Brian Darth of Brian Darth Funeral Services.
Pamela and Brian Darth of Brian Darth Funeral Services answer questions on funerals in this monthly column.
Send questions, care of the Stratford Press.
Questions will be answered in this column only.
Private correspondence will not be entered into.
Embalming is not a requirement by law in New Zealand. When
making this decision either for yourself or for your loved one then there are things you might like to consider.
If you choose to not be embalmed, there is a limited timeframe in which to hold the funeral service and/or have viewings. However, if you are wanting to have viewings or your loved one is going home then we strongly recommend that your loved one should be embalmed so as to preserve the body prior to burial or cremation.
If you are wanting a longer period of time between the passing of your loved one and the funeral service but are conscious of the chemicals used, Brian Darth funeral services offer an embalming service that is chemical free, for instance, we embalm with tee tree oil. If this is of interest, it isn't a problem. Let us know when we first make contact and as we would further explain the process with you.
I often get asked, what exactly is the reason for embalming. There are three reasons for embalming - preservation of the physical body after death, enhance the physical appearance of your loved one and sanitisation.
