Service Options

Service Options

Designing a ceremony to honour and remember a loved one can be a very difficult process. 

We will listen closely to your story to fully understand your family’s situation and help design the gathering that best honours your loved one and works for your family.

We offer modern and traditional ceremony options and actively look for ways to personalize your gathering to suit your needs.  We consider family, community, religion, financial and other important social groups.  We want to include meaningful photos, significant memories, favorite items and symbolic elements into the ceremony.

Burial Services: Pierson’s works with all local cemeteries and will also coordinate burials at cemeteries worldwide.  As part of the burial, families may choose from a number of services options, including a visitation, funeral and/or graveside service.

Cremation Services: Cremation services are more popular than burial in the Calgary area.  Like burial, families can choose a variety of services prior to a cremation, including a visitation or funeral service with the body present.  Witnessing the cremations is also an option.  Many families choose to have a memorial service following the cremation.  We operate our own crematorium following a strict protocol of integrity, ensuring the cremation is completed to the highest standard.  The deceased does not leave our care.

Visitation or viewing: Viewing the deceased can be very healing for family and friends. Most cultures and religions include some form of special care and interaction with the deceased, often with special clothing, bathing the deceased, dressing, specific ceremony or other important care.  Dignified care of the deceased is of utmost importance to us, regardless of whether or not your family wishes to view your loved one.  Sometimes circumstances may make viewing difficult or impossible. These difficult conversations can be had with one of our caring funeral director who will provide options and solutions you may not of considered. 

Funeral Services: For those who prefer a traditional service, a funeral is defined as a ceremony with the deceased present in a casket. This may take place at a Church or other house of worship, our facility or other suitable venue. We will coordinate the service with all who are involved.  If you do not have a relationship with a minister or member of the clergy, we will source an appropriate choice for your service. We are also connected with non-religious funeral celebrants, who can officiate a less formal service.

Memorial Services: A memorial service is a service without the body of the deceased present. Often the deceased will have been cremated and the body will be present in the form of cremated remains, but sometimes the deceased may have been buried prior to the service.  Sometimes the burial or cremation may have taken place elsewhere, but having a local service makes sense.  Like funeral services, this can take place at a Church or other house of worship, our facility or other suitable venue.  Often memorial services are referred to as “Celebrations of Life” and are more casual and may be officiated by a Celebrant. .  Often they may be held in less traditional settings such as parks, gardens, golf course club houses or food and drink establishments. 

Graveside Services: This often happens after a funeral or memorial service.  For those who may not choose a funeral or memorial service, this may be a preferred choice for a shorter, less formal service at the final resting place (cemetery) of the deceased.  This can happen for cremated remains or casket burial.

Immediate Cremation or Immediate Burial without a Service: At times, the deceased or the family may prefer not to have a service.  Sometimes they may wish to coordinate private gatherings or wish to do this at a later time.  We can coordinate the burial or cremation and be available to you should you desire to hold a memorial service at another time or on your own.

Out Of Town Transfers: Sometimes a death occurs here in the Calgary area, a long distance from home or where the final ceremony for the deceased will occur.  We will make arrangements to transfer the deceased from Calgary to locations across Alberta, Canada, North America or the world.  We have extensive experience and expertise with these services.

Receiving Deceased from Another Location: When death occurs away from home and the burial or cremation is desired in the Calgary area, we can make arrangements with a funeral home in the location where the death took place and coordinate the transfer to Calgary.