When you first begin the process of designing a funeral, the decisions you'll face might seem overwhelming at first. We're here to help you tackle the choices one by one and make the journey one of love, healing, and life celebration. The process can be broken down into two stages: decisions regarding the service and how you'd like to honor your loved one's life, and decisions regarding how you'd like to care for your loved one's physical remains.
Designing a Service
Whether it's formal or informal, traditional or offbeat, a funeral provides an opportunity for family and friends to gather and support one another in taking the first steps of their healing journey. A service can take place in any setting - at your home, outdoors, or at our facilities, for example - and can incorporate music, poetry, or art in the celebration of a life well-lived. There are endless possibilities for what the service can be, and we're honored to go above and beyond in our duty to meet your personalized and specific requests.
Our staff is experienced in understanding and graciously accommodating the needs of all beliefs, faiths, lifestyles, and relationships. We're here to answer your questions and guide you through the decisions you'll need to make, and will encourage you to take your time to figure out the most meaningful and fitting way to honor your loved one and incorporate the elements that you and your family find meaningful.
Caring for a Loved One's Physical Remains
Once you've chosen how you'd like to celebrate your loved one's life journey, the next decision you'll face is about how you'd like to care for their physical remains. This can be a difficult or emotional choice for you and your family, and we'll provide you with the information you need as we help you to consider your options and make the decision that is right for your loved one and for your family. Once you've chosen between burial and cremation, there are a few additional decisions you'll face:
- For a burial, you'll need to select a casket and a cemetery, and choose between a ground burial and entombment in a mausoleum.
- For cremation, you'll need to select an urn and choose whether to bury, entomb, or scatter the cremated remains, as well as where you'd like to do so.
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Particularly when choosing cremation, if you have any concern the State defined bloodline next of kin – and their existence / whereabouts or their support of your choice in cremation; consult your funeral director regarding the appointment of a “funeral representative” to insure your wishes. Otherwise, the State of Michigan law defines the survivor bloodline hierarchy, no matter the condition of relationship, for who can make ‘Final Disposition’ directives.
For individual who is 18 years or older and of sound mind. You can designate a “funeral representative”, along with a successor (secondary); to be empowered to request and see your funeral arrangements, choice of disposition are performed (i.e., cremation vs. burial, etc.) or the eventual option of disinterment from a grave.
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Here is a link to Michigan Funeral Directors Association funeral representative information and form. https://cityofriverrouge.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/MFDA.pdf Their form was the original created for the State, it's not particularly user friendly. Know this, your name is printed/signed/dated, you desisgnate a representative (with contact info) and possibly a successor - they are NOT required to sign, the form is completed either in front of a Notary who must sign/date/stamp -or- in front of x2 witnesses who must both sign/date. Please call Muirs or MFDA with questions. Recommened to keep a copy and supply the original to your funeral home for safe keeping.
No matter which path you decide to take, we'll be there to support you and assist you in exploring your options and making an informed decision that feels right for you and your loved one.