Traditional Service
    A Traditional Funeral Service has been the most common type of service in the past. This service consists of a viewing/visitation with the deceased body present prior to a funeral ceremony conducted at the funeral home chapel or a church. Burial or entombment usually follows the service quite often concluded with a reception.

Memorial Service
    A Memorial is similar to a Traditional Service except the body of the deceased is not present for the ceremony. There may or may not be viewing/visitation prior to the memorial ceremony and the body may or may not be present. This depends entirely upon the wishes of the family. The deceased or the family may wish cremation, entombment or donation of the body before or after the visitation and prior to the ceremony of remembrance. This ceremony may take place at the funeral home chapel, church or anther public facility such a lodge hall.

Life Celebrations
    This type of service has come about more recently and is just what the name implies. It is a celebration of the life of the deceased. This has options that are only limited by the imagination of the family. The body of the deceased may or may not be present but most often is not, as this type of service sometimes takes place of both the viewing and funeral service. Usually special music is played, photos of the deceased are displayed depicting his/her life, and memorabilia showing his/her interests and accomplishments are displayed. Speakers may be used to tell stories and refreshments may be provided throughout. The celebration may be set with certain hours and can be held at the funeral home, a church or hall, a private home or outside in a park or by a lake or favorite place of the deceased weather permitting. Without the body being present, this celebration does not have the same time constraints as Traditional Service with burial. Highland Park Funeral Home is honored to assist any family regardless of location or cost with this type of ceremony.

Graveside Service
    This service is similar to a Traditional Service except the funeral service takes place at the gravesite instead of at the funeral home or church. A viewing/visitation may or may not take place prior to the graveside service.

Veterans Services
    Any honorably discharged veteran is entitled to additional services. Many of these services depend upon the availability of an active veterans group such as VFW or American Legion. The services may be included in any of the above types of funeral ceremonies and may include an honor guard, color guard, taps and gun salute. Veterans may also be entitled to a Flag, a Grave Marker, and some monitory benefits depending upon the circumstances surrounding the death. Highland Park Funeral Home provides special assistance and costs for veterans to assure a dignified service and burial. Look into our Courtesy Information List for additional veterans services.

Receiving/Forwarding Services
    Receiving services are when a person dies away from home or the place where final burial will take place. The funeral home at the place of burial will usually make arrangements for the transportation and any funeral ceremonies the family desires. Costs are based only upon the services the receiving funeral home delivers.

Forwarding services are provided by a funeral home where the death occurs and the deceased is being sent to another location such as out of state. Costs usually involve the removal from the place of death, preparation of the body and transportation. These costs vary greatly and it important to know what you are getting. Highland Park Funeral Home assures the best care at reasonable costs.


Types of Disposition Available
    Burial is interment in the ground in a registered cemetery. Usually a burial container of some sort is required by most cemeteries. In Iowa, this not a law but a cemetery requirement only. Look into our Courtesy Information List for cemeteries available in the Des Moines, Iowa area.

    Cremation is fast becoming a major part of funerals here in Iowa. There are anywhere from 15 to 30 percent of the services that involve cremation. Here at Highland Park Funeral Home, about 27% of the services we do utilize cremation. There are several reasons why families are choosing cremation as part of their services. Cremation allows for a great variety of options concerning when and where to have a service, when and where to bury the cremains, and overall costs. A majority of families that choose cremation feel it is important that some sort of remembrance service be included.

    Cremation can be very positive for many families and we at Highland Park Funeral Home will discuss any and all options with you and your family. If you are considering cremation with or without a service we will answer all your questions in advance or if you have recently used another facility and have questions we can still assist with answers. We are not a cremation society and therefore do not charge a society fee. We have been involved with cremation as a form of disposition for many years and we will continue to give cremation in a high priority as a form of service requested by many families.

    Donation is the giving of the body to a medical facility or school. The body is used for research and study. after which it is usually cremated. (However, if the famy desires it can be returned to the funeral home after the research is finished.) The cremains are either returned to the family or scattered in a designated area by the medical facility or school. Viewing/visitations and funeral services can take place prior to the body being taken to the facility but it is important for the funeral home to know a donation is desired as different preparation of the deceased body is required for the schools. Most schools require the donation be arranged in advance of the death. Look into our Courtesy Information List for schools available in Iowa.

    Entombment is the placing of the deceased within an enclosed facility above ground. The space is called a crypt. Some facilities require a casket that seals (is air and water tight) to be used and the body to be embalmed. The facilities have ventilation systems and may be climate controlled. There are usually crypts that have accessibility from either the inside or outside of the building. Plaque markers can be attached to the front of the crypt to mark each space. The cost of each space will include a perpetual care charge. These cost vary greatly depending upon the facility, location of the space and company who owns the facility. All of these considerations should be looked at before deciding to purchase a crypt. Spaces are usually available for entombment of ashes also.