Here at Joseph A. Hey & Son Ltd funeral directors in Bradford, we recognize that losing a loved one can be deeply distressing and confusing. On top of grieving, families suddenly find themselves having to navigate a host of unfamiliar funeral arrangements and legal procedures.

To provide you guidance during this difficult process, we have compiled an extensive glossary explaining key terms pertaining to funerals, estates, memorialization, and bereavement support.

With over a century of compassionate service in the Bradford community, no one understands local funeral customs better than Joseph A. Hey & Sons. We aim to clarify all the jargon, paperwork, and decisions you may encounter.

Our A-Z glossary covers everything from common words like “casket” and “cremation” to more specialised legal phrases regarding wills, probate and taxes. Please refer back to these definitions as needed when meeting with our funeral directors or sorting through administrative affairs after a loss.

A-Z Glossary of Funeral Terms

A

Administrator

The person legally responsible for managing the estate of someone who died without a will.

Ashes

The remains of a body after cremation. These are sometimes kept in an urn or scattered in a special location.

Autopsy

A medical examination of a body after death to determine the cause of death.

B

Beneficiary

Someone named in a will or life insurance policy to receive part of the deceased’s estate or assets.

Bereaved

Family and friends who are grieving the death of a loved one.

Bereavement Leave

Time off work granted by an employer for a bereaved individual to grieve and attend funeral events.

Burial

Placing the body in a grave, usually within a coffin or casket. This can be in a cemetery or natural burial ground.

Burial Plot

The piece of land where someone is buried. Plots can sometimes be reserved in advance.

C

Casket

A rectangular container, often made of wood or metal, used to hold a body for burial or cremation.

Catafalque

A decorated platform or stand where a casket rests during a funeral service.

Celebrant

The person who leads a funeral ceremony, such as a priest, pastor, or non-religious officiant.

Celebration of Life Service

A funeral focusing on the deceased’s life story rather than religious rituals.

Cemetery

Land reserved for burying the dead, with rows of burial plots and memorials.

Chapel of Rest

A quiet room within a funeral home where family can view and spend time with the body of their loved one.

Coffin

A traditional six-sided container used to hold a body for burial or cremation.

Committal Service

The final portion of a funeral where the body is buried or cremated.

Condolences

Expressions of sympathy and comfort offered to the bereaved, often written in cards or online tributes.

Coroner

A government official who investigates unexpected deaths to determine the cause.

Cremation

Exposing a dead body to intense heat to reduce it to bone fragments and ashes. This is an alternative to burial.

Crematorium

A building with cremation facilities where funeral services can also be held.

D

Death Certificate

An official document listing details of someone’s death.

Death Notice

A published announcement informing the community about a recent death and upcoming funeral arrangements.

Direct Burial

Interment of a body shortly after death with no formal viewing or ceremony.

Disbursements

Third-party funeral expenses paid upfront by the funeral director, such as crematorium fees, flowers, catering etc.

E

Eco Friendly Funeral

A term used to denote less harmful for the environment and focuses on making a small or non existent carbon footprint. Bio-degradable coffin, no headstone and in a natural green space.

Embalming

Treating a deceased person’s body with chemicals to temporarily slow its natural decay.

Eulogy

A speech honouring the deceased, typically delivered by a close friend or family member at the funeral.

Executor

The person legally responsible for carrying out the terms of a will – distributing assets, paying off debts etc.

Exhumation

Digging up a buried body for examination or relocation to another site.

F

Funeral Director

A professional who helps arrange all aspects of a funeral, from transporting and preparing the body to liaising with the crematorium, cemetery, florist etc. Also known as a mortician or undertaker.

Funeral Expenses Payment

A government payment available to assist low-income individuals with funeral costs.

Funeral Plan

Prepaying for your own funeral arrangements to ease the financial and practical burden on relatives after death.

Funeral Procession

A convoy of vehicles driving slowly to the cemetery or crematorium, accompanying the hearse carrying the casket.

G

Grave

A hole dug in the ground to receive a coffin or casket for burial.

Graveside Service

A funeral ceremony conducted at the burial site just prior to interment of the casket.

Gravestone

An upright stone slab placed at the head of a grave, engraved with information about the deceased. Also called headstone or tombstone.

Green Burial

Designed to have minimal impact on the environment. Bio-degradable coffin and no embalming chemicals are used.

H

Hearse

A vehicle specially designed to carry a casketed body to a funeral or cemetery.

Humanist Ceremony

A non-religious funeral celebrating the person’s life, guided by Humanist officiants.

I

Interment

The act of placing a casket or urn containing a body or ashes into a grave, crypt, or vault.

Intestate

Dying without having made a legal will, resulting in the state determining distribution of the deceased’s estate.

L

Life Celebration

Another term for a funeral focusing on the joy of the person’s life rather than mourning their death.

M

Mausoleum

An ornate building with vaults to hold numerous caskets and urns, either above or below ground.

Memorial Service

A ceremony honouring someone who has died, held without the body present.

Mortuary

A facility where bodies are stored and prepared prior to burial or cremation.

N

Next of Kin

A person’s closest living blood relative, who has legal rights relating to medical decisions, funeral arrangements etc.

Niche

A recessed space in a columbarium, mausoleum, or crematorium wall designed to hold an urn.

O

Obituary

A published notice announcing a death, celebrating key details about the deceased’s life.

Officiant

The person who conducts a funeral or memorial service, most often a minister, pastor, priest, rabbi etc.

Order of Service

A printed program listing details of the funeral proceedings.

P

Pallbearers

People who help carry the casket at a funeral.

Post-Mortem

The examination of a body after death to determine the cause.

Prep Room

The area within a funeral home where embalming, dressing and cosmetic restoration takes place.

Probate

The legal process for assessing and distributing assets from a deceased person’s estate.

R

Repatriation

Transporting a deceased person’s body across national borders for burial or cremation.

S

Scattering

Releasing ashes or flower petals across a meaningful landscape in tribute to the deceased.

T

Tomb

An above-ground vault for entombing a casketed body.

Tombstone

An inscribed stone marking a grave. Also called gravestone or headstone.

U

Urn

A container to hold cremated ashes, available in various materials like wood, marble, brass etc.

V

Viewing

A chance for loved ones to see and spend time with the body of the deceased before the funeral.

Vault

An underground grave enclosure that protects caskets from the weight of earth and heavy maintenance equipment.

W

Wake

An informal gathering, held shortly after a death, for family and friends to share memories.

Will

A legal document detailing one’s wishes regarding asset distribution and funeral arrangements after death.

For Professional Funeral Directors in Bradford, Call Joseph A. Hey & Son Ltd

We hope you find this funeral glossary from Joseph A. Hey & Son Ltd helpful during a very hard time. Planning final farewells for someone special should feel meaningful, not confusing. Please reach out if you need any clarification on the terms or procedures outlined here.

Our caring funeral directors are always willing to answer questions, ease worries, and guide your family through next steps with empathy and respect. Lean on us for advice on personalised remembrances fitting for your loved one. When you are ready, call Joseph A. Hey & Son Ltd at 01274 571021 to learn more about our funeral and memorialization services crafted to honour extraordinary lives.