arrangements at a distance."

Contents include:

• Learn About Funeral Homes in the Area
• Call Funeral Homes and Ask for Information
• Before You Accept the Arrangements, Ask for a Written Statement
• Get More Information
• Report Problems

To check out this information, visit this website from the Federal Trade Commission:

What to do When a Loved One Dies

AARP provides a checklist of the tasks that must be considered and completed when a loved one dies.

Veterans' Burial Benefits: A Comprehensive Guide

This guide is a very comprehensive compendium of burial resources and benefits for veterans prepared by AFTERALL.

AFTERALL™ is the trade name of a network of licensed funeral, cremation, and cemetery providers associated with the Foundation Partners Group, LLC. - copyright 2024, all rights reserved.

A great resource for questions and explanations of burial rights and support for veterans.