Shoobridge Funeral Honiton ~ Funeral Devon ~ Funeral Services Honiton

Arranging the Funeral
Check if the deceased had taken out a Pre-Payment Funeral plan also check any Will made by the deceased as soon as possible as it may include requests about the funeral arrangements. Funerals can be expensive. The cost is usually met from the assets of the deceased, but if there is no estate, the cost is the responsibility of the person making the arrangements. If you were visiting Devon when your relative or friend died, remember that you can either use a local Funeral Director or contact one from your own home area, but you must register the death where it occurs. If you are on income support, family credit, housing benefit, council tax benefit or disability allowance you may be able to get help paying for the funeral. You must apply within three months of the funeral. Ask your Funeral Director or Social Security office for leaflet FB29 – ‘Help when someone Dies’ - and claim form SF200.
Contact us for more detail.

A Final Check List
Don’t forget to return:
• Passport to the Passport Office.
• Driving Licence to DLVC, Swansea. SA6 7JL.
• Car registration documents for a change of ownership. (If you are selling a car, a refund may be available).
• Any season tickets (claim any refund due).
• Library books and tickets.
• Any NHS equipment, such as wheelchairs, hearing aids, etc.
• All pension and allowance books.
• Any rented equipment, such as televisions or videos.
• Membership cards of Clubs or Associations.

Don’t Forget
• A tax refund may be due if the deceased was in a PAYE scheme. See the local Inspector of Taxes.
• Responsibility for letting accommodation may need to be transferred to another name.
• Notify Banks, Building Societies and Credit Card Companies.
• Ensure the deceased’s property is secure and that insurances covering the building and contents are current and effective.

Burials and Cremations
In many country parishes, the churchyard is still open for burials and the parish clergy are able to advise on suitable memorials. In most towns, burials now take place in the local cemetery and the funeral director can advise.
The Church of England has nothing against cremation; these days six out of 10 funerals make use of the crematorium. This leaves the question of what is to be done with the ashes. Crematoria have gardens of rest where they can be buried and many churchyards have a special place set aside for burying ashes even when there is no space left for graves.
When this burial takes place, usually a few days after the funeral, a further very brief service can be held if the family wish it and some suitable commemorative mark or record may be made.

After the Funeral
People who have lost someone close to them are often so busy with practical details and arrangements between the death and the funeral that they do not experience the full sense of their loss until later.
Grieving is a natural and important part of coming to terms with and healing this loss and it may continue for several months. If the clergy are asked, they will try to help. One often finds it is those who have suffered a close bereavement themselves, clergy or lay people, who can most easily offer comfort and support to those who mourn.
Comfort is also to be found in the promises of Jesus Christ, in the hope of the Resurrection and in the belief that the beloved person is safe in the hands of God.

Other Types of Funerals
New Orleans Jazz Funeral
A unique funeral tradition in the United States occurs in New Orleans, Louisiana but is mimicked worldwide. The unique tradition arises from African spiritual practices, French martial musical traditions and uniquely African-American cultural influences. A typical jazz funeral begins with a march by the family, friends, and a jazz band from the home, funeral home or church to the cemetery. Throughout the march, the band plays very sombre dirges. Once the final ceremony has taken place, the march proceeds from the cemetery to a gathering place, and the solemn music is replaced by loud, upbeat, raucous music and dancing where onlookers join in to celebrate the life of the deceased. This is the origin of the New Orleans dance known as the "second line" where celebrants do a dance-march, frequently while raising the hats and umbrellas brought along as protection from intense New Orleans weather and waving handkerchiefs above the head that are no longer being used to wipe away tears.

"Green" Funeral
Those with concerns about the effects on the environment of traditional burial or cremation may choose to be buried in a fashion more suited to their beliefs. They may choose to be buried in a coffin made of cardboard or other easily-biodegradable materials such as wicker or bamboo. Further, they may choose their final resting place to be in a park or woodland, known as an eco-cemetery or a woodland burial site and may have a tree planted over their grave as a contribution to the environment and also as a remembrance. Memorials are generally not encouraged and are sometimes prohibited although some graves are electronically ‘tagged’ by local municipalities.

Internet Visitation/Funeral
A Funeral Home in North Syracuse, New York was the first funeral home to offer and broadcast a visitation and funeral "live" on the Internet. A Funeral Director at the Home said "It's not new technology, just a new application." The use of a web-camera allows relatives who could not otherwise attend services to do so from any computer. Family members and friends separated by distance, weather or circumstance can now become part of the support network by being connected electronically to the ceremonies. Flat screen TV’s can also be used in adjacent rooms.