Family Owned and Operated Establishment for Funeral and Cremation in Westwego, LA

Mothe Funeral Homes, LLC has been providing exceptional funeral services for 119 years. Our experienced and caring staff is dedicated to excellence in service, and we are leaders in the death care profession. We provide traditional funeral services, cremation, personalized services, and funeral pre-planning. As a leader in death care, we continue to grow while maintaining our values and have received numerous awards and positive reviews. When it comes to funeral home and cremation services in Westwego, LA, Mothe Funeral Homes, LLC is dedicated to offering comfort, guidance, and dignity to families in their time of need. Our continued growth and expansion reflect our commitment to upholding the values with which our company was founded in 1895. We proudly serve the Southern Louisiana community and provide compassionate care during difficult times. To learn more about our services, contact us today at (504) 366-4343

When it comes time to honor a loved one and care for their final arrangements with death care, having a caring and competent provider's help can relieve the closest surviving relatives. Even if you know a bit about options with funeral and cremation in Westwego, LA, it can be helpful to have knowledgeable professionals guide you through the process. Sometimes it is the little details that can create a meaningful goodbye. As a multi-generational owned and operated funeral home, Mothe Funeral Homes, LLC has been helping families through these tender circumstances for well over a century.

Design Unique Services for Funeral and Cremation in Westwego, LA

Inviting personal customizations into the services for your deceased can be affirming and cathartic. It may help you reflect on and remember this individual's life, contributions, and legacy. There are many ways to do this, with simple or extensive service solutions. Here are just a few formats that can get you started making plans of this nature.

Funeral Service: A funeral service creates an opportunity for the person who has died to be honored before being laid to rest. A casket holding the remains is often prominently displayed at the service. There is no requirement to preserve the remains through an embalming procedure, but a public viewing of the remains will be possible if this is done. Of course, the casket can also remain closed through services. Since the remains are central to the service, it is typically scheduled as soon as the arrangements can be made and the family can gather together.

Memorial Service: If an extended timeline would serve your needs, a memorial service may be more appropriate for your circumstance. The memorial could be offered right away or many weeks or months after death. Cremated remains could be part of a memorial service if that is desired. In that case, the cremains are usually displayed in an urn. Memorials still meet the need to honor a well-lived life and affirm your unique connection to this person.

Cremation Service: The process of burning the corpse in a controlled chamber and processing the bones into tiny pieces is called cremation. Though it is not typically categorized as an honoring service, a cremation service is always handled with the utmost respect and great care to preserve the dignity of the person who has died. Cremation requires less of the time and resources of the funeral director, and as such, it often costs much less than a full-service funeral package. It also opens up more flexible possibilities for honoring ceremony timelines and final disposition locations.

In some situations, you may decide to combine multiple service options for the same person. As an example, let's look at how this works for both a funeral and cremation in Westwego, LA. The funeral, including a public viewing with an embalmed body, can be offered as traditional as you might wish. Rental caskets that are clean and sanitary can be obtained for this purpose. Once the funerary events are finished, the body will be transferred to the crematory facility. 

Understanding Grief and Getting Needed Support

There is no complete roadmap when it comes to the grieving process. We will all walk that path a little bit differently. Your relationship with this person and other circumstances in your life may make this a very challenging transition, even if you have experienced grief before now. Give yourself any support that you need. There are many reputable online grief resources, email subscriptions, and support groups that may be applicable. If you need in-person resources, the funeral director can help connect you with local professional grief experts who are ready to help.

Even though each journey is unique, there are some well-understood phases and layers that many people experience while walking the road of life after loss. Remember that grief isn't necessarily a linear experience and may cycle through "phases" and circle back. If you are concerned about your progress or feel unsafe, please reach out for professional help to assist you.

Something to consider when planning the final disposition location is where you can have a place of permanency to work through your grief. A cemetery makes a natural place for this if burial is the chosen option. If the remains are not in a cemetery, consider having some type of memorial set. This could be a planted tree, bench, memorial plaque, or something else. 

Contact Us for Next Steps

If you are in immediate need of assistance with death care plans related to services like a funeral and cremation in Westwego, LA, give us a call at Mothe Funeral Homes, LLC. Our team can assist with bringing your deceased into our care at any time of day or night. If you have an impending death due to advancing age or failing health, it is also an excellent time to call and schedule a visit to see if we might help you make arrangements pre-need. Our team of experts is ready to help wherever you are in this delicate process. 

Funeral & Cremation FAQ’s

Can Funerals Be Paid Before Probate?

Yes, you can pay for a funeral before probate. However, the money used to pay for the funeral will likely be considered part of the deceased person's estate and will be distributed according to the terms of the will or the state law will be followed if there is no will. Speak with an experienced probate attorney in your area for more information. If you have more questions, please check out our FAQs page.

What Can You Send to Funerals Instead of Flowers for Sympathy?

When attending a funeral, it is customary to bring a sympathy gift to the grieving family. While flowers are often given as a sign of support, there are other thoughtful gifts you can bring to show your condolences. A food dish or casserole would be a nice idea since families will likely be exhausted and may not have time to cook.

How Do You Handle a funeral Service with Difficult Family Members Attending?

It can be difficult to handle a funeral service with difficult family members attending. One thing you can do is try to create an environment of mutual respect and understanding. This means that everyone should be given the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings and that no one should be made to feel uncomfortable or unwelcome. You may also want to consider setting some ground rules in advance. For example, you might ask that people refrain from speaking negatively about the deceased or from arguing with one another. No one should be left alone and as a family, each member should be united and set aside their differences in this difficult time.