West Harpeth Funeral Home & Crematory provides outstanding funeral and cremation services at the lowest possible cost to families in Nashville, TN and its surrounding areas. Since 1994, our mission has always been to co-create a meaningful life celebration service and permanent memorial which shares each person's life's passions, career, family, and friends. We have our crematory; this means that your loved one never leaves our care. Our professional directors and counselors are eager to assist you in time of need or in pre-need planning. Give us a call today at 615-352-9400 for all your funeral and cremation needs.

Do you need to find a quality provider for services related to funeral and cremation in Nashville, TN? A few things to look for can help you find a highly rated professional who will care well for your deceased and your family through this tender time. The first thing to see is a full-service funeral provider. This is a good idea since they can coordinate and perform all of your required services. They can also offer discounted packages for multiple services.

Another way to find out more about any provider you are considering is to take a little time to read about them on their website and research any online reviews. Remember that reviews are only one part of the story, but look for overall trends and satisfaction levels. Find out the history of the company and who the owner is. How long has the current management been running things, and how much experience do their directors have? Be sure you are comfortable with the answers to these questions.

Embalming: This process is a means that can extend the timeframe that a deceased body can remain unburied without significant deterioration. It can make a public viewing of the dead possible, even a few weeks after the death date. Embalming is a procedure that cleanses and sanitizes the deceased body both inside and out. The fluids within the body are drained away, and a cocktail of chemical liquid is pumped into the tissues. The sooner embalming can be performed after death has been declared, the better the result.

Embalming can be a wonderful way for mourners to have a final opportunity to say goodbye to the deceased and bring a sense of closure and acceptance of the reality that the death has occurred. It is worth noting that embalming is not a legal requirement when someone dies. However, it may be required if you elect to have an open-casket funeral or viewing.

Cremation: Another option for caring for deceased remains is via cremation services. Cremation is a permanent alteration of the dead remains from their current form to a small number of granular bone particles called ashes. Because the transformation is so complete, some states require a waiting period after the cremation is ordered to account for any "buyer's remorse" that may come forward. In addition, all permits and paperwork must be in order before a cremation can be performed.

Once all is in order, the cremation can begin. The body is cleaned, dressed if desired, and set inside a lightweight container that will be incinerated with the body. The purpose of this container is to protect the privacy of the deceased and reduce contact of the caretakers with the remains. The cremation chamber receives the contained remains, and the heat is ignited. Within minutes everything combustible in the chamber is engulfed in flames.

Minimalist Preparation: It is possible to do very little in the way of altering deceased remains and allowing nature to take its course. Burial should be scheduled as soon as possible if you select a minimal preparation route. The body should be kept in cold storage until the time for interment comes. Many families choose to wash and dress their deceased in burial clothes, though a funeral director can handle this if desired.

Funeral Services: Held with the deceased remains in attendance; the funeral tends to be scheduled as soon as arrangements can be made. A full funerary service can include a visitation with the family with an open or closed casket before the funeral event. After the funeral service, where the deceased's life is remembered and final tributes are paid, a vehicular procession may attend the casket to the burial place. It is possible to combine both funeral and cremation in Nashville, TN, for one individual by holding the funeral services first.

Life Celebration and Memorial Services: Unlike a funeral, a memorial service does not have the deceased remains present for the service. An exception here would be cremated remains—those may be part of a memorial service if desired. A Life Celebration is a planning lens that can help you theme a memorial service. It may be less formal than a funeral but seeks to honor the life and legacy of the departed by honoring their memory as a celebration of things they loved and did.

Reach Out for Support from a Qualified Death Care Firm

Support yourself with an experienced and compassionate firm by working with West Harpeth Funeral Home & Crematory located at 6962 Charlotte Pike, Nashville, TN 37209. These professionals know what it takes to deliver meaningful and respectful death care services like a funeral and cremation in Nashville, TN. Call (615) 352-9400 today to begin the process.

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