* The funeral should serve the living while honoring the dead.

* The funeral should allow those affected by death to accept its reality by viewing the body in an open casket.

* The funeral should permit survivors to share their sorrow with friends and family.

* The funeral should provide meaningful and helpful ways to participate in the closure of life.

* The funeral should take place in a setting that provides a climate conducive to mourning.

* The funeral should promote the spiritual values of the deceased and the survivors.