Thanks for the memory
Of Schubert’s Serenade
Little things of jade
And traffic jams
And anagrams
And bills we never paid…
(From ‘Thanks for the memory’. Lyrics by Leo Robin)

 

The first memorial most of us create to someone we have loved is a funeral service. This gives us an opportunity to share memories, as well as photos, and to talk about the person who has died. However, it can be difficult to plan this, often at short notice, so it does justice to the memory of a loved one in the time allowed. Some venues offer more flexible options, for example, longer services to accommodate your requirements.

Recent Covid-19 restrictions, that limit the number of mourners who can attend a funeral, have made it more challenging at some venues to plan the funeral or memorial service you wanted. Venues such as GreenAcres parks can incorporate live-streaming or recording of services so you can share them with many more people.

Of course, there are other ways – both traditional and less conventional – to remember your loved one and celebrate their life. You don’t need to involve a funeral director if you’re organising a memorial service after a burial or cremation, or to commemorate the life of the person you loved in the way you wish. This can normally be arranged directly with the venue.

While many people choose to arrange for a traditional, permanent memorial, such as a headstone or mausoleum, others choose to scatter their loved one’s ashes in a place the person enjoyed visiting, perhaps a special spot in the countryside or at sea.

Living memorials

With increasing awareness of our impact on the environment, living memorials such as planting a native tree offer a ‘greener’ way to commemorate a loved one, as well as providing habitats for a range of wildlife. Parks, such as GreenAcres, have a range of native trees selected by the Grounds Team that a family can choose from. Or you can plant a biodegradable urn that, along with the surrounding soil, nurtures a tree or wildflowers with your loved one’s ashes.

Woodland memorials

Within burial parks and woodland cemeteries, like GreenAcres, you have the option of creating a memorial that’s also a natural habitat for birds, bees, owls, butterflies or bats. And at GreenAcres Parks, you can choose to commemorate your loved one in beautiful surroundings, regardless of whether or not they have been laid to rest at one of our parks.

It’s traditional for graves in natural environments to be marked with a simple oak plaque, with an inscription of your choice. You can also place a memorial bench or other memorial in some burial parklands, along with an engraved plaque to your loved one.

Personal keepsakes

Personal keepsakes are designed to hold a small quantity of ashes. The wonderful thing about them is they can provide the opportunity for every member of the family to retain a treasured memory of their own should they so wish.

Keeping your loved one close

Some people achieve a feeling of having their loved one close to them by keeping some ashes in a cuddly toy. And there’s an increasingly popular trend, mixing ashes with body ink to create a permanent tattoo, to keep someone you love permanently close to your body. Ashes can also be incorporated into memorial jewellery or ornaments, a popular way of feeling near to someone you have lost.

Reaching for the skies

Families are increasingly looking for more original and personalised ways to remember someone, such as scattering their ashes during a tandem skydive, creating a vinyl record that contains compressed ashes, or saying goodbye via a professional memorial firework containing cremated ashes.

Burying ashes at home

Some people bury all or some of the ashes in their garden, although it’s worth considering what might happen if you move to a new home in the future, which might make it difficult to visit your loved one’s resting place.

Planning your own memorial

While it might seem strange to consider how you’d like to be remembered after your death, planning ahead can give you peace of mind. It can also help your family at a difficult time, by knowing they’re doing what you’d have wanted.

If you haven’t already thought about whether you’d want to be buried or cremated, and where you wish to be laid to rest, visiting a contemporary cemetery such as GreenAcres can help you to make some of those difficult decisions. You’re welcome to arrange a tour and talk things through with a member of the team.

GreenAcres parks provide a beautiful setting for your final resting place with many opportunities to represent the way you wish to be remembered for years to come.

 

And, unlike many other cemeteries, when you purchase a plot in any of the parks (whether for a Full Burial or an Ash Interment), you can choose the place you want to be buried from a variety of beautiful settings. You can also select the type of funeral or memorial service you want. 

If you ever have to plan your own or a loved one’s funeral, one of the things you’ll need to think about is choosing the right songs. The music you choose doesn’t have to be sombre. While traditional funerals commemorate those who have passed with hymns and organ music, funeral songs can be light-hearted, humorous and even upbeat. The most important thing is that the music you choose reflects your loved one and gives mourners the chance to celebrate their life.  

Choosing music can be a tricky task, so we’ve compiled a list of the most popular funeral songs to help ease some of the burden of arranging a funeral.  

Most popular modern funeral songs 

With funerals becoming more personalised and unique, it’s becoming increasingly popular to remember your loved one with modern music. Here are some of the most popular contemporary songs you might want to consider.   

1. Fleetwood Mac – Songbird 
2. Candle In The Wind – Elton John 
3. Somewhere Over The Rainbow – Eva Cassidy 
4. Angels – Robbie Williams 
5. You Raise Me Up – Westlife 
6. Flying Without Wings – Westlife 
7. Angel – Sarah McLachlan 
8. Supermarket Flowers – Ed Sheeran 
9. I’ll Be Missing You – Puff Daddy & Faith Evans 
10. Tears In Heaven – Eric Clapton 
11. Wind Beneath My Wings – Bette Midler 
12. Wish You Were Here – Pink Floyd 

Most popular hymns 

Hymns are a particularly popular choice for religious funerals. As they’re familiar to most of us, hymns bring mourners together and provide comfort as they say their goodbyes. These are the most well-known for you to consider.  

1.  Jerusalem 
2. Amazing Grace 
3. Abide With Me 
4. The Old Rugged Cross 
5. All Things Bright and Beautiful 
6. My Lord’s My Shepherd 
7. How Great Art Thou 
8. Lord of All Hopefulness 
9. Morning Has Broken 
10. Here I Am Lord 

Most popular classical funeral songs 

Classical music is moving and emotional, making it one of the most popular choices for funerals. Some pieces are haunting and dramatic, while others are more uplifting, setting the scene for a timeless and respectful funeral service. Here are some of the most popular classical songs. 

1. Lacrimosa from Requiem – Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart 
2. Pie Jesu – Fauré 
3. Air on a G String – Bach 
4. Nimrod from Enigma Variations – Elgar 
5. Adagio – Albinoni 
6. The Four Seasons – Vivaldi 
7. Ave Maria – Schubert 
8. Canon in D – Paachelbel 
9. Andrea Bocelli – Time To Say Goodbye 
10. The Lark Ascending – Vaughan Williams 

Most popular sports music 

Playing a song, anthem or theme tune associated with your loved one’s favourite sport or team is a touching way to pay tribute to them. Each team has its own tune, but here are some of the most widely known.   

1. You’ll Never Walk Alone (Liverpool FC anthem) – Gerry and the Pacemakers 
2. Match of the Day Theme Song 
3. The Chain (Formula 1 theme song) – Fleetwood Mac 
4. The Best (Rangers FC) – Tina Turner 
5. Going Home (Newcastle United) – Mark Knopfler 

Uplifting funeral songs 

Sad and sombre funeral songs don’t suit everyone. If your loved one had a wicked sense of humour or you want to lighten the mood with an upbeat tune, these songs are the perfect way to celebrate someone who loved life and maintained their spirit until the very end.  

1.  My Way – Frank Sinatra 
2. The Best – Tina Turner 
3. (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life – Bill Medley & Jennifer Warnes
4. Heroes – David Bowie 
5. Always Look on the Bright Side of Life – Monty Python 
6. Bring Me Sunshine – Morecambe and Wise 
7. What a Wonderful World – Louis Armstrong 
8. We’ll Meet Again – Vera Lynn
9. Don’t Worry. Be Happy – Bobby McFerrin 
10. I’m Gonna Live Till I Die – Frank Sinatra 

If you’re pre-planning your funeral or dealing with the loss of a loved one and need some support, we’re here for you. For more information about pre-planning or to join us at one of our remembrance events or monthly Bereavement Groups, please visit our website.