INDUSTRY INSIGHT
I
FUNERAL SERVICES
SPONSORED CONTENT
The times are changing….
felt this article would be a good time to look at how trends
continue to change and shift in funeral service in our area—
changes that are important to the way families are treating death
and funerals.
Funerals come in all shapes and sizes. They come from simple
cremations to elaborate and coordinated events. One thing to
remember is a funeral is your last way for people to say goodbye,
their way to show appreciation for you and the things you have
accomplished. Not just in your own life but how you impacted the
lives of those around you. Just like everything else, funeral traditions
and customs continue changing in different ways. Going back 25-30
years most funerals in the western Pennsylvania area consisted of two
days of viewing followed by a service that was held by the clergy of
the family in the church. Seventy-five percent of all funerals had been
burials. Almost all the services had an obituary in the newspaper. It
was very rare that we would see someone living into their 90s. Most
families that chose cremation did so for an economic reason and very
few had a service. Most services were held immediately. Boy, how
times are changing.
Today we see major shifts in what people want. It is not uncommon
for people to live well into their 90s. The funeral service has morphed
into a mix of tradition and a celebration of what the deceased
wanted. We still see viewings and
service, but often they are broken
down into a shorter time period.
Often that shorter time is delayed
so relatives and friends can get
into town. Funerals used to happen
right away and now we see families
waiting seven to ten days.
Today about 40 percent of families
come to us with no church affiliation.
We are still actively engaged with
local clergy and churches to conduct
traditional services, but are challenged
to also help act as celebrants when a
family doesn’t want a church service. It is a fine
line we walk to bring a person’s beliefs into a
funeral service and keep everyone in a family
happy.
By far the biggest change has occurred with
cremation. As mentioned above it was once
viewed as a “cheap” way out. A kind pauper’s funeral. Today cremation
is embraced, and accounts for a little more than 50 percent of the
families funeral homes serve. Research backs up that the mindset of
consumers has changed and cremation will continue to increase in our
area. I have a number of theories as to the reasons.
First I believe that people today are more self-conscious of the mark
they leave on the Earth. The idea of taking up space in a cemetery
is bothersome to some. They feel that leaving a smaller footprint is
important. I also feel that cost is still sometimes a factor. The reason
isn’t that a family doesn’t have funds; they would just rather spend
it elsewhere. This leads to the fact that many cemeteries now cost
more to bury a person. Families see that they can save thousands of
dollars by cutting that step out. The cost of buying a grave, opening
and closing fees, burial vaults and markers can be over $10,000 at
the large cemeteries. As a side note, many small cemeteries are still
reasonably priced and the National Cemetery is at no cost to veterans,
their spouses and dependent children. With cremation, families can
still have a viewing, service and choose cremation at thousands less.
They can have memorial services or a very simple service. Cremation
continues to grow in popularity with families.
The best place for people to find out what best fits your needs
is at a funeral home. We are the experts and have the
experience and education to help you. At Sperling’s our
family has been serving friends and neighbors over 97
years. We have seen and adjusted to the changes over
generations. The one thing that has not changed is the
need for a funeral director to help you say goodbye
by putting your services together and helping you
advance those plans, being simple or elaborate.
If you have questions about us or our
services, please feel free to call or find us
on Facebook. You can also learn more
about our family and services by visiting:
www.sperlingfuneral.com
Sperling Funeral Home, Inc.
700 Blazier Dr. • Wexford, PA 15090
Jarett D. Sperling, Supervisor
724.933.9200
NORTH ALLEGHENY
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SPRING 2019
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