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Frequent Questions
Click on the questions below to reveal each respective answer.
A Funeral is a celebration of a life that has been lived, as well as a sociological statement that a death has occurred. This provides a confirmation of reality in the grief process and allows for a climate of mourning. Also, it gives an opportunity for there to be an acknowledgement of your relationship with the individual. Planning a personalized ceremony, helps to begin the healing process. This is also needed by others in their grief process, as they wish to express their own condolences and provide community support by paying their respects.
The first step is to select a funeral home. Notify them of where the death has taken place at. They will arrange for your loved one to be transferred into their care. To contact Evergreen Funeral Home, please call 403-329-4934 if you have not already done so. We will set up an arrangement time that works best for your family.
To prepare for arrangements, we will be asking you the following:
- Vital Statistics
- Their full legal name:
- Usual residence:
- Name of their spouse:
- Their occupation, before retirement:
- Their Birthdate:
- Their Birthplace:
- Name of their father:
- Father’s birthplace:
- Name of their mother (maiden name):
- Mother’s birthplace:
- Their Social Insurance Number:
- Their Alberta Health Care Number:
Obituary: We can submit newspaper obituaries upon your family’s request.
Disposition: Please consider if you would like to proceed with cremation or burial.
Viewing: Discuss if you would like to do a viewing. Select clothing that you would like for them to be dressed in. Also, we require permission to proceed with embalming, if applicable.
Service: Discuss the location, preferable date and time of service, clergy / officiant (if there is not a preferred member of clergy, we do have individuals within our funeral home who are able to officiate services and adjust the service to your preferences), eulogy speaker, any other forms of personalized tribute (musical, scripture reading, poems, personal memories, open mike), hymn / music selections (average three song selections), slideshow / photo tribute (can be completed by our facility), memorabilia, pallbearers, cemetery location, reception location, preferred caterer, and menu preferences.
Viewing can be an asset in the grieving process, as it provides a sense of reality that the death has happened. A cause of death usually approaches in two fashions, either a long-drawn battle with failing health or a sudden passing. In both scenarios, a viewing can provide that opportunity to give family serenity. When the deceased had suffered through an illness or physical changes, we try to restore a healthier, more peaceful appearance of that individual. When the passing is unexpected, a viewing is an opportunity for family and friends to say goodbye and express their emotions in their loved one’s presence. In both cases, it provides a sense of comfort for many. Viewing is also encouraged for children, if the process is explained and voluntary.
Cremation allows many options for
final disposition of ashes. Cremated remains may be buried, placed in a
columbarium niche, stored or displayed at home, or scattered. As there is the
possibility of distributing the cremated remains in portions among family
members, it provides many opportunities to personalize your experience.
Burial can be in an existing grave
in which other family members have been buried or a new plot can be purchased.
Some cemeteries, including Mountain
View in Lethbridge, have Columbarium structures. These provide permanent, above ground niches
of various sizes. Some niches allow for 2 urns. The brass front plate allows
for engraving of names and dates.
Cremated remains may be released
directly to the family allowing for further options. They can be placed in
storage or scattered at a meaningful location. There are very few restrictions
on scattering of cremated remains. When the location is privately owned land,
permission from the land owner is naturally required. In national parks,
scattering cremated remains is allowed except in moving water. Scattering
should always be done in as discrete a manner as possible, with consideration
for other people in the vicinity.
Some cemeteries have special areas
where cremated remains can be scattered and individual plaques may be placed.
Mountain View cemetery in Lethbridge provides the opportunity of scattering
ashes in one of their garden areas.
There are several important issues
to consider before scattering, as scattering of cremated remains is permanent
and cannot be reversed.
• There may be no permanent place to
identify with the deceased and if done on private property, it may be sold.
• There may be future restrictions on
access to parks, lakes, trails and similar places. There is also no guarantee
that the location will remain in the same condition.
• There may not be a way to place a
marker to identify the scattering location for future generations. Our funeral
directors advise that some method of identifying and returning to the location
be found.
Keepsake urns and memorial jewellery
are ways of providing multiple individuals with their own amount of cremated
remains. In addition, there are now some very unique methods of personalizing
your memorialization. These include creating a memorial tree, placing into
fireworks, placing in helium balloons, creating a diamond, hand blown glass,
glass paperweights, used in tattoo ink, or used in paintings. Your funeral director
can provide information regarding the various options.
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