Acknowledges that a life has been lived.
Allows mourners to remember and honor their loved one in a special way.
Serves as a central gathering place for family and friends
to give emotional and physical support to one another.
Provides closure for the bereaved.
Initiates the grieving process.
Confirms the reality and finality of the death.
Encourages mourners to face the pain of their loss
and express their thoughts and feelings.
Helps survivors to better cope with their grief and enables
them to move forward with their lives.