Being asked to be a pallbearer at the funeral of a loved one can be a great honor, so it’s important to understand what’s involved and the responsibilities that come with the role. If you are planning a funeral, you may want to select family members or close friends to serve as pallbearers, though you may prefer to request that your funeral director provide their own if they can do so. To learn more, look into the cremation services in Roy, WA.

Responsibilities of a Pallbearer

A pallbearer is responsible for transporting the deceased’s coffin or casket from the hearse to its final resting place, depending on whether the service is cremation or burial.

At a cremation service, pallbearers transport the coffin or casket from the hearse into the crematorium, carefully placing it on a stand known as a catafalque. Typically, four pallbearers are required, though six may be necessary depending on the weight of the coffin.

A service at a crematorium chapel or other place of worship is frequently included in a burial. In this case, the coffin or casket will be carried into the chapel and placed at the front on wooden trestles. Pallbearers will carry the coffin out of the chapel and carefully place it back into the hearse before proceeding to the burial site after the service.

Pallbearers will carry the coffin to the grave, place it on wooden struts, and thread lowering straps through the coffin’s handles. When the command is given, the straps lift the coffin, allowing the wooden struts to be removed, and it is then lowered into the grave.

What to Expect if You Have Been Appointed as a Pallbearer

Accepting the role of pallbearer at someone’s funeral can be a frightening experience. No one wants to be asked to carry a loved one’s coffin or casket, but being asked to be a pallbearer can be a great honor, and it may mean a lot to the bereaved to see their loved one’s closest family members and friends carrying the coffin.

If you accept the role, you will be expected to help carry the coffin; this may only be for a short time if wheel bikers are used. You may be asked to carry the coffin, but only at the request of the family and if it is safe to do so. If any of the pallbearers are unable to carry the coffin, it will be carried at waist height or placed on wheel bikers.

If you have been asked to be a pallbearer, you should arrive at the funeral a little early. This will allow the funeral director to give you instructions on how to carry the coffin and where to transport it.

Depending on your family’s preferences and whether any family members or close friends are available or willing to take on the role, you may request that your funeral director provide their pallbearers. Each of our funeral directors providing cremation services in Roy, WA will make certain that there are enough pallbearers available for your loved one’s funeral, if you require them.