Elmira, NY

Honoring a loved one after they have died is a desire that most people have. Memorial services can be the perfect way of doing this. At Roberts Funeral Home, we have been in the business of offering personalized memorial, funeral and cremation services, pre-planning, and even more services for all residents of Elmira, NY, so that everyone can feel like they have honored their loved one as they wanted. We know how stressful planning a memorial service can be when dealing with grief. We know the community of Elmira, NY, well. We know how close-knit everyone is in a town that is full of history and art. It has the Chemung Valley museum, and Arnot Art Museum, as well as many other landmarks to visit. Because of this vibrant community, we have realized that not everyone wants the same kind of traditional memorial service.

That is why we have come up with a variety of unique service ideas that can make all of the difference. No other funeral home and cremations service in Elmira, NY can provide the kind of expertise in this area that we offer.

Charity Fundraiser Hosted by an Elmira, NY Funeral Home and Cremations Provider

For a loved one who was very involved in a particular charity, or who would have wanted to do some good for the community after their death, a charity fundraiser instead of a regular memorial service can be a great idea. This kind of memorial can have silent auctions and you can even request that donations be made in lieu of flowers. For a loved one who was all about altruism, this is a wonderful way to honor their life.

Letterbox and Slide Show

Another excellent idea that can work especially well in locations like Elmira, NY, because of its smaller population, is having guest write letters to the deceased. They can bring these letters to the memorial service and choose whether or not to read them out loud. Once the service is over everyone can put their letters into a letterbox. This cab provide a surprising amount of closure and can be especially great for children who are struggling with the death. The letterbox can be made by hand, out of any material, and its creation can offer a chance to de-stress and to get creative.

Why not turn the memorial service into a slide show? All funeral homes and cremation providers in Elmira, NY have the equipment to make this possible, and we do, too. You can encourage people to bring in their favorite pictures with your loved one, to help make the guests feel included. It can be a great idea to prepare a playlist to go along with the slide show. Use your loved one’s favorite tunes or hire musicians to provide live music.

Open Mic

When going through grief, expressing yourself can make everything easier. An open mic at the memorial service allows everyone who is struggling with the death to share their thoughts and feelings, bringing relief. People can read poetry, essays, their own writings, can sing songs, or even tell funny stories about the loved one you have all lost. You can decide on how long you want this to go on for and if there is a limit of time for each person so that everyone who wants to have a chance to speak gets it.

Tree of Life and a Life Celebration

Another way of honoring a loved one in a less usual way than a simple memorial service is to incorporate a tree-planting ceremony with it. When a loved one is cremated, there are urns especially made that you can plant in the ground with your loved one’s ashes and from which a tree or bush will grow. The ceremony can have live music and can be a celebration, not a mourning, since you will be creating new life. There are all manner of plant options available, so that you can find the one that your loved one would have wanted.

A memorial service does not have to be gloomy and sad. If your loved one was the life of the party, why not give them a send-off that is a celebration? We have helped people with these kinds of events in Elmira, NY, and we can certainly help you make the important decisions. Some people have gone all out, hiring a bartender and live music to bring the atmosphere of a party to the memorial location. Some even choose to have a roast of the person who has died! Take the personality of your loved one into consideration and you can have an excellent celebration of life.

At Roberts Funeral Home, Inc., we can provide everything you and your loved ones need to plan a unique memorial service. We offer:

• Pre-planning Guidance
• Funeral and Memorial Services of All Kinds
• Cremations

We are a one of the top funeral homes near Elmira, NY and we can help with choosing the kind of music and with all of the planning. We know the community of Elmira, NY very well and we are here to offer its residents with quality services when it comes to their funeral arrangements. Get started by reaching out to us, Roberts Funeral Home, located at 279 Main Street Wellsburg, NY 14894 by calling (607) 734-7811.