Arranging a funeral

Philpott Funerals & Monumental Masons offer simple, practical and caring funeral services in Coonamble and beyond for families in their time of need when a loved one has passed away. There are many decisions to be made at this time and Philpott Funerals have put together a checklist to help take any additional stress out of the process of arranging a funeral. Our undertakers have many years of experience liaising with families, clergy, doctors, florists and cemeteries regarding the funeral arrangements of a loved one, and we are here to help you through this process with the care and support you need.

Select a date

A funeral or memorial is usually held a few days following death. Talk to us about your needs in relation to the timing of a funeral or memorial as you may need to consider family or friends coming from overseas, or you may want to take the time you need to accept and grieve your loss before the funeral or memorial service.

Cremation or burial

The decision as to how the body is treated after death is a highly personal one. Your loved one may well have already made their wishes known with regard to the cremation or burial of their body, however if they have not it will be up to the family to decide.

Cremation is an alternative to a burial. The cremated remains can be kept in a special urn to be displayed, interred or scattered in a special place.

A burial in a grave has traditionally been the most common form of interment, particularly in rural areas such as Coonamble. In the case of choosing a burial, you will also need to consider where the body is to be buried after the funeral service. Headstones will also need to be created and our Coonamble monumental masons will be able to assist.

A funeral service or memorial is still held regardless of the choice made between cremations and burials.

Eulogy, obituary and funeral notice

A funeral notice is placed by your funeral director in the newspaper to inform people of the death and funeral details of your loved one. It can also include an historical and personal statement recognising the loss.

An obituary is more extended than a funeral notice. It provides a thoughtful and more detailed account of a person’s life as well as the upcoming funeral details.

A eulogy is a speech given at memorials and funeral services to both commemorate and celebrate the life of the deceased. It is given by someone from the family, a close friend, priest, minister or celebrant who is conducting the service or memorial.

Philpott Funerals & Monumental Masons provide online obituaries which include death notices and funeral details and the opportunity to leave tributes to the deceased.

Requirements of faith, culture and denomination

Philpott Funerals will liaise with the clergy and celebrants to coordinate the requirements of all faiths, denominations, cultures and traditions.

Floral tributes and order of service

The flowers chosen for a funeral or memorial are usually ones that were special to the deceased. Flowers for coffins or funeral crosses are usually chosen by close family members and presently the flowers are often chosen by the deceased themselves at an earlier time. We can provide advice and guidance as to the type of flowers and arrangements, whether you are organising the funeral or wanting to send a floral tribute.

An order of service is another important part of the service or memorial. It is something people can take and keep and for those who cannot attend the funeral or memorial it is a very important memento with real significance. The style and information contained within the order of service is determined by the family organising the funeral. Philpott Funerals can advise how best to write an order of service and what relevant information may be included.

Music

Music is a wonderful way to both celebrate and commemorate someone’s life. It is a chance for everyone to reflect and remember the life of the deceased, and is often an uplifting time in the service or memorial. The choice of music may be an easy one for the family, or you may need advice and guidance as to the most appropriate music to play.

Memoriam booklet

A memoriam booklet allows those who attend the service or memorial to pass on their condolences to the loved ones of the deceased. A memoriam booklet can be made available at the service or memorial on your behalf.

Headstones and monuments

An enduring monument ensures lasting memories of a loved one. Philpott Funerals provides headstones and monuments in Coonamble with its own on-site monumental mason.

Coonamble bonds

For some people, the cost of a funeral may place an immediate financial burden on the family. This could affect the family both emotionally and financially.

One option to avoid any financial impact from a funeral is a funeral bond investment, which will give you peace of mind knowing you have the money set aside to meet some or all of the costs of future funeral expenses.

Funeral bonds can be set up allowing you to prepare for the costs of a funeral well in advance of the need to draw on the bonds. Philpott Funerals offer a range of pre-arrangement and funeral bond options. The most common is the Funeral Plan Bond. This is a simple, safe and highly effective way to put money aside and accumulate funds to help meet the cost of funeral expenses. The FuneralPlan Bond is capital guaranteed by Lifeplan and may have valuable tax and social security advantages.

If you would like to discuss the options available to you, please contact us at Philpott Funerals.