Rosedale Articles
Dr Who Day and Personalising a Funeral
Dr Who Day
Personalising a funeral and Dr Who Day is not a pairing that instantly comes to mind. However, it made us think of a funeral that made national news earlier in the year because the gentleman who had died was a huge Dr Who fan.
Pete Mullen, was such a fan of the sci-fi show, that the family thought it fitting that his funeral reflected it. It included a Tardis coffin, blue themed flowers, and the inclusion of the famous theme tune. His daughter, Toni, shared: “It was a bit of a surprise for everyone. We wanted to bring a little joy to a very sad day, and it definitely made an impact. “People are still talking about it, and we know Dad would’ve loved it.” (source: Birmingham Live)
Ways to personalise a funeral
‘At Rosedale, no funeral is the same’, says Rosedale’s Operations Manager, Rhys Askham, ‘we really believe that each and every funeral that we arrange should be personal, whether it be through music choice, or a theme’.
Each funeral is unique, and we are privileged to have been able to support families in arranging a range of different funerals. From proudly LGBTQ+ to a memorial service following an unattended cremation, through to highly bespoke with many hundreds of people to very simple with three attendees, we will ensure each and every funeral is as unique as your loved one.
With that in mind, here are some ways that a funeral can be fully personalised:
Music and Visual Tributes
Music is a simple but effective way to personalise a funeral. Whether you want to keep it traditional with an organist, or want to have ‘Disco Inferno’ playing at the crematorium, talk to us and we can make it happen. We have in the past had ‘Bat Out Of Hell’ on full volume in the hearse at the request of the family, had live musicians, choirs and bagpipers.
All crematoria local to Rosedale have screens at the front of their chapels. You might want to have a favourite picture of your loved one on display throughout the service, or you may want to have a visual tribute or a slideshow of photos set to a piece of music. Although many churches don’t have this option, you may want a photo or montage on display on one of our easels.
Personalised Coffin
We pride ourselves on being able to offer a wide range of coffins, from traditional veneered through to solid oak, from American Style caskets through to environmentally friendly Enviroboard coffins. We have had people decorate the coffin, a fully pink glittered coffin, or wrapped up like a parcel.
Dress Code
At Rosedale, we take pride in our uniform which is smart and traditional. However, if your loved one had a favourite colour then we can change our ties as we have a wide range of colours: red, yellow, Norwich City FC, Ipswich Town FC, and striped rainbow to name a few. We also have alternative summer uniform if appropriate.
Flowers
Flowers can range from a traditional floral spray, or a simple arrangement, through to something completely bespoke. We have seen floral aeroplanes, recovery trucks, a replica allotment garden and the pheasant (by Inspired Flower Design). All our branches work closely with local florists and will be able to guide you based on your wishes.
If flowers aren’t quite right, then you could also consider other items to make it personal, we have had flags, scarfs, sudoku puzzle books, chocolate, a favourite pair of shoes to name a few.
“If a funeral can be perfect, this was. I thank you so much.
From a family we have looked after (see top right)
The men lifting their trousers to show their socks – he would have so loved that
and it was perfect and wonderful, as were their ties.
To see and enter in the spirit of what a family needs in such a short time, is a gift.”
Vehicles
We have immaculately polished hearses at Rosedale that are carefully maintained by key members of our bearing team. However we have used many alternative hearses including:
Land Rover Hearse
Recovery Truck
Vintage Truck
Horse Drawn Hearse
Unicorn Themed Horse Drawn Hearse
Motorcycle Hearse
Bicycle Hearse
There are many other hearses that we can source, including a VW Campervan, rainbow or pink coloured or even an Only Fools and Horses replica Reliant Robin – the list is almost endless.
Service sheets
There is no one size fits all for service sheets – what is right for one person will not be right for another.
Ranging from a very simple, traditional service sheet, through to fully bespoke, with a cover to reflect you loved one’s interests, with no photos to full page montages, 4 pages through to 16+, simple folded or tri-fold – it is your decision.
At Rosedale, we will work with you to ensure the service sheet is exactly what you would like. We only ever approve them for print once you are you are completely happy with it.
We can also offer many other printed keepsakes such as framed photos, bookmarks, attendance cards and memorial seed cards to name a few.
Practical considerations
There may be practical considerations to be mindful of when it comes to personalising a funeral and this is where the Funeral Directors and Arrangers at Rosedale can help. For example, having a live band at a crematorium will most likely require a double time slot to give them time to set up and put away whilst ensuring the service itself does not feel rushed.
We are experienced in knowing what is and isn’t allowed, and working with all parties concerned to achieve a compromise where necessary.
Inspirational funerals
Altthough we have not arranged a Dr Who themed funeral yet, for some examples of the range of funerals we have arranged please look at our dedicated ‘Inspirational Funerals’ Page:
