THE FUNERAL SERVICE
The details for each service will be discussed with you in full by ourselves, and as much time as possible will be given to ensure the right decisions are made. Once we receive your final wishes we will contact all necessary Churches, Ministers, Cemeteries / Crematoriums, etc. and inform you of the final arrangements as soon as possible.

The following is a list of important questions that we will ask.

Burial or Cremation?
This is obviously the most important question and will need to be decided upon as quickly as possible. In the case of burial you will need to decide where the interment is to take place (Cemetery, Churchyard etc.) and in the case of cremation, which Crematorium you prefer to use (Exeter, Taunton and Barnstaple are our three most local Crematoriums.)

Is a Church service required?
Before a burial or cremation, it is traditional to have a service in a Church. Most Cemeteries have their own Chapels as do most modern Crematoriums and a service can be held in these if preferred.

Who will officiate the service for us?
Churches usually have a resident Minister who will conduct the service. In the case of a service in a Cemetery or Crematorium Chapel it is customary to contact your local Parish Minister. This will be done by ourselves, and always in accordance with the religious denomination, beliefs or wishes of the deceased.

What about hymns and music?
This is a very important decision, as the choice of hymns or music can be one of the final touches that makes the day more personal. As well as traditional hymns, CD's, cassettes and even vinyl can sometimes be used. We will always advise you if the Church, Crematorium or Chapel required has the necessary audio equipment to carry out your wishes.

Sometimes it is requested for an Order of Service containing the chosen hymns to be printed. Order of Service sheets can be printed by ourselves or at any out of house printers, but we will advise of any difference in cost depending where they are printed.

Cortege arrangements
This relates to where you wish to meet with the Hearse on the day of the Funeral Service. Some families wish to meet with the Hearse at the chosen Church, Crematorium or Chapel, while others prefer to start from a specific point and follow the Hearse to the location of the Funeral Service.

Given the emotional strain of a Funeral Service it can be less stressful to take advantage of our Chauffeur driven Limousines, and leave the problems of which routes to use, parking, etc. to us. Our fully air conditioned funeral fleet consists of a Mercedes Hearse, two Mercedes stretched Limousines and a following estate car; vehicles, which we feel are unrivalled in grace and dignity.

Floral tributes
These can be arranged by us on your behalf, or we can recommend a local florist to you.

Donations in lieu of flowers?
Sometimes it is preferred to have family flowers only (or even no flowers) and request that all others wishing to send a tribute do so in the form of a donation to charity. We can advise on all local, national and international charities. Donations can usually be given by retiring collection (at the funeral service) or can also be sent to us (in the event of multiple charities being nominated cheques will need to be made payable to “W.H. Squires Donations Account”). Our policy is to collect the donations and retain them for approximately four or five weeks, to allow for postal donations, after which we will contact you to confirm the final amount collected before forwarding the donations to the nominated charity/charities. As well as sending a letter confirming the final amount collected and the names of those who have donated (but not the individual amounts donated) to you we also ask all charities to write to us, and you, to confirm receipt of the donations.

Newspaper announcements
As part of our service to you, we will suggest wording for any newspaper announcements you wish to place, and can place them on your behalf in any local, national or international newspapers.

Special requests
Never be afraid to ask for something if it is important to you. Each Funeral Service is unique. On many previous Funeral Services we have had the privilege of being asked to provide a Horse Drawn Hearse and also a Vintage Hearse, a truly traditional service that journeys back to a time from which Walter H. Squires & Son's standards and ideals are derived.

Chapels of Rest
Some people find comfort in spending time in our private Dedicated Chapels of Rest. They offer a comfortable and tastefully furnished environment in which to take time for quiet reflection before the day of the Funeral Service. Our Chapels of Rest are available Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. Please remember, visits to our chapels must be made with a prior appointment.

Other information
The previous details are just a few of the many important decisions that must be made when arranging a Funeral Service. The registration of the death is very important, but as this can change in different cases and areas the details are best explained by us when necessary.