Uniquely Designed Arrangements for Funeral & Cremation in Jackson, GA

Sherrell-Westbury Funeral Home has been serving families since 1967, and we take pride in being part of the fabric of our community. We are a family-owned business that embraces traditional values and diversity in honoring the individual spirit. We offer full funeral and cremation services in Jackson, GA, so you can rest assured knowing that whatever funeral service you decide on will be carried out with the utmost care and compassion. If you would like to arrange funeral services or want to learn more about our funeral home and the services we provide, please do not hesitate to contact us at (770) 775-3916. Our funeral directors are available 24/7 to answer your questions and help you through this difficult time.

Even though we know it will happen someday, most of us are unprepared for the emotional realities of saying goodbye to a loved one when death separates us. There is often intense anguish and detached-like shock. The pain of loss begins to be confronted when the decedent is laid to rest, which can be done with a funeral and cremation in Jackson, GA.

Preplanning options can significantly help families looking for support with these often-difficult conversations. Getting started can begin ahead of time, especially if you know death is imminent. However, once death occurs, preplans are no longer an option. If that is your situation, where do you begin?

Death can occur anywhere. If under medical supervision, such as at a hospital or hospice care, the attending physicians and staff will take proper steps to alert the authorities and have the body cleared for release to your chosen funeral provider. However, if the death happens at home or in a business, your immediate call should be 911. This is true, even if you feel the time for life-saving measures is past. The local emergency personnel will arrive and help you navigate the scene as soon as possible. They will let you know when it is time to call the mortician.

Under the direction of the licensed professional funeral director, the body will be transferred into the care of your chosen funerary firm. All decisions going forward can wait at least a little bit of time. As the next of kin, you may be required to sign some paperwork to release the body. You might also be asked if you want the body prepared with embalming. It is okay to ask for more time to decide if you are unsure. The body will be held in refrigeration while these determinations are made. 

How Services for a Funeral and Cremation in Jackson, GA, May Support a Healthy Start to Grief

Planning out what services to retain or hold for the deceased is not necessarily evident from case to case. Please know that you have options beyond a customary funeral and cremation in Jackson, GA. Knowing fundamental distinctions could help you make these choices and identify what will best support your needs. 

Full or Streamlined Funeral Services

Funerary services are standard and for a good reason—the opportunity to pay final respects to the deceased and witness the reality of the death by viewing an open or closed casket is known to be a healthy pattern to commence the grieving path. However, there is ample room for customization within basic or comprehensive funerary packages. Complete event services include visitation with the family (may consist of a public viewing of the deceased's body if desired), the funeral event, the graveside committal service, and reception.

If public viewing is offered, the body will most likely be preserved through traditional embalming, which treats the deceased body with chemical solutions (internal and external) that slow and deters the natural decay process. By law, embalming is not required but may be necessary for specific service options or transportation over long distances. A more simplified funeral could look like a graveside funeral service as the entirety of the events. 

Direct or Comprehensive Cremation Services

The procedure known as cremation reduces the corpse from its recognizable human form into a few pounds of granular ashen remains. In truth, the ashes are granularized bone fragments left behind after the softer tissues and body fluids have been burned away in an incinerating furnace chamber. Cremations are legal, respectful, and humane. Only one corpse is processed at a time, and stringent security protocols protect the identification of each set of remains throughout the process.

Direct cremation refers to having the body cremated only— no attached public honoring services are included in this package. Cremation works wonderfully for families who would like to have a memorial at a later date since the body can be cared for right away, and schedules can be arranged to meet to celebrate the deceased's life at the most convenient time. It is also possible to have full funerary events followed by a cremation procedure instead of a casket burial. 

Honoring the Memory of Your Departed Loved One, Remembering Them Well

Some families find comfort in physical tokens of remembrance such as commemorative jewelry commissions, ornaments, statues (indoor, outdoor, large or small scale), and photographic and video collections to preserve memories. Discuss what is possible with your funerary team to find ways to help you remember your loved one well. 

From start to Finish, Work with a Competent Provider Who Offers Everything You Need

The experts at Sherrell-Westbury Funeral Home have the experience and compassion you can rely upon when making the plans you need surrounding the topic of a funeral and cremation in Jackson, GA. Our directors and staff genuinely want to help you through this most challenging time, as we hope our own family will be cared for and supported when that time comes. Please call (770) 775-3916 to discuss your next steps. Our facilities are conveniently found at 212 E College St, Jackson, GA 30233.

Funeral Home and Cremations FAQs

What Usually Happens at a Burial?

When someone is buried, a brief service is typically held at the grave. It's possible for everyone who attended the funeral ceremony to attend this service in addition to the close family. The body is lowered into the earth after the funeral officiant has recited additional prayers or readings. Learn more about burial services.

What is the Purpose of Eulogy?

A eulogy is essentially a way to bid a person who has passed away a fond farewell by expressing and discussing ideas, sentiments, and life lessons that honor and respect the deceased. Depending on who is writing them and what the circumstances are, they can be written in a variety of ways.

Why Do People Use Funeral Homes?

The fact that death doesn't wait for regular business hours is one of the main justifications for this living style. Funeral directors are always on call since people pass away all the time. When a loved one passes away, the family frequently wants the body taken away immediately.