Planning a cremation service in Grand Rapids, MI can be hard, especially when you are dealing with a loss and trying to understand all the industry specific terminology. Make planning the cremation service for your lost loved one a little easier by learning the following common cremation terms:

• Death Certificate: An official document stating the cause of death. Most commonly given out by the deceased’s doctor.
• Committal Service: A service in which the deceased is interred or buried.
• Crematory: The furnace where bodies are cremated, or in some cases the building in which the furnace is located.
• Mortuary: Another word for a funeral home.
• Burial Certificate: A legal document that is given out by the local government that authorizes burial of a deceased person.
• Viewing: The time at which friends, family or funeral goers can view the casket.
• Eulogy: A speech praising, remembering and celebrating the deceased’s life.
• Obituary: A notice in a newspaper or on a website that announces someone’s death and also commonly provides a small biography of the deceased. Sometimes includes a photo.
• Death Notice: An article or newspaper section that gives information about someone’s death. Commonly offers funeral or memorial details.
• Embalm: Preserving a dead body by running preservative fluids through the arteries and veins.
• Memorial Service: A service held to honor the deceased when the body is not present.
• Cremains: Another word for cremated remains.
• Reposing Room: The room in which the body is held before the funeral or burial in a funeral home.
• Columbarium: A wall with niches or holes in which cremation urns are housed.
• Exhume: Digging up the remains of a previously buried body.

There are also important cremation products like:

• Grave Liner: A wooden, metal or concrete casing that holds the casket in the ground. Grave liners are important as they serve as a protection against the ground above the grave from sinking, which keeps the cemetery safe and the grass level.
• Funeral Spray: A floral tribute traditionally given to the bereaved at a funeral.
• Flower Car: The car or vehicle used to transport the flowers from the church and/or cemetery to the funeral home.
• Plot: A piece of land, usually owned by an individual or a family, that’s reserved for two or more graves.
• Vault: A more expensive version of a grave liner, as they are commonly made of wood, metal or concrete.

As well as important cremation service professionals and people like:

• Funeral Director: The funeral professional that man or woman who works with lost one’s family to plan and execute a funeral or cremation service. These people can also run or own a funeral home.
• Pallbearers: Family, friends, or religious members that help carry the casket.
• Bereaved: The lost person’s immediate family.

If you want to learn more about cremation service terminology or have additional questions about Grand Rapids, MI cremation services, reach out to Michigan Cremation & Funeral Care. Visit us at 3627 Linden Ave SE Grand Rapids, MI 49548 United States, or give us a call at (616) 452-3006 today.