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Veteran Funeral Rituals and Dignified Burials

Tania Tack • November 10, 2016

Everyone has the right to an affordable and dignified funeral upon their death. Families of veterans observe many of the same rituals as the civilian families we are privileged to serve. However, there are other funeral rituals that a funeral provider must be aware of when serving a veteran’s family at the time of a loss.

Veteran Funeral Rituals

  • When a Veteran passes away, funeral home staff should ensure that they have a Canadian Flag to place over the deceased upon removal from the place of death.
  • Have a musician perform The Last Post on a Bugle or Trumpet
  • Observe a moment of silence
  • The deceased’s headdress, insignia and medals may be borne on a velvet cushion into the funeral service.
  • Muffled drums can accompany the graveside processional.
  • Volleys are fired over the grave when the body is interred.
  • A military funeral may feature an honour guard
  • Casket may be draped with a Canadian Flag
  • A Military Grave Marker, abiding by cemetery regulations.

About the Veterans Affairs Canada Funeral and Burial Program

Similar to Basic Funerals, the Veterans Affairs Canada Funeral and Burial Program believes everyone has the right to an affordable and dignified funeral or memorial service. The Veterans Affairs Canada Funeral and Burial Program ensures that eligible Veterans receive dignified funeral and burial services. The Last Post Fund, a non-profit organization has administered this program that has served Veterans since 1909.

Visit  The Last Post Fund  to inquire about the Veterans Affairs Canada Funeral and Burial Program.

Visit our blog post about Remembrance Day here:  Remembrance Day

Why Do Funeral Directors Ask About Pacemakers?

October 7, 2022
Funeral Directors routinely ask families during the arrangement process about pacemakers. Standard safety precautions are in place because of the explosive potential of pacemakers when heated. Pacemakers explode during the cremation process because of the rapid formation of gas which bursts the pacemaker’s casing. An explosion during the cremation process could cause serious damage to the crematorium chamber, as […] The post Why Do Funeral Directors Ask About Pacemakers? appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Ritual of Spring Burials In Local Cemeteries

By Tania Tack • April 29, 2022
When a death occurs in the winter months, it is quite common that the burial can’t take place until the spring. Our region has long, cold winters and this hinders a cemetery’s ability to conduct burials due to the frozen ground. It is not unusal for many families in our smaller communities thoughout Ontario to […] The post The Ritual of Spring Burials In Local Cemeteries appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Death and Taxes

By Tania Tack • March 24, 2022
Tax rules are often complicated and never fun. In the case of pre-arrangements that is no different. When you pre-arrange your funeral there are some things to consider from a tax perspective that we hope to cover here. We will do our best, but unfortunately, we are not accountants and can’t give you personal advice […] The post Death and Taxes appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Grave Woman

By Tania Tack • December 10, 2020
The funeral industry is changing. Catapulting that change are women like The Grave Woman, Joél Simone Anthony. She is based in Atlanta, Georgia, but is making waves all over the United States with her alternative approach to funeral service. We had the pleasure of speaking with her and learning more about her work. Joél Simone Anthony […] The post The Grave Woman appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Intestate: Dying Without A Will and How it Impacts Funeral Arrangements

By Tania Tack • November 24, 2020
Living without a will may relieve a person from having to think about their own mortality. Living without a will may also save a person some time and money. However, dying without a will can cause grave challenges and obstacles for those left behind. Dying in intestate means that the deceased person did not leave a Will. […] The post Intestate: Dying Without A Will and How it Impacts Funeral Arrangements appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Prepare Your Estate: Your Executor Will Thank You

By Tania Tack • November 10, 2020
Being appointed an Executor is often seen as an honour, but it can also be an extremely daunting task. The person selected to look after estate matters is often also likely to be the person grieving the most. In an effort to alleviate the stress associated with being an Executor or Administrator, we have compiled […] The post Prepare Your Estate: Your Executor Will Thank You appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Basic Funerals Awarded Best Rated Funeral Home

By Tania Tack • August 31, 2020
Basic Funerals has been listed as one of the Top 3 Best-Rated Funeral Homes. We are so grateful for the opportunity to serve such welcoming communities. We would not be considered ‘best-rated’ without you! Recognition for Excellence Our team was recognized for providing consistent high quality services in our area of business. We were reviewed by […] The post Basic Funerals Awarded Best Rated Funeral Home appeared first on Basic Funerals.

6 Ways Funerals (Can Still) Help Mourners Grieve

By Tania Tack • July 9, 2020
By guest blogger, Carrie Fawcett: Celebrant Ceremonies like funerals and memorials are intended to both honour the life of a loved one and meet the needs of those left behind. If current public health limits have you question if it is still possible to have a “good” funeral, I encourage you to see those limits […] The post 6 Ways Funerals (Can Still) Help Mourners Grieve appeared first on Basic Funerals.

Repatriation: How Covid-19 is Keeping Us From Home

By Tania Tack • June 12, 2020
Repatriation: How Covid-19 is Keeping Us From Home The long-lasting Covid-19 pandemic still has an impact on how the death industry is able to conduct services. Funeral and memorial services are still limited to small groups of 10 attendees and burials are to happen as soon as possible. Many funeral providers have also implemented new […] The post Repatriation: How Covid-19 is Keeping Us From Home appeared first on Basic Funerals.

The Healing Benefits of Meditation: Introducing Headspace.com

By Tania Tack • May 25, 2020
Basic Funerals and Headspace Promotion Basic Funerals has always worked hard to go beyond the funeral. We care about the families we serve. We understand that these difficult times make it even harder to grieve the death of a loved one. For this reason, we have coordinated an offer with Headspace.com to provide our families […] The post The Healing Benefits of Meditation: Introducing Headspace.com appeared first on Basic Funerals.
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