A funeral service is one with the body- present. Therefore, it is held soon after death occurs, generally in a religious setting or mortuary. There is also the option, as in days past, to have a funeral at your own or family home. A memorial service is held without the body present and does not require extensive services or the expense of a mortician. It can be scheduled several days or weeks after death occurs, allowing time for far-away family or friends to gather.
Many people prefer to dispense with a committal service.
Others dispense with services altogether. But generally some sort of observance-public or private, in a religious or familiar setting, with or without ritual, is helpful for promoting the acceptance of death. Discuss your preferences with family members and your minister, priest, or rabbi. Discussion will help you decide on the kind of services most suitable for you and your family. When you make a will or purchase insurance, you are planning for your death and the lives of your survivors.