With the Body Present

The funeral with the body present is not an American phenomenon. This practice has existed for centuries. And there are many reasons for it.

With the Body Present

When someone dies, a life on earth ends. What remains is the body of a man, woman or child who once was loved and who loved in return. And when we remember that person we often think of them in terms of their physical being – their body.

That is why it is difficult, if not impossible, for most survivors to disassociate themselves immediately from the lifeless body. Our mind requires evidence that life has ended. The presence of the body gives this evidence. It also provides opportunity for recall and reminiscence. It offers testimony and tribute to the life that has been lived.

In most events and ceremonies there is a meaningful symbol or person upon which to focus our attention. At a wedding, it’s the bride and groom. For the Pledge of Allegiance, it’s the flag. At a birthday party, it is the person whose birthday is being celebrated. And at the funeral, it is the body of the person who died.

Viewing

Just as there are important reasons for the body to be present at the funeral, there are important reasons for viewing the body. The first step in starting the process of healthful mourning is to acknowledge that the death has occurred. Nothing confirms this reality like viewing the body. Seeing is believing. It is the first essential step toward managing one’s grief.

Viewing has taken on greater importance today than ever before. More people die away from home. There are more deaths following long and devastating illness. There are more people whose lives end under tragic circumstances, Several helpful purposes are served by viewing:

• Realization
  The moment of truth comes when living persons confront the fact of death by looking at the body. This is particularly true after a sudden or accidental death or one which most, if not all, of the family did not witness. This confirmation is vital. Often much effort is expended to recover a missing body, basically to confirm the fact that death has occurred.
• Recall
  Proper preparation and sometimes restoration provide to the bereaved an acceptable recall image of the deceased while confirming the reality of death. The effects of a devastating illness may change a person’s appearance considerably. An accident may disfigure the entire body. Removal or modification of the marks of violence or the ravages of disease help provide an acceptable recall image.
  
  Viewing is considered therapeutic for people of all ages. It is especially helpful for a child who has lost someone loved. Instead of fantasizing, there is the opportunity to realize what has happened — that the life on earth has ended for the dead person.
• Expression
  In many instances of loss, an immediate response to comfort those involved is not essential, Death is different. Time is both an urgent and steadying factor. Many find it difficult to express themselves it they don’t do it right away. Thus the body present and viewed during the visitation provides an immediate and proper climate for expression.
• Organ and Body Donations
  When an organ or body part will be donated to medical science, there is no problem concerning the availability of the body for the funeral. The uniform donor card or driver’s license points out that anatomical gifts must be medically acceptable and needed to take effect upon death. Anatomical gift laws say that when the gift is of a part of the body that after removal of the donated part, custody of the remainder of the body vests in the surviving spouse, next of kin or other persons under obligation to dispose of the body. Thus the body can be present for the funeral.
  
  When an entire body is given for anatomical study, most medical institutions will permit the use of the body for funeralization after which it is delivered to the medical institution. There need not be a choice between an anatomical gift or a funeral with the body present. With few exceptions both are possible.
• Cremation
  If a person selects cremation as their final disposition, this does not rule out the opportunity for friends and family to mourn their death through a traditional viewing and funeral service. We offer several options for “full service cremations”, which have all the elements of a traditional viewing and funeral service except for the final disposition. Instead of proceeding to the cemetery with the casket, the casket is taken to the crematory, where the final act of cremation can be performed with or without the family members present. The ashes are subsequently available to be buried at a later date or retained by the family.
• The Value of Viewing
  Most psychiatrists agree that viewing the body has therapeutic value for survivors. The late Dr. Erich Lindemann, who pioneered wise ways of coping with grief, declared that viewing was the most important part of the whole funeral process. He emphasized: “People tend to deny painful reality . . . but when they experience that moment of truth that comes when they stand before the dead body, their denials collapse . . . Grief is a feeling. If you deny it, you have difficulty coping with it, but if you face it you start the process of healthful mourning.”

Conclusions

For most people, a funeral with the body present becomes a highly valued experience as they work through the sociological, psychological and spiritual needs that are a part of the grief experience. Our funeral home can help you decide on the specific funeral service details which best meet your needs.