Celebration of Life Information

Many families today want a service which celebrates the life of their loved one. We introduce them to the concept of a celebration of life, and provide support in designing a celebration of life that is as unique as the life of their loved one.

We always enjoy working together with families in planning a celebration of life for their loved one. While it can be a challenge to put together an event that both pays tribute to and celebrates the life and spirit of a complex individual, it's also one of the most rewarding things any one of us can do for someone we've loved and lost.
Sarah York opens her beautifully-crafted book, Remembering Well, with the very personal story about how her family chose to pay tribute to her mother. "My mother died in April 1983... She didn't want a funeral. 'Get together and have a party,' she had said when the topic was allowed to come up." However, she was quick to tell readers that the survivors did not honor the request. "We needed the ritual. We needed to say good-bye, but we also needed a ritual that would honor her spirit and would be faithful to her values and beliefs."

When Ms. York acknowledges the position of her family—that they needed not a party but a ritual—she teaches us all something important: the celebration of life events we plan with families should be shaped as much by their own emotional and spiritual needs as their desire to celebrate the life lived.

Telling Their Story

Funerals and celebrations-of-life have a lot in common; each is a ceremony with a gathering of people who share a common loss. Both serve to do two things:

  • Help the family and community acknowledge the death.
  • Support the family by surrounding them with caring friends, co-workers, and neighbors.

Yet, despite their similarities, a funeral is far different from its more personalized "cousin", the celebration-of-life. 

We've all come to know the traditional funeral, which is composed of three activities: the visitation, the funeral service, and the committal service which is performed at the graveside. A celebration-of-life is often less structured, offering your family a unique opportunity to get creative. 

In her book, The Poisonwood Bible, author Barbara Kingsolver wrote, “To live is to be marked. To live is to change, to acquire the words of a story, and that is the only celebration we mortals really know.”

A celebration-of-life tells the story of the deceased. It is a time for family and friends to come together to celebrate the unique personality and achievements of the deceased.

There's more room for creativity in a celebration-of-life than a funeral. Since they are commonly held after the burial or cremation, there is more time to plan the event.

Turn to Us

We have years of experience listening to and advising families how they can best pay tribute to a beloved family member. We'll help you discover all funeral service options. Call our funeral home at (440) 942-0700 to speak with a member of our staff.


Online Sources:


Than, Ken, "Neanderthal Burials Confirmed as Ancient Ritual", National Geographic, 2013.

While celebrations of life are not burdened by social expectations—they can be pretty much anything you want them to be—it's important to realize that the event you're planning should meet the emotional needs of the guests. So, think about exactly who will be there, and what they're likely to want or need. Then, bring in those unique lifestyle and personality characteristics of the deceased; perhaps add live music or refreshments, and you've got the beginnings of a remarkable celebration of life.
Sources: 
Remembering Well: Rituals for Celebrating Life & Mourning Death, Sara York