The Funeral Doesn’t Have to Feel Like a Funeral: Personal Ways to Celebrate a Life in the Great Lakes
What if the person you’re saying goodbye to would have hated a very formal funeral?
Perhaps they weren’t formal about anything.
They wore shorts whenever humanly possible.
They had one song they played far too loudly.
They told terrible jokes.
They loved fishing, gardening, footy, cooking, travelling, the lake, the beach or simply having everyone around the table.
Trying to squeeze a life like that into a generic farewell can feel strange.
Because funerals don’t have to be generic.
For families across Forster, Tuncurry and the Great Lakes region, a funeral or celebration of life can be shaped around the person rather than around somebody else’s idea of what a funeral is supposed to look like.
Great Lakes Funerals describes every goodbye as unique and sees a funeral as an opportunity to celebrate the life of someone special in a way that reflects them.
Start With the Person, Not the Programme
When planning a funeral, it’s tempting to begin with a checklist.
Venue.
Flowers.
Music.
Eulogy.
Coffin.
Photos.
But try starting somewhere else.
Who were they?
What made them laugh?
What did they love?
What did everyone know them for?
What would their friends immediately recognise?
Those answers can shape everything that follows.
Play Their Music
Funeral music doesn’t belong to one particular genre.
If they loved classical music, use it.
If they loved country, use that.
If there is a rock song that makes the entire family immediately think of them, perhaps that belongs there too.
Great Lakes Funerals can incorporate personal music and readings into ceremonies and celebrations of life.
Music has an extraordinary ability to bring memories rushing back, sometimes within the first few notes.
Choose what meant something.
Tell the Stories People Actually Remember
A eulogy doesn’t need to sound like a résumé.
People remember stories.
The holiday that went spectacularly wrong.
The phrase they always used.
Their Sunday ritual.
The way they could never arrive anywhere on time.
The meal everybody requested.
The story they told at every Christmas lunch, even though everybody could recite it with them.
These details aren’t insignificant.
They’re often precisely what makes the person appear in everyone’s mind again.
Great Lakes Funerals supports the Your Goodbye initiative and highlights the role of funerals in sharing stories and showing that a person’s life mattered to those who knew them.
Bring Their Personality Into the Room
Photographs are only the beginning.
Personal items can tell stories without anybody saying a word.
A favourite hat.
Sporting memorabilia.
Artwork.
Something from their garden.
A musical instrument.
Awards.
A treasured collection.
Objects associated with a hobby or career.
The aim isn’t to decorate a funeral.
It’s to make the space feel connected to the person being remembered.
Let People Laugh
Laughter at a funeral isn’t disrespectful.
Sometimes it’s the most recognisable sound in the room.
A funny memory can sit comfortably beside grief.
There may be tears five minutes later.
That’s fine too.
Celebrating a life doesn’t require pretending loss isn’t painful. It simply allows the full personality of the person to be present in the farewell.
Great Lakes Funerals’ own approach to celebration-of-life services includes storytelling, multimedia, music, readings and other personalised elements.
Think Beyond the Traditional Venue
The Great Lakes region provides a beautiful backdrop for remembering people who felt connected to the outdoors.
Great Lakes Funerals notes that Celebration of Life ceremonies can potentially take place in settings such as a beach, garden or community hall, as well as other preferred venues.
The business has previously explored locally inspired ideas including lakeside gatherings and other ways of incorporating Forster’s connection to the water into remembrance.
The right setting depends on the family, the person being remembered and what is practical and appropriate.
Include Children and Grandchildren
Children don’t always need to be spectators.
Depending on their age and comfort, they might contribute:
- a drawing
- photograph
- flower
- short reading
- memory
- handwritten message
Great Lakes Funerals confirms that children can attend cremation services and that the team can help families tailor arrangements appropriately.
Sometimes a child’s simple memory says more than an elaborate speech ever could.
Use Photographs to Tell a Story
A good photo tribute doesn’t need to contain every photograph ever taken.
Think in chapters.
Childhood.
Family.
Friends.
Work.
Holidays.
Weddings.
Pets.
Hobbies.
Grandchildren.
The hilariously questionable hairstyle years.
Together, those photographs can show the arc of a life in a way that words alone can’t.
Great Lakes Funerals can incorporate multimedia tributes into personalised ceremonies.
What About the Gathering Afterwards?
Sometimes the most relaxed storytelling happens after the formal service.
Food, tea, coffee and conversation give people room to reconnect and remember.
Great Lakes Funerals’ Forster funeral home includes reception facilities alongside its chapel and visitation rooms.
The gathering afterwards can also be personalised.
Favourite foods.
A particular cake.
Music.
Photographs.
Even small details can trigger stories.
Personalised Funeral Services in Forster and Tuncurry
Great Lakes Funerals provides funeral services for families across Forster, Tuncurry and the wider Great Lakes region, including cremation, burial, celebrations of life, memorials, livestreaming and pre-planning.
And there really isn’t one correct way to celebrate somebody.
Some farewells are quiet.
Some are traditional.
Some are filled with stories.
Some contain plenty of laughter.
Some have favourite songs, family photographs and grandchildren running around.
The goal isn’t to create the perfect funeral.
It’s to create one that feels unmistakably like the person everyone came to remember.
Frequently Asked Questions About Celebrations of Life
What is a celebration of life?
A celebration of life is a personalised gathering focused on remembering and celebrating the person who has died. It may be less formal than a traditional funeral.
Does a funeral have to be formal?
No. The style of the service can reflect the person, family preferences, cultural traditions and other considerations.
Can we play contemporary music at a funeral?
Yes. Music can be personalised to reflect the tastes and memories associated with the person.
Can we include photographs and videos?
Yes. Great Lakes Funerals can assist with multimedia tributes as part of personalised services.
Can a celebration of life be held outside a funeral chapel?
Potentially, yes. Great Lakes Funerals identifies beaches, gardens, community halls and other preferred venues among the possibilities for Celebration of Life ceremonies.
Can children take part?
Yes. Children can be included in age-appropriate ways according to the family’s wishes and the child’s comfort.
Can distant family watch the service online?
Yes. Great Lakes Funerals offers livestreaming options for family and friends unable to attend in person.
Does Great Lakes Funerals serve Tuncurry as well as Forster?
Yes. Great Lakes Funerals states that it provides funeral services across Forster, Tuncurry and the wider Great Lakes region.