A funeral is the customary way to recognize death and its finality, and a way for the living to show respect for the dead and to help survivors begin the grief process. A funeral service is a tribute to the deceased and a way for survivors to celebrate the life of their loved one, acknowledge the contributions the deceased made to their lives and prepare for going on with life following the death of their friend or family member.
Funeral directors are caregivers and administrators. They make the arrangements for transportation of the body, complete necessary paperwork, and implement choices made by the family regarding the funeral and final disposition of the body. Funeral directors are listeners, advisors and supporters. At Stokely Funeral Home we take pride in serving families as our own.
Yes. Pre-planning can give you emotional and financial peace of mind by allowing you to make major decisions and financial arrangements in advance. Many people feel this reduces the burden placed on their surviving family members and provides them with the opportunity to organize important information and make unhurried, well-informed decisions.
For more information on the costs associated with a funeral, as well as pre-planning services, please CLICK HERE to contact us.
Cremation is a process in which intense heat is used to transform the body back to its basic elements. The body, enclosed in a container approved for cremation, is placed in a cremation chamber. The soft tissue is vaporized. The remains, called cremains, are not ashes, but bone fragments weighing from three to nine pounds on average. The cremains can be kept by the survivors in a cremation urn or container, stored in a columbarium, buried or scattered, depending on local laws and regulations.
Cremation does not take the place of customary funeral services; it’s merely another form of final disposition. You may choose cremation as the means for disposition and still elect to have an open or closed casket funeral service.
Cremation as a method of disposition has been practiced for centuries. Scholars generally agree that it began during the early Stone Age, around 3000 B.C., with modern cremation beginning in the late 1800s. Only in recent years has cremation been dramatically growing in popularity in the United States as an alternative to burial. Reasons people often cite for choosing cremation include, it can be a lower cost option than burial, rapidly returning the body to the elements, interest in protecting the environment, saving land for the living and the remains can be easily moved if necessary.
A eulogy is a brief speech or written remarks in praise of the character or accomplishments of the deceased. If you have been asked to write a eulogy, it is probably because of your close relationship to the deceased, and because the family trusts you to honor his or her memory on behalf of family and friends.
When writing a eulogy, be honest and focus on the persons positive qualities and accomplishments. To get started, think about how you and the deceased became close and what you admire most about them. You may want to include touching or humorous memories you have about your loved one. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself; some of the simplest thoughts are deeply touching and easy for others to identify with.
If you will be giving the eulogy at a service, put your thoughts in writing. You can write out your remarks in full or use an outline to guide you through the delivery. When speaking, don’t worry about making mistakes; you will have a sympathetic audience. If you start to get choked up, take a moment to breathe, compose yourself and then continue speaking. Most importantly, speak from the heart and you can’t go wrong.
Stokely Funeral Home is located at 121 East Park Street in West Point, Nebraska.
If you are traveling north on Highway 275, continue driving north until you reach Park Street, turn left onto Park Street and you will see Stokely Funeral Home on the left side of the street.
If you are traveling south on Highway 275, continue driving south until you reach Park Street, turn right onto Park Street and you will see Stokely Funeral Home on the left side of the street.
If you are traveling west on Highway 32, continue driving west until you reach the junction with Highway 275, turn right (north) onto Highway 275. Continue driving north until you reach Park Street, turn left onto Park Street and you will see Stokely Funeral Home on the left side of the street.
If you are traveling east on Highway 32, continue driving east until you reach the junction with Highway 275, turn left (north) onto Highway 275. Continue driving north until you reach Park Street, turn left onto Park Street and you will see Stokely Funeral Home on the left side of the street.
Grace Lutheran Church is located at 104 South Colfax Street in West Point.
Mount Hope Cemetery is located on East Washington Street in West Point.
St. Mary’s Catholic Church is located at 343 North Monitor Street in West Point.
St. Michael’s Cemetery is located on South Lincoln Street (Hwy 275) in West Point.
St. Paul Lutheran Church is located at 434 NorthLincoln Street in West Point.
Trinity Church UCC-UMC is located at 900 East Decatur Street in West Point.
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