Funeral Terminology

What do certain terms mean? Let’s break it down so you know what to ask for.

Alternative Container: A container that is used to hold human remains for before and during cremation. Commonly made of cardboard or wood.

Apportionment: Cremated remains divided into separate amounts as requested by next of kin. Any portion of the cremated remains, no matter how small, must have its own separate disposition permit. Sometimes called “splitting” or “dividing” cremated remains.

Arrangement Conference: The meeting with the funeral director to make funeral arrangements. Call your funeral home prior to make an appointment for this arrangement conference, as they can last 60-90 minutes.

Beneficiary: The person who is the recipient of the proceeds of a life insurance policy. This person may or may not be the immediate next of kin. For pre-planning purposes, you may designate a funeral home as beneficiary to ensure your wishes are carried out.

Bereavement/Grief Counselor: Some funeral homes will have a member of staff qualified to provide counseling for bereaved family.

Canopy: A portable shelter used to cover the gravesite during the burial service. Most cemeteries provide this as part of their opening/closing fees.

Casket: The container generally made from steel, metal or wood for placing human remains in for burial.

Casket Price List: Sometimes called a CPL, this is an itemized list of all caskets available for purchase at a funeral home. Every funeral home that sells caskets is required to provide this list to consumers upon request.

Catafalque: The stand that the casket rests on during a funeral service.

Celebration of Life: A religious or non-religious service that is personalized and uplifting, celebrating the life of the deceased.

Certified Death Certificate: The legal copy of the original death certificate. You may need this document to finalize bank accounts, pensions, or other legal matters for your loved one. In San Joaquin County, death certificates are $21 per certified copy. Other counties may charge different amounts.

Chapel: A large room used for the purposes of conducting a funeral service, may or may not be religious.

Columbarium: A building with multiple niches where cremated remains are placed.

Committal Service: The final part of the funeral service where the deceased (or cremated remains) is interred into their place of rest.

Coroner: The public official whose role it is to investigate the cause of death if no physician was in attendance for a period prior to the death. In most cases, the coroner’s office will charge a removal fee to the family if a loved one is released from the coroner’s office. This fee is paid to the funeral home you select, and they will pay the coroner’s office. In San Joaquin County, the coroner fee is currently $352.

Cremation: The reduction of the body to ashes and small bone fragments with extreme heat.

Cremation Container: Alternative container, can be cardboard, chipboard, or wood. Designed to allow for viewing of the deceased prior to cremation. Some funeral homes will rent a casket shell with a cremation container inside for a more formal viewing.

Crematory/Retort: The machine or furnace designated specifically for the cremation of human remains.

Crypt: A type of vault or room used for holding remains.

Discharge Papers/DD-214: Military document issued upon a military service member’s separation or retirement from the Armed Forces. If honorably discharged, the service member is eligible for military honors at a funeral or memorial service, and the family may receive one U.S. flag in honor of their loved one.

Disposition Permit: A Permit for Disposition of Human Remains must be issued for each death at the time of preparation for burial, cremation or transit of the remains. California keeps a record of what happens to the remains and the final resting place of the deceased individuals remains. If cremated remains are divided, a disposition permit must be issued for each portion. There is a permit fee of $12 for each permit issued.

Embalmer: The trained and licensed person who can disinfect and preserve human remains.

Embalming: The method of preserving and sanitizing the deceased by circulating an antiseptic preservative through the circulatory system to enhance the appearance of the deceased for a viewing. Embalming is not required by law, but may be required by the funeral home if you request a viewing or open casket time for your loved one.

Eulogy: A speech given at the funeral in honor of the deceased. These can be funny, introspective, or sentimental.

First Call: The initial and immediate visit by funeral service staff to transport the deceased from place of death to the funeral home.

Funeral Assistant: Staff that provides support services throughout the funeral arranging and funeral service processes under the supervision of the Funeral Director

Funeral Director: Trained professional who is licensed to perform the supervision and preparation of the deceased for burial or cremation.

Funeral insurance/burial insurance: An insurance policy that covers the costs associated with a funeral or burial.

Funeral Service: The service or ceremony performed before the final disposition.  Can be religious or non-religious.

General Price List: Sometimes called a GPL, this is an itemized price list that every funeral home is required by law to provide upon request. This shows all service items and their prices that a funeral home offers.

Grave Liner/Burial Vault: A receptacle made of wood, metal or concrete that lines the grave.

Grave Marker, Headstone, Memorial Marker or Monument: These terms all refer to a marker placed upon a grave to identify the occupant of the grave.  It can be constructed of marble, granite, stone, wood or other materials.

Honorary Pallbearers: Family and friends who may provide a ‘honor guard’ but do not actually carry the casket.

Identification Viewing: a short viewing allowing for family to see their loved one prior to cremation or burial. Embalming is not required but duration and attendance may be subject to funeral home guidelines.

Interment: The act of placing a casket or urn into its final resting place

Inurnment: The act of placing an urn into its final resting place, or the act of placing cremated remains into an urn.

Irrevocable Contract: An irrevocable contract must be used solely for the purpose of paying for funeral expenses. Most people choose to make their pre-funding irrevocable because they want to ensure that the money will be there to pay for their funeral in the future.

Keepsake Urn: A small urn designed to hold a small amount of cremated remains when they are apportioned. A disposition permit is required for each portion.

Mausoleum: A building that houses above-ground tombs, crypts and niches.

Memorial Folders: Personalized stationery used during a funeral to give to attendees as a memory keepsake of the service.

Memorial Service: A service or ceremony conducted in memory of the deceased without the body present.

Memory Book or Guest Book: A book that attendees can write their condolence messages in and any tribute to the deceased.

Memory Board or Memory Table: A display board where memorabilia about the deceased can be displayed.

Next of Kin: The deceased’s nearest relative, and the person responsible for making funeral/disposition decisions for the deceased.

Niche: A small space designed to accommodate a cremated remains container.

Obituary: The notice of death published in a newspaper or online.

Opening & Closing Fees: The fees a cemetery charge for digging the grave and filling it, or for opening & closing an existing plot to inter a further occupant or cremated remains.

Outer Burial Container: A concrete, metal, or wood structure used to support a casket in a grave.

Pallbearers: Family and friends who carry the casket during a funeral.  This role can be performed by funeral home employees as well. 

Prearranged Funeral, Funeral Trust, and Preneed: These all refer to plans and contracts which involve preplanning funeral arrangements and prepaying before a death occurs.

Preparation Room: A room specially equipped for the preparation of the deceased.  It is ordinarily where embalming, dressing and any cosmetology will take place.

Pre-planning Counselor/Advance Funeral Planner: This role is performed by a licensed preplanning agent.  They are specifically trained in the role of assisting families with the financial aspects of preplanning a funeral.

Scattering Garden: A designated area in a cemetery for cremated remains to be placed without an urn.

Urn: The container that the cremated remains are stored in. Made of different materials such as metal, wood, or plastic.

Vigil: A Catholic service held on the eve of a funeral service.

Visitation: A time set aside for family and friends to visit with the deceased in their casket/cremation container before the funeral. Most funeral homes require embalming for visitation.

Visitation Room: A room in which the deceased is placed for the purposes of visitation.