Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Home

A funeral or memorial service provides an opportunity for the living to show respect for the deceased and pay tribute to their life. It provides a framework to freely and openly express our beliefs, feelings, and thoughts about the death of our loved one. It gives us permission to grieve our loss, share in solidarity, and gain strength from others who are experiencing the same loss.

The four main types of funeral services include the traditional funeral service, the memorial service, the committal service, and the affirmation or celebration of life service.

Yes, cremation or burial is merely the disposition of the body. Funeral services are to honor and remember your loved one, regardless of disposition.

Pre-arranging funeral services can be done regardless of the final disposition. Pre-arranging is simply recording your wishes with the funeral home and prefunding if you choose to do so.

If the deceased left any written advance directives concerning the disposition of his remains and memorialization, you need to bring them with you. These instructions may be found in a will, or there may be a formally witnessed disposition directive, funeral pre-arrangements, or a pre-need contract. Also bring Military Discharge Papers, details on any cemetery property, a recent photograph, and specific information on the deceased (full legal name, address, marital status, Social Security number, date of birth, place of birth, educational history, Armed Forces service dates and serial number, occupation or profession, parent's names, next of kin and other survivors).

The funeral director's job is to assist the bereaved in various ways to help them through the loss of a loved one. A funeral director provides bereavement and consolation services for the living, in addition to making arrangements for the cremation, burial, and memorial services for the deceased. He fulfills the role of funeral arranger, funeral director, funeral attendant, and embalmer. Major tasks include removal and transfer of the deceased, professional care of the deceased, consulting with family, filing certificates and permits, obtaining death certificates, arrangements with cemetery/crematory, creating and publishing obituaries, arrangements for clergy/music/flowers/transportation/pallbearers/military services, directing services and processions, and assisting with death-related claims and grief counseling.

Yes. Cremation is on Buckmiller Ford Mengacci Funeral Home's service list.

Naugatuck Valley Memorial/Fitzgerald- Zembruski (direct cremation $3,131), Colasanto Funeral Home Inc and Waterbury Funeral Home (direct cremation $1,995).