Traditional Service Information

Traditional Funeral Services in Gonzales, TX

We are proud to offer traditional funeral services to families in our community. On this page, we will walk you through the traditional funeral process.

The Funeral Process

Traditional funeral services include:
  • Visitation: A visitation, or viewing, is a time prior to the funeral (generally the day or evening before the funeral) where guests are invited to come to the funeral home and visit with the family and socialize with friends. It's common that the deceased will be in an open casket so the visitation may be the last chance to view the deceased. Many families today choose to have our video memorial tribute of their loved one shown during the visitation. A visitation is all about making family and friends feel comfortable in this time of difficulty, and a time to share and hear memories - sometimes tears, and sometimes even laughter as funny stories of the person's life and their experiences with them are remembered with a great amount of joy. 


  • Funeral Service: We have the deepest respect for the traditional funeral service. This event commonly takes place at the funeral home or a church. Traditionally, the casketed body of the deceased is at the front of the room, and at the appropriate time guests are invited to come forward to view the deceased, followed by the service. The service usually includes music, the reading of literary or religious passages, a eulogy, prayer, and the singing of hymns.


  • Funeral Reception: Many choose to host this post-service gathering at the home of the family, or a reception hall. Generally light refreshments are served, and in some cases a full meal. And just like the Visitation, it's a time to share and hear memories. What makes the Reception so special is that the family is in a more familiar and comfortable setting, a little more relaxed, and they are better able to participate in the sharing of memories and fellowship with supporters.


  • Burial Service (also known as a graveside service): A burial service comes after the funeral service, and takes place at the cemetery. The long-lived social relationship with burial has resulted in a core belief shared among people around the globe: burial is an act of respect, made most meaningful when witnessed.
Reasons to hold a burial service:
1. Religious traditions: There are profound religious reasons families choose burial services over any other final care option. For example, the Christian concept of resurrection of the body is deeply held by many and makes burial an act of religious ceremony. Jewish families, and those practicing Islamic traditions, also have strong religious and social commitments to burial.
2. The Natural Setting: What better place to celebrate the life of a loved one than under the open sky, beneath trees, or beside flowers? No matter the type of cemetery that your loved one's burial services is held at, the emotional and spiritual comforts of the natural surroundings will be keenly felt.
3. The Importance of Closure: Sometimes we need to see in order to truly comprehend. It is another opportunity to say your "good-byes". As mentioned earlier, human societies of all times and in all places have incorporated burial into their cultural or religious practices, with the belief that burial is an act of respect, made most meaningful when witnessed.


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