Category: Cremation

Healing Through Memory: Crafting Enduring Tributes to Cherished Ones

Posted on by David Edlington

In the journey of grief, memories serve as a balm for the soul, a way to hold onto the essence of those we’ve lost. At Rowley Funerals, we understand the profound significance of commemorating loved ones in a manner that reflects their unique life and legacy. Creating lasting tributes is not only a pathway to healing but also a celebration of the impact they’ve had on our lives. This article explores the importance of such memorials and offers inspiration for those seeking to honour their loved ones in enduring ways.

The Importance of Tribute

For many, the act of creating a tribute can be a deeply cathartic process, providing a tangible connection to the loved one lost. It’s a way to express love, respect, and admiration, crystallising their memories into something that can be shared and appreciated by others. Tributes serve as a testament to the deceased’s influence, embodying their virtues, passions, and the indelible mark they’ve left on the world.

Personalised Memorials

The beauty of memorials lies in their versatility and personal nature. They can take various forms, each reflecting the unique personality, interests, and life story of the deceased. Here are a few ideas to inspire:

1. Memorial Gardens

A memorial garden, whether in a public space or a corner of your backyard, is a living tribute that grows and changes with time, much like our memories. Planting their favourite flowers, installing a bench with a commemorative plaque, or creating a stone pathway lined with meaningful quotes can transform a space into a serene spot for reflection and remembrance.

2. Commemorative Art

Art has a profound capacity to evoke emotion and commemorate life. Commissioning a piece of art—be it a sculpture, painting, or mural—that captures the essence of your loved one can be a beautiful way to keep their memory alive. This artwork can reside in a place of significance, offering a visual reminder of their spirit and presence.

3. Digital Tributes

In our digital age, creating a virtual space for memories offers a way to share the story of your loved one with a broader community. Online memorials, social media pages, or dedicated websites can host photos, stories, and messages, allowing friends and family from around the world to contribute and remember together.

4. Charitable Foundations

For those whose loved ones were passionate about a cause or charity, establishing a foundation or scholarship in their name can be a lasting legacy that impacts others positively. This type of tribute ensures their values and passions continue to make a difference in the world.

5. Personalised Keepsakes

Small, personalised items such as engraved jewellery, customised photo books, or even quilts made from their clothing can be comforting keepsakes for family and friends. These items serve as daily reminders of the love and connection shared.

The Healing Power of Remembrance

Engaging in the creation of these tributes can be a healing process in itself, providing an outlet for grief and a focus for the love that remains. At Rowley Funerals, we’ve seen firsthand how memorialising a loved one can bring comfort, offering a sense of continuity and connection that transcends death.

Conclusion

The process of crafting lasting tributes for loved ones is a deeply personal and meaningful journey. It allows us to encapsulate the essence of those we’ve lost in ways that resonate with their life story and our memories of them. At Rowley Funerals, we encourage individuals and families to explore these expressions of love and remembrance, finding solace in the knowledge that while our loved ones may be gone, their legacy lives on. In these acts of tribute, we find not only a path to healing but a celebration of life that endures beyond death.

Beautiful Ideas for Memorialising Ashes: Insights from Rowley Funerals, Auckland

Posted on by David Edlington

At Rowley Funerals in Devonport Auckland, we assist families in finding meaningful ways to honour their loved ones after cremation. Here are some beautiful ideas for the memorialisation of ashes that offer personal connection and lasting memories.

  • Interment Options: Choosing to bury the ashes in a cemetery or a special location provides a tangible place for remembrance and reflection. In Auckland, serene gardens and dedicated areas in cemeteries offer a respectful and peaceful setting for this purpose.
  • Scattering Ashes: Scattering ashes in a meaningful place, whether it’s a beloved garden, a favourite park, or near the ocean, symbolises a return to nature and the liberation of the spirit. This act can be deeply symbolic and comforting for the bereaved.
  • Keeping Ashes at Home: For some families, keeping the ashes in a beautiful urn at home allows for a continual sense of presence and closeness. Rowley Funerals offers a range of tasteful urns to accommodate various preferences and styles.
  • Ashes into Jewellery or Art: Transforming ashes into jewellery or art pieces is a unique way to keep the memory of a loved one close. These bespoke items serve as a subtle yet poignant reminder of their presence in your life.
  • Planting Trees or Flowers: Using ashes to nurture the growth of a tree or flowers creates a living memorial. This eco-friendly option is a beautiful way to symbolise the continuation of life and a lasting legacy.
  • Memorial Glass: The conversion of ashes into exquisite glass art is an innovative and artistic approach to memorialisation. These stunning pieces of art serve as beautiful, tangible memories of the departed.
  • Memorial Benches or Plaques: Installing a bench or plaque in a meaningful location can offer a place for contemplation and remembrance. These memorials provide a physical space to visit and remember the life and contributions of the loved one.
  • Community Projects: Involvement in community projects or donations in the name of the deceased can be a way to memorialise them while contributing positively to society. This can be particularly meaningful if the project aligns with the interests or values of the departed.

The process of memorialising ashes offers a range of personal and creative options. At Rowley Funerals, your trusted funeral directors in Auckland, we are here to support you in exploring these options and honouring your loved one in a way that truly reflects their essence and your bond with them.

Cremation vs. Burial: Making an Informed Choice

Posted on by rowleyfunerals

Death is a natural part of life, though this doesn’t make saying goodbye any easier. When it comes to deciding between burial and cremation for you or a loved one, the decision can seem insurmountable.

We at Rowley Funerals hope to make this choice a little easier through this blog post. We offer professional, compassionate cremation services in North Shore alongside more traditional burials, which enables us to provide an informed perspective on cremation versus burial, below.

The Benefits of Cremation

In simple terms, cremation is the process in which a deceased person is transformed into ashes, through the application of powerful heat in a cremation chamber. There are several reasons why someone may opt for cremation:

  1. It’s affordable – Cremation costs much less than traditional burial, as there is no burial plot, casket or headstone required. The choice of urn can increase or decrease the price.
  2. Keep your loved ones’ remains close – Cremation is a flexible funeral process, where you can keep your loved ones’ remains close – either in an urn or in jewellery form – after the funeral.
  3. It can take place in any location – After the cremation process, you can host a funeral anywhere with your loved ones’ remains. They can be scattered in a sentimental place, or stored safely in the home.
  4. It’s environmentally conscious – Cremation doesn’t involve the use of land or embalming chemicals, so whilst carbon emissions are released during the process, the overall environmental impact is lower.

The Benefits of Burial

  1. A lasting memorial to your loved one – Burial plots can be visited time and time again, a physical and tangible reminder of your loved one. You can leave flowers, tokens or photographs. This is meaningful, and a major reason why people opt for burials over cremations.
  2. New, eco-friendly burial options – New ‘green burials’ make this usually environmentally taxing process much more eco-friendly. Natural burials, without embalming chemicals or extensive land use, are increasingly popular.
  3. Easily personalised to your loved one – For burials, everything from the casket and headstone to the burial plot can be personalised to exact requirements, and therefore adhere to the wishes of your loved one.
  4. It’s more familiar – All in all, burial is a more ‘familiar’ form of funeral than cremation; people are more comfortable with it, and a familiar process can be soothing when mourning a lost loved one.

Which one is best?

There is no right answer to this question. Often, cultural and religious considerations are the key to deciding between a burial and cremation. It’s important to make sure that a funeral aligns with the desires and faith of the deceased. Other factors, such as cost and environmental impact, are more prevalent today than ever before. Professional advice, like from the funeral directors at Rowley Funerals, may be decisive in taking the final step towards the funeral process. We can shed light on local regulations, and available options depending on your circumstances.

For yourself or a loved one, say goodbye in the way you want to, whether that is through cremation services in North Shore or burial. We urge you do so with Rowley Funerals, where we prioritise your choices throughout the funeral process. Reach out to a compassionate member of our team, today.