There is nothing in life more difficult then the loss of a loved one. For five generations our family and staff at Pray Funeral Home have helped countless families, overwhelmed by grief and the finality of the moment, begin the process of healing. We have witnessed first hand how inspirational and transformational a funeral can be for the family members. A meaningful service helps them come to the realization they might be able to smile again.
Our belief in the inspirational and transformational healing power of a funeral led us to formulate a number of important steps in the funeral process that we like to call “The Pray Way.” Here’s a few examples:
Whether it’s a funeral experience for a loved one, or contemplating that experience for yourself and/or your spouse by advance planning, we believe remembering, or the term commonly used today, celebrating a person’s life, is the key component in helping the living successfully navigate the bereavement that follows a death of a family member.
The most important decision for people during this difficult time isn’t burial or cremation, it is rather to fully understand how their choices here impact the emotional, relational and spiritual well-being of those who cared for, loved and shared life with their loved one. Our mission is to take the mystery out of what to do when a loved one dies, and focus instead on how to maximize the benefits of a funeral, or memorial experience so you, your family, and friends can grieve, grow, heal and continue to love.
Honor the legacy
We specialize in not only providing guidance and assistance, we also honor the legacy of the life lost. We help you identify and share the memories that enlighten, encourage, surprise and even transform those left behind. Gathering together to support family, and to remember and celebrate those memories often inspires guests in attendance to re-examine their own lives, and ultimately to embark on a healing experience.
How would mom want to be remembered?
Our initial conversations focus on the question: “How would mom want to be remembered?” Talking about your favorite memories, the special moments that happened, her favorite things, how your loved one touched the lives of those around her and the amazing things she did for others become the key elements for designing an inspirational and 100% unique life celebration experience.
It is also why we exclusively offer the free website BeRemembered.com as an easy and intuitive tool to capture those memories and special moments. We sincerely suggest you look on our website homepage for the BeRemembered.com link and embark on the journey to remember. It could truly change your life.
Everything we do at Pray’s, is focused around remembering your loved one, celebrating your loved one, and showcasing your loved one. These are the necessary ingredients that make a funeral transformational. That transformation helps family and friends walk out of a funeral experience different than when they came in. The healing transformation is what we unabashedly believe you need at this difficult time, and what we steadfastly are committed to providing.
Capturing and celebrating a person’s legacy is at the core of everything we do for every family we serve. This is demonstrated no more clearly than in our commitment to write a “life story” for the obituary.
They will live on in others
Take time to recall the personality, the memories people shared, the difference made in the world. The special role they played in the lives he or she touched makes an obituary more than just a death notice, but a special tribute to the person you loved so much. We see it as a “Mini Biography.” Together, we can author a story that captures what makes your love one so very remarkable. This story is the first step in helping your family member live on in others. The examples set forth in the story is often the first step of transformation in those who read those sacred lines.
We see the healing in sharing the story
Some families suggest they’d like to “wait a few months” to hold a funeral. In our experience, delaying a funeral also delays healing.
Abbreviating the funeral experience, putting it off until ” a more convenient time”, or skipping it completely can hinder or even delay the grief cycle. That may mean that the hope of recovery and return to a normal, happy life can take much longer.
It is the gathering of family and friends with the purpose to remember and celebrate a person’s life, that helps a family begin healing as they work through the grieving process. We respond to families who suggest putting off the life celebration until later by asking, “How long do you want to wait to begin rebuilding your lives?
A funeral memorial or life celebration is a necessary and critical step in helping families heal and move on with their lives after losing someone special. We not only believe this with all our hearts, but we have seen it played out time and time again with every family we serve. It is why we hope you too will believe in the “Pray Way.”
Have a wonderful and inspiring day
Joe. E. Pray
Funeral Creationeer