Benefits of Having Home Memorials Instead of Mississippi Funeral Homes

In today’s modern society, we are provided with so many options when it comes to celebrating the end of our loved one’s lives with funeral services. Not everyone wants to say goodbye with a traditional church funeral or a services in Mississippi funeral homes. Fortunately, there are a wide range of others ways to have a funeral, including being able to hold a service right at home, that we will look at in more detail. If you are in the process of planning a funeral or you are terminally ill and trying to lessen the financial and emotional burden on your family, then you may want to look into having a memorial service right in the comforting surroundings of your home in Mississippi.

Regardless of the stigma associated with the handling of body remains, more and more people are choosing to have a home funeral instead of going to the trouble and expense of a more elaborate service held in a Mississippi funeral home. This is because it can put you in charge of what happens, who will be attending the funeral. A home funeral is more private and personal than one held in a rented funeral home. It’s also considered safer and less frivolous than having a funeral or wake in a funeral home in Mississippi, giving the family more time to grieve and make burial arrangements for the body.

Contrary to popular belief, it is not legally necessary for the deceased’s body to be held in a funeral home – unless the person died from an infectious disease such as HIV, AIDS or tuberculosis. This will be determined by the coroner at the time of the death, so be sure to get in touch with the authorities when and if a death occurs for any of these reasons as you will be held accountable by the health department if you don’t. Ask your family physician or the hospital if you are in doubt about the diagnosis of the person who has passed away or is in the process of leaving the world. Make sure to take all health precautions to avoid exposure to an infectious disease.

Oftentimes in many families, the handling of the body is handled in a loving way by the older members of the family. This can be a very touching time when the family members gently cleanse the body, dress it in meaningful clothing or shroud it in a clean sheet to protect it from damage. The body is then cooled using dry ice placed beneath it to prevent decomposition for up to 72 hours following death. This is in stark contrast to what the funeral home does with the body by sterilizing it, placing it in a plastic bag and freezing it until embalmment and preparation commences.

Some cultures in Mississippi prefer that a home wake be held immediately following the death and then the body is prepared by the funeral home for burial. In some cases, families are choosing to have the remains cremated instead to reduce the body to its more natural form and then the ashes are buried or scattered in the wind to release the soul of the dead. In today’s world, family members may also choose to keep some of the cremated remains in an urn, cremation container or a piece of cremation jewelry as a token of their respect and remembrance.

Having a home funeral service in Mississippi also allows the family to choose someone to make a casket for the burial, instead of having to purchase one from the funeral homes. If a plain casket or burial basket is preferred, one can be made out of the natural woods or woven out of the river reeds of the region, carved or fashioned by skilled trade’s people in the family or the community as has been done for many generations. This takes pressure off the family to buy a more expensive casket from a salesman at the funeral homes and offers a wonderful tribute to the person in the form of a one of a kind piece of art which will be their final resting place.

If a Mississippi home funeral service is chosen, the family will still need to file the proper paperwork and permits in order to handle the funeral on their own. There will need to be someone designated as the Durable Power of Attorney who has the authority to oversee the handling of the body, the life insurance proceeds and the filing of the will with the probate court. This can be assigned to a prominent family member or facilitated by a private attorney hired by the family. It is important to ensure that you are following the correct guidelines and procedures for home funerals in your state so that you are not denied the right to hold the funeral in accordance with your loved one’s wishes.

Remember, we are here to help you all day, every day with your funeral and cremation needs. We're open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To contact us, simply call 1-877-989-9090. At any time of day or night, you will be able to speak with one of our trained, sympathetic and understanding representatives.