Services
A.J. Desmond and Sons Funeral Directors know that each person and every family is unique. When planning for a funeral or memorial service, this individuality, as well as religious and cultural traditions, personal preferences and financial means should all be taken into consideration. From the type of gathering, to the selection of readings and music, to the final resting place, a funeral reflects the specialness of the individual who is being honored and the family who is mourning. Thus, at A.J. Desmond & Sons we provide the distinctive and meaningful services that meet the personal needs and traditions of each family we serve.
Visitation at the funeral home may be held before the funeral or memorial service, offering a gathering time for family and friends. A funeral or memorial ceremony enables family and friends to commemorate a loved one and begin the grieving process together. A ceremony may be held at the funeral home or at a church and may be a simple gathering for close family and friends or a more elaborate one incorporating religious and ethnic traditions. A.J. Desmond & Sons offers two well-appointed facilities and coordinates services at any church or other location. Favorite music, family traditions, military honors and other tributes can all be incorporated into the visitation and ceremony.
When a loved one is buried at a cemetery, many families have a final ceremony. This committal service is either at the graveside or cemetery chapel and may include prayers, readings, or military honors. For families choosing cremation, they may have a final ceremony at the crematory or when they place cremated remains in a niche of a columbarium, bury them or scatter them.
With you we will create a meaningful tribute to honor and celebrate the life of your loved one at a comfortable price. For additional ceremony and personalization ideas, ask your funeral director or see Service Personalization.
If you are interested in making pre-arrangements, there are numerous options we can inform you about. For more information, visit Pre-planning or call our Director of Pre-Planning Services, Suzanne Seitz Behan at 248-362-2500.
Also, A.J. Desmond & Sons offers the most comprehensive bereavement services in the area. For more information, visit Grief Resources
Funeral Services
During a visitation and a funeral ceremony the deceased is usually present in a casket. Following a funeral ceremony, the family then chooses final disposition: burial or cremation. Below are several of the options A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors can assist you with.
Visitation - Close family receives relatives and friends, typically, but not necessarily, with the casket present. This may be for one or two days before the service. A visitation may include an evening prayer or scripture service, and offers a time for eulogies and sharing of memories.
Funeral Home Chapel Ceremony - Family and friends gather to celebrate and mourn together. Floral tributes surround the casket of a contemporary or religious ceremony at the funeral home. Music and readings may be incorporated into the service, as can other traditions and rituals. If desired, there can be a procession from the funeral home to the cemetery.
Church Ceremony - A religious ceremony at your church is planned in coordination with your pastor. Family and friends gather to celebrate and mourn together during a religious service. Selected music and readings may be incorporated into the service, as religious tradition permits. If desired, there may be a procession from the funeral home to the church and/or a procession from the church to the cemetery.
Graveside Service - A graveside ceremony at the burial site is often held after a chapel or church service. This often includes some prayers, and may also incorporate a reading or military honors. This final service, also called the committal service, may be held at the gravesite or cemetery chapel.
Cremation Service - After the funeral ceremony is complete, a cremation can take place. The family can accompany the deceased to the crematory if they wish. Final disposition of the cremated remains can follow when the family wishes, as soon as 24 hours after the cremation.
Memorial Services
 A.J. Desmond & Sons provides dignified memorial options to meet the personalized desires of each family. A family may choose a funeral service with cremation following or may have a memorial service after a cremation. Below are several of the memorial options A.J. Desmond & Sons Funeral Directors can assist you with.
Visitation or Gathering- Close family receives relatives and friends before the service; the cremated remains may or may not be present. This may be for one or two days before the service. An evening prayer or scripture service may also be part of the gathering, as well as a time for eulogies and sharing of memories.
Funeral Home Chapel Service - A contemporary or religious ceremony can be scheduled in the funeral home chapel. Cremated remains may or may not be present. Music may be incorporated into the service as desired.
Church Service - A religious ceremony at your church is planned in coordination your pastor. Cremated remains may or may not be present. Graveside Service - If cremated remains are to be buried, a gathering at the site of inurnment offers the family a final farewell. This may include flowers, prayers and readings. It may be held shortly after a memorial service or at a later date.
Witness of Transfer - This is a special time for those that may not be planning any immediate services. Immediate family process to the crematory together with their loved one and ceremoniously say farewell.
Military Honors
At the request of the family, every eligible veteran may receive a military honors ceremony. This includes the folding and presenting of the United States burial flag and the playing of Taps. Please visit Veterans Information for a full explanation of Veterans benefits and eligibility.
Green Burial Services
 Families interested in learning about environmentally friendly funeral alternatives, often referred to as green burial, need only ask us. We offer some specific services and environmentally friendly funeral products. Certified as an approved provider by the Green Burial Council, we can provide many suggestions. Currently there is not a local green cemetery, but a few have designated green burial space within their traditional cemetery.
Simple Services
For those wanting a very limited ceremony, we provide simple funeral and memorial services. Without compromising care and dignity, we work with you to address your particular wants and needs while cost is kept to a minimum.
Immediate Cremation or Burial
If a family wishes no ceremony involving a funeral director, you still need the dignified and caring services we provide. We offer you an array of services at no additional cost. We offer time for a private family farewell. We make the transfer at any time without delay, and our dedicated staff takes care of your loved one throughout the entire journey to the crematory or cemetery. We handle all necessary newspaper and insurance details very effectively. An internet obituary is placed as desired. Death certificates are available quickly. Cremated remains can be returned within 24 hours. Considering the complete array of assistance we provide, the value is excellent.
Gift of Life
We support the gift of life that organ donations enable. When chosen by the family, we work closely with the organ donation organization to coordinate the compassionate and dignified care of the deceased. Following organ donation, families may choose whatever funeral or memorial services they desire. For more information about organ donation, please visit www.giftoflifemichigan.org or www.donatelife.net.
Other Services
We can assist families when there is a medical school donation of the deceased. We provide transportation to the University of Michigan or Michigan State Medical Schools, and can assist with details involving Wayne State. We will also help plan any ceremonies that are desired.
If a family wishes to transfer the deceased from one cemetery to another, we can coordinate all the details and obtain the necessary legal permits.
If there are any other services or burial alternatives you are interested in, please let us know. Our staff is well-informed and available to assist you in any and every way.
Payment
We are a family owned business that treats each and every family we serve as fairly and equally as we can. We believe in the recognition and meaningful celebration of a life that has been lived, and will assist in creating an appropriate service that meets your needs and stays within your budget. Some families are able to pay in full at the time of arrangements. This courtesy offers us the opportunity to provide all our families the maximum quality of service while minimizing administrative costs. We also understand that many families may need a little time to obtain funds for payment. Thus we work with all our families to development a payment plan that is satisfactory to everyone. Payment may be made by check, cash or credit card (Visa, MasterCard, Discover or American Express). | |
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