Funerals and Memorials

"When we love deeply, we mourn deeply. Grief and love mirror each other; one is not possible without the other." —Joanne Cacciatore

Honor those who have passed on

Religious or secular, traditional or contemporary, a funeral ceremony is a meaningful way to honor the memory of your loved one. And nothing is harder than trying to deal with the details for planning a funeral in Chicagoland while you are in the depths of sorrow, of missing your loved one.

At the funeral you want friends and family to remember the special things that made your loved one so very special. Attendees at a funeral may know the deceased from different times or different areas of his or her life, or they might be there to only support a mourner. The funeral is an opportunity to remember the whole person. Family an friends will often leave thinking, “I’m sorry I never met them” or “I’m glad I got to know a different side of them.”

Together we will create a meaningful service to honor your loved one’s life. I actively encourage participation of family, friends and others who are feeling the loss.

Family and friends may:

  • Deliver eulogies or tributes, or tell poignant stories.

  • Display photos, photo albums and even paintings.

  • Show memorabilia and other items that help to reflect what was important to your loved one.

  • Play music (either live or recorded), particularly favorite songs with sentimental attachment.

  • Read prayers, poems, or other appropriate readings.

  • Perform appropriate rituals.

I will officiate at any of the following funerals and related services:

  • Traditional funerals

  • Nontraditional funerals

  • LGBTQ+ and Nonbinary funerals

  • Nonreligious or secular funerals

  • Nondenominational funerals

  • Interfaith funerals

  • Jewish funerals

  • Celebration of Life ceremonies

  • Memorial services

  • Gravestone dedications

The importance of a funeral cannot be overstated. The opportunity to provide closure, no matter how limited or incomplete, is always better than never having had the chance to say goodbye. As your funeral officiant, I will guide you through this fragile time.

While your most recent memories of your loved one may be of illness and sadness, I will learn from you and other family members about the happy and meaningful times of their lives. I will paint a complete picture so their lives will be celebrated with a unique ceremony reflective of your family’s values.

While we do want to focus on celebrating your loved one’s life, it is necessary for the grieving process to acknowledge the death, to briefly talk about what that death means to you and your family. Then we can talk about the joys, accomplishments, relationships, and events of your loved one’s life. Visuals are helpful in remembering a loved one — photos, videos, prized possessions on display, etc.

When you collaborate with your Celebrant to create a meaningful ceremony, you begin the important work of mourning your loved one. 

Download the steps to creating a celebration of life ceremony.

Read what others are saying about Michele Rose and her experience with funerals and memorials.

Contact me for more information, including pricing.