Smith Funeral & Cremation Services

Here at Smith Funeral and Cremation Service of Athens we offer several types of funeral services. Before you select a service, it might help to think about why we have funerals. The funeral helps deal with the reality that a loved one has died. It provides a time and place to remember and talk about the life and death of a loved one. The funeral is an appropriate time to say goodbye, which is important in beginning the healing process. It is wise to choose a funeral that best meets the needs of everyone in your family, after all the services you select is a statement that your family makes to the community. The Traditional Funeral Service is when your loved one is present. The night before or the night of the funeral, there would be a visitation generally in the evening with the casket open. The service itself would normally follow the visitation either in the chapel of the funeral home or in a church chosen by the family. A funeral often consists of scripture reading, prayers, a eulogy, sometimes a sermon and music. After the funeral, there is a procession to the cemetery. A Memorial Service is when the deceased is not present. It may take place at the funeral home, the families, a church, or even outdoors. This is a time to remember your loved one through fellowship with friends and family. The memorial service can also be an addition to a traditional funeral service. For example, having a traditional funeral service here and then a memorial service back in the deceased hometown. Alternatively, a memorial service can be done after a burial or cremation if this meets the need of the family. The Committal Service is a brief service at the gravesite after a traditional funeral service, but prior to the burial. This is where family and friends say their final good-byes at the resting-place by placing flowers or sometimes sand on the casket. If the committal service is the only service, then it becomes what we call a graveside service. A Graveside service is accompanied by a visitation the night before or the day of the service. The graveside service is a more lengthy service consisting of a scripture reading, eulogy, poetry, and music. Cremation is a form of disposition. It does not restrict you from having a visitation or a funeral service, with the use of a rental casket. It is even possible to have a procession to the cemetery for a committal service. Direct Cremation is when there is no funeral ceremony. The deceased is placed in a cremation receptacle (container) and transported to the crematory. The cremation chamber is heated by gas jets. Then the cremated remains are placed in a urn and ready to be buried, placed in a niche, or be taken home. A Direct Burial is when there is no funeral ceremony. The deceased is placed in a container and transported to the place of burial. Before choosing a funeral service, take in consideration the needs of each individual family member and the many options available to your family. It may help family members to have a viewing type of funeral service, to begin the healing process. The body present serves as a focal point for mourners and helps them acknowledge the reality of death. At Smith Funeral and Cremation Service of Athens, we have several options to choose from to fit any budget.

Green burials, also known as natural burials, have been growing in popularity. Smith Funeral & Cremation Services is one of Tennessee’s few providers of environmentally-friendly burial options.