A funeral consists of many different components. The intangible components of a funeral are related to service. There are many different services that Shackelford Funeral Directors can provide to meet the individual needs of each family. The tangible components of a funeral are related to merchandise. At Shackelford Funeral Directors, we provide the finest in quality merchandise at competitive prices.

Funeral merchandise provided by Shackelford Funeral Directors may include caskets, outer enclosures, urns, clothing, temporary or permanent cemetery markers, stationary items, memorial DVDs’ and other items designed for self-expression, including panels that may be inserted into the cap of the casket and corners that may be used to customize certain caskets. Following is a brief description of each of these different types of merchandise and their intended purpose.

As the name implies, the purpose of the outer enclosure is to enclose the casket before it is placed in the earth. There are two types of outer enclosures; grave liners and vaults. A grave liner is designed to be a load bearing container that will support the weight of the earth and help prevent the grave from sinking in over time. Grave liners may be constructed of steel, concrete, fiberglass or plastic.

A vault is also a load bearing container. In addition, a vault is designed to be resistant to the entrance of water found in the ground around the gravesite. Vaults may be manufactured from different types of metal, concrete, fiberglass and plastic. Metal vaults may be constructed from carbon steel, stainless steel, aluminum, copper and bronze. The carbon steel vaults may be painted or galvanized to enhance the finish and help protect the metal from corrosion. Steel vaults utilize an air seal to make the vault resistant to the entrance of water after interment. Concrete vaults are typically steel reinforced and come with different types of liners, including plastic, stainless steel, copper and bronze. Concrete vaults utilize a tongue and groove seal to make the vault resistant to the entrance of water after interment. Vaults may be painted to match the exterior of the casket, and some may be personalized with the deceased person’s name, dates of birth and death, and emblems that reflect the person’s employment, interests or beliefs.

Urns may be used when a family decides on cremation as the form of disposition. Urns are available in many materials including plastic, ceramic, metal and wood. Companion urns are designed to hold the remains of two individuals, for example a husband and wife. Urns may be interred in a cemetery, entombed in a columbarium niche or kept at home. Miniature urns are available that hold only a small portion of remains for retention by family members. Urn vaults are also available when ground interment is desired.

Many families choose to use clothing that belonged to the deceased for the viewing and service. In cases where the person has no clothes that are suitable, Shackelford Funeral Directors will have items of clothing that may be selected by the family. Dresses, gowns, suits, shirts, ties and underclothing may be chosen.

Shackelford Funeral Directors will make available a temporary marker that may be used to mark the location of the grave until the family has decided what type of permanent memorial they will place at the site. Temporary markers may be made from aluminum or plastic, and will have the deceased person’s name and dates of birth and death included on the marker. Some may even feature a photograph of the deceased. Some of our locations also offer permanent memorials, including ground level monuments composed of bronze and granite, as well as upright monuments.

Funeral stationary items can include register books, acknowledgement cards, personalized memorial folders, and laminated obituaries. The register book is personalized with information about the deceased, and is used to create a permanent record of those in attendance during the visitation and service. Acknowledgement cards are used to thank those who send flowers, make donations, or bring food to the family. Specific cards are also available to thank the pallbearers, ministers and musicians that participate in the service.

Memorial folders are printed to distribute to those in attendance at the visitation and service, and may be personalized with a photograph of the deceased, biographical and service information, and poems or verses selected by the family. Laminated obituaries may also be selected to present to family members as a keepsake.

Memorial DVD tributes are an excellent way to personalize the service and reflect on a life that has been lived. The family supplies photographs, selects the order in which those photographs appear, and chooses background music. The pictures are then blended with special backgrounds and effects to create a moving tribute and remembrance of the deceased person.

Other methods of personalization may include panels that are designed to be inserted into the cap of the casket, or custom corners and hardware that attach to some caskets. These panels and corners are designed to reflect some aspect of the deceased person’s life that the family finds important and comforting. Custom panels can also be created that are specific to each individual family.

Many things must be considered when planning a funeral. At Shackelford Funeral Directors, our courteous, professionally trained staff is prepared to discuss the many components of a funeral with you to determine your exact needs and desires, and to carry out your requests in a manner that is most satisfactory to you.