HOME  | PRODUCT INFO | ORDER  | SAMPLES | GLOSSARY | COMMENTS  | CONTACT US   

Copyright © 2005 [Readsome Books].  All rights reserved. Last Modified 09/19/2005 06:30

Funeral Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z  

   HOME     O.D.P.

"I wish I had this to read before my wife's funeral..."T. Smith

" ... It is weighted just right!" C. Peel

"... The information was presented in a helpful and realistic manner..." L. Mann

ARRANGEMENT ROOM - A room of the funeral home used to make the necessary funeral arrangements with the family of the deceased.

BENEDICTION - An invocation of divine blessing, usually at the end of a church service.

BEREAVED - (N) The immediate family of the deceased. (V) suffering from grief upon the death of a loved one.

BURIAL - Placing of a dead body in an underground chamber - earth burial- interment

BURIAL CERTIFICATE OR PERMIT - A legal paper issued by the local government authorizing burial. The permit may authorize earth burial or cremation or removal to a distant point.

BURIAL GARMENTS - Wearing apparel made especially for the dead.

BURIAL VAULT - A boxlike container for holding a casket for earth burial; the more substantial vault or a liner is required by most cemeteries to prevent the collapse of a grave after burial.

CASKET - A receptacle of wood, metal or plastic into which the dead human body is placed for burial. Sometimes referred to as "coffin" or "burial case"

CASKET COACH - Hearse - A motor coach designed and used for the conveyance of the casketed remains from the place the funeral service is conducted to the cemetery. Also known as a Funeral Coach.

CASKET SPRAY - An arrangement of flowers that adorns the casket of the deceased.

CERTIFIED DEATH CERTIFICATE - A legalized copy of the original certificate, issued upon request by the local government for the purpose of substantiating various claims by the family of the deceased such as insurance and other death benefits.

CHAPEL - A large room of the funeral home in which the farewell service is held.

COFFIN - A wedge shaped burial case, usually eight- sided.

COLUMBARIUM - A structure of vaults lined with recesses for urns containing cremated remains.

COMMITTAL SERVICE - The final portion of the funeral service at which time the deceased is interred or entombed.

CONTAINER - A pressboard or fiberboard box the size of a casket usually used for immediate/direct cremations; alternative container.

CORTEGE - The funeral procession.

CREMAINS - The remains of a body after cremation; cremated remains.

CREMATION - A process which reduces the body by heat to small bone fragments. When the fragments are pulverized, they are reduced to the consistency of coarse sand or crushed seashells.

CREMATION PERMIT - A certificate issued by local government authorizing cremation of the deceased.

CREMATORY - A building with a furnace called a retort which is used to cremate human remains (or the furnace/retort itself)

CRYPT - A vault or room used for keeping remains.

COT - The stretcher-like carrier used to remove deceased persons from the place of death to the funeral home.

DEATH - Cessation of all vital functions without the capability of resuscitation.

DEATH CERTIFICATE - A legal paper signed by the attending physician showing the cause of death and other vital statistical data pertaining to the deceased.

DEATH NOTICE - That paragraph in the classified section of a newspaper publicizing the death of a person and giving those details of the funeral service the survivors wish to have published. Most such notices list the names of the relatives of the deceased.

DECEASED - (N) one in whom all physical life has ceased; (V) dead.

EARTH BURIAL - Interment of a body in a grave.

EMBALM - The process of sanitizing, disinfecting and temporarily preserving a dead body by means of circulating preservative and antiseptic through the veins and arteries.

EMBALMER - One who disinfects or preserves dead human bodies by the injection or external application of antiseptics, disinfectants or preservative fluids; prepares human bodies for transportation which are dead of contagious or infectious diseases; or uses derma surgery or plastic art for restoring mutilated features.

ENTOMBMENT - Placement of the body in a casket above ground in a mausoleum.

EULOGY - A speech or writing that praises the deceased highly.

FAMILY CAR - That limousine in the funeral procession set aside for the use of the immediate family.

FAMILY ROOM - A specially arranged room in the funeral home which affords the family privacy at the time of the funeral service.

FLOWER CAR - A vehicle used for the transportation of flower pieces from the funeral home to the church and/or cemetery.

FUNERAL DIRECTOR - A professional who prepares for the burial or other disposition of dead human bodies, supervises such burial or disposition, maintains a funeral establishment for such purposes, counsels with survivors. Synonym: mortician, undertaker.

FUNERAL HOME - A building used for the purpose of embalming, arranging and conducting funerals.

FUNERAL PALL - A large, white or purple cloth that covers a closed casket during the funeral service. The use of a pall symbolizes that there is no distinction between persons at death.

FUNERAL SERVICE - 1) The profession which deals with the handling of dead human bodies; 2) The religious or other rites conducted immediately before final disposition of the dead human body.

FUNERAL SPRAY - A collective mass of cut flowers sent to the residence of the deceased or to the funeral home as a floral tribute to the deceased.

GRAVE - An excavation in the earth for the purpose of burying the deceased .

GRAVE LINER - A receptacle made of concrete, metal or wood into which the casket is placed as an extra precaution in protecting the remains from the elements. This is required by most cemeteries to prevent the collapse of a grave after burial. State law, however, usually does not require a grave liner.

GRAVE (OR MEMORIAL) MARKER - A method of identifying the occupant of a particular grave. Permanent grave markers are usually of metal or stone which gives such data as the name of the individual, date and place of birth, date and place of death.

GRAVESIDE SERVICES - Formal committal services conducted at the cemetery.

HONORARY PALLBEARERS - Friends or members of a religious, social or fraternal organization who act as an escort or honor guard for the deceased. Honorary pallbearers do not carry the casket.

INTER (to) - To bury a dead body in the earth in a grave or tomb.

INTERMENT - The act of burial.

INURNMENT - The placing of the ashes of one cremated in an urn.

- KwMap.com -   Keyword Map of the Internet

Funeral Terms A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z      HOME     O.D.P.

"... The information was presented in a helpful and realistic manner..." 

"There were many points brought forth that I don't believe are common knowledge to the general public. The constant reminders for physical and spiritual well being for those in mourning are excellent..." L. Mann 

LAST RITES - Christian sacrament or ritual performed for a dying person. Also called the rite of committal.

LEAD CAR - The vehicle in which the funeral director and sometimes the clergyman rides. When the procession is formed, the lead car moves to the head of it and leads the procession to the church and/or cemetery.

LIMOUSINE - An automobile designed to seat five or more persons behind the driver's seat.

MARKER - A monument or memorial to mark the place of burial.

MAUSOLEUM - A public or private building especially designed to receive entombments. A permanent above ground resting place for the dead.

MEMORIAL SERVICE - A religious service conducted in memory of the deceased without the remains being present.

MINISTER'S ROOM - A room in the funeral home set aside for the clergyman wherein he can robe and make any last minute preparations for the funeral service.

MORGUE - A place to where bodies found dead are removed and exposed pending identification by relatives.

MORTICIAN - See funeral director.

MORTUARY - A synonym for funeral home - a building specifically designed and constructed for caring for the dead.

MORTUARY SCIENCE - That part of the funeral service profession dealing with the proper preparation of the body for final disposition.

MOURNER - One who is present at the funeral out of affection or respect for the deceased.

NICHE - A shell-like space in a wall made for the placing of urns containing cremated remains, or inside a building for this purpose which is called a columbarium. Urns are placed in these niches as a final resting place for cremated remains.

OBITUARY - A brief notice of the death of a person, particularly a newspaper notice, which usually lists the name of the deceased, the age, and a biographical sketch. Newspapers may or may not charge for publishing obituaries.

PALLBEARERS - Individuals whose duty is to carry the casket when necessary during funeral service. Pallbearers in some sections of the country are hired and in other sections are close friends and relatives of the deceased. (Also see Funeral Pall)

PLOT - A specific area of ground in a cemetery owned by a family or individual. A plot usually contains two or more graves.

 ... It is weighted just right!"

"Enough info to be truly helpful, but not too much wordage to wade through at time of grief. Good order and useful forms. In my opinion the most valuable section is the Glossary. I was fascinated reading the terms. Many I have not heard before...
...My compliments to you
both. ...Well Done!"  C. Peel

PRENEED, PREARRANGING or PREPLANNING - Planning a funeral in advance of the death, usually consisting of a list of your preferences for funeral arrangements.

PREPARATION ROOM - A room in a funeral home designed and equipped for preparing the deceased for final disposition,

PREPARATION TABLE - An operating table located in the preparation room upon which the body is placed for embalming and dressing

PRICE LIST - An itemized list of funeral goods and services.

PROCESSION - The vehicular movement of the funeral from the place where the funeral service was conducted to the cemetery. May also apply to a church funeral where the mourners follow the casket as it is brought into and taken out of the church.

REMAINS - The deceased.

REPOSING ROOM - A room of the funeral home where a body lies in state from the time it is casketed until the time of the funeral service.

SURVIVOR - The persons outliving the deceased, particularly the immediate family.

TRADE EMBALMER - A licensed embalmer who is not employed by one specific funeral home, but does the embalming for several firms either on a salary or per case basis.

TRADITIONAL SERVICE - A religious service with the body present usually preceded by visitation.

TRANSIT PERMIT- A legal paper issued by the local government authorizing removal of a body to a cemetery for interment. Some cities also require an additional permit if the deceased is to be cremated.

URN - A container into which cremated remains are placed, or in which they are kept; may be made of various materials, including wood, marble or metal.

VAULT - A burial chamber underground or partly so. Also includes in meaning the outside metal or concrete casket container.

VISITATION - A scheduled time, during which a body is present in an open or closed casket, when family and friends pay their respects, usually in private in a special room within the funeral home. Also referred to as a "viewing", "calling hours", "family hour" or "wake."

WAKE - A watch kept over the deceased, sometimes lasting the entire night preceding the funeral.

End

"I wish I had this to read before my wife's funeral..."

"... Beautifully  illustrated throughout..." T. Smith

Funeral Terms

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z  

   HOME     O.D.P.

  Search Other Sites  (Open Directory Project)

 HOME  | PRODUCT INFO | ORDER  | SAMPLES | GLOSSARY | COMMENTS  | CONTACT US   

Copyright © 2005 [Readsome Books].  All rights reserved. Last Modified 09/19/2005 06:30