Obituaries

Norma Burage
B: 1939-06-03
D: 2024-03-16
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Burage, Norma
Tony Autrey
B: 1952-01-17
D: 2024-03-15
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Autrey, Tony
Bonnie Gross
B: 1931-07-11
D: 2024-03-12
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Gross, Bonnie
Marvin Smith
B: 1946-07-04
D: 2024-03-10
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Smith, Marvin
Mary Kelley Baugh
B: 1921-12-20
D: 2024-03-08
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Baugh, Mary Kelley
Brenda Walker
B: 1958-08-08
D: 2024-03-07
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Walker, Brenda
Doris "Dottie" Gaston
B: 1947-07-08
D: 2024-03-05
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Gaston, Doris "Dottie"
Willie Marion Jackson
B: 1929-07-19
D: 2024-03-01
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Jackson, Willie Marion
Eva Jackson
B: 1933-07-22
D: 2024-02-28
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Jackson, Eva
Ruth Francis Galbraith
B: 1934-08-18
D: 2024-02-27
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Galbraith, Ruth Francis
Richard Earl Martindale
B: 1940-09-18
D: 2024-02-25
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Martindale, Richard Earl
Marlene J. Drinkard
B: 1938-11-28
D: 2024-02-24
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Drinkard, Marlene J.
Stacey Savanah Kelsey
B: 2005-07-29
D: 2024-02-22
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Kelsey, Stacey Savanah
Frank Myers
B: 1946-02-26
D: 2024-02-22
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Myers, Frank
Phillip Huckabee
B: 1962-07-22
D: 2024-02-21
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Huckabee, Phillip
James Ray Rabon
B: 1947-11-03
D: 2024-02-18
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Rabon, James Ray
William David Sheffield
B: 1941-05-23
D: 2024-02-16
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Sheffield, William David
Avery Segers
B: 1940-10-05
D: 2024-02-14
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Segers, Avery
Robert Crocker
B: 1938-01-12
D: 2024-02-13
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Crocker, Robert
Perry Callaway
B: 1955-08-29
D: 2024-02-12
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Callaway, Perry
Douglas Peteet
B: 1942-06-27
D: 2024-02-11
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Peteet, Douglas

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34550 Highway 43
PO Box 635
Thomasville, AL 36784
Phone: 334-636-4456
Fax: 334-636-0056

What is a Funeral?

All we need to do is say the word "funeral" and within microseconds, you have an image in your mind of what a funeral looks like. This mental image comes from many sources: the geographical place, culture and society in which we live; our faith; our life experience. Obviously then, a funeral service in Borneo would look very different from one held in Tanzania; there are even significant differences between the funerals held in ethnically and/or geographically diverse regions of North America.

Yet, despite the differences, these funeral services have much in common. We invite you to read further to learn the really simple answer to the question "what is a funeral?" Should you have questions about what you read here, we encourage you to call us at 334-636-4456. One of our funeral professionals will be delighted to explore the commonalities behind the wide spectrum of funeral ceremonies seen around the world.

What Makes a Funeral?

No matter where it's held, a funeral is a structured ceremony, with a beginning, middle and end. Each is intended to engage the living participants in activities which will transform their status within the community, provide mourners with a collective grieving experience, and celebrate a life lived. It's a socially-acceptable way for members of a community to re-affirm and express their social attachments.

Anthropologists label a funeral as a rite of passage, which affects everyone involved–including the deceased. His or her social status changes dramatically, from a living contributing member of the community to one whose contributions are in the past, and relegated to memory. But the status of each of the survivors– the immediate family most especially– has also changed. In fact, the funeral service can be the start of a defined period of mourning for bereaved family members, marking this transition in a uniquely identifiable way. 

It could be said then, the focus of a funeral - no matter where, no matter when - lies in acknowledging change. And without doubt, human beings (as individuals and as a community) have trouble dealing with profound changes like the death of an integral member of the group. When you take this perspective, it becomes easier to understand the importance of ceremonially acknowledging the tear in the social fabric and the symbolic restoration of its integrity.

Funeral Services in Our Area

For families and individuals living in this region (as elsewhere in the nation), a funeral service can mean many things. Some fall back on what is commonly called a "traditional funeral"; others see that same traditional service as an emotionally unfulfilling event. Fortunately, thanks to a number of unique social forces, there are alternatives. Today, end-of-life commemorative services range from the traditional funeral, to a memorial service and the increasingly popular celebrations-of-life. If you have yet to realize the immense value of such a collective acknowledgement of loss, reach out to us. Call 334-636-4456 to speak with one of our experienced funeral service professionals.


Sources:  
Huntington, Richard and Peter Metcalf, Celebrations of Death: The Anthropology of Mortuary Ritual, Cambridge University Press, 1979.


 

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