Tombs and epitaphs are another way to remember the dead, and you will tour a cemetery and see how monuments and grave markers provide very individual remembrances for loved ones who have passed away. By memorializing the dead, we celebrate not only the individual's life but the various values and beliefs that comprise the local culture. Funerals are one way of remembering those who have died. Funerals not only provide a rite of passage for the soul of the deceased, they help survivors acknowledge their loss. Funerals identify the dead person's status in society and reaffirm the ability of the social system to exist after the loss of one of its members.
Funerals vary depending on the culture and who has died.
For example, in New Orleans, the casket is carried down the street with a band accompanying it. In the Midwest, funerals may be sedate and held in a church. In contrast, a Southern Baptist funeral may be accompanied with loud singing, clapping, and shouting. Military funerals may include cannons, a 21-gun salute, and draping the flag over the coffin. When a famous person dies, a worldwide funeral draws millions.