There is a strange moment after a funeral.
For days, everything may have revolved around arrangements.
Phone calls.
Flowers.
Photographs.
Music.
People arriving in Townsville.
The service.
And then it finishes.
People begin to leave.
The flowers come home.
And suddenly there isn’t another funeral decision waiting for you.
There is simply the reality that someone you love is no longer there.
But something else often begins around this time.
The stories start coming.
“I Never Knew They Did That”
Funerals have a remarkable way of bringing together different parts of someone’s life.
Family knows one version of them.
Workmates know another.
Old school friends remember somebody you barely recognise.
Neighbours have their own stories.
Someone may tell you about a kindness your loved one showed them 30 years ago.
A colleague might remember something hilarious they did at work.
A friend may have a photograph you’ve never seen.
These stories can become precious.
Don’t Rush Past Them
In the days surrounding a funeral, it is easy for these conversations to disappear amongst everything else happening.
If someone tells you something you want to remember, write it down.
Ask them to send the photograph.
Save the message.
Record the story if they are comfortable with that.
Years from now, those little fragments may mean more than you can imagine today.
A Funeral Isn’t Only About Saying Goodbye
It is also about gathering the pieces of someone’s life.
Their relationships.
Their personality.
Their humour.
Their achievements.
The ordinary things they did every day.
Fitzgerald’s Funerals can help families create personalised funerals and celebrations of life where storytelling, music, photographs and memories can become part of the farewell.
But remembering doesn’t stop when the funeral finishes.
Create a Place for the Stories
You don’t need to create an elaborate memorial project.
Start simply.
Perhaps create a family photo album.
Ask relatives to contribute one favourite memory.
Save voice messages from older family members telling stories.
Create a digital folder containing photographs.
Write down Mum’s recipe everyone loves.
Keep Dad’s handwritten notes.
Save the funny things.
Not every memory has to be solemn.
Often the ordinary memories are the ones families eventually treasure most.
When Someone Couldn’t Attend the Funeral
Not everybody who loved someone will be able to attend their funeral in Townsville.
Family may live interstate or overseas.
Health, travel or other circumstances can make attendance impossible.
Fitzgerald’s Funerals offers funeral livestreaming, helping family members and friends who cannot be physically present remain connected with the service.
You can also continue including those people afterwards.
Call them.
Share photographs.
Ask for their stories.
Being unable to attend the funeral does not remove somebody from the person’s life.
What About a Memorial Service Later?
Sometimes a family isn’t ready to bring everyone together immediately.
Or perhaps important people simply cannot reach Townsville in time for the funeral.
A memorial service can provide another opportunity to gather, share memories and remember someone together.
Because it does not necessarily need to happen immediately after someone passes away, families can sometimes choose a time that allows important people to be there.
Fitzgerald’s Funerals can help families consider whether a memorial service is the right option for their circumstances.
There Is No Correct Way to Remember Someone
You may want photographs everywhere.
Someone else may find photographs difficult for a while.
You might want to talk about your loved one constantly.
Another family member may need quiet.
One person may visit the cemetery.
Another may feel closest to them while fishing in the place they always went together.
There is room for all of those responses.
Remembering somebody isn’t a task you need to complete.
Their Story Continues Through the People Who Knew Them
Fitzgerald’s Funerals has supported Townsville families since 1997, providing funeral care and practical guidance from 7 Yeatman Street, Hyde Park, Townsville.
We meet families at one of the most difficult moments of their lives.
But we also hear extraordinary stories.
Stories about ordinary people who meant everything to somebody.
So after the funeral, when someone begins a sentence with:
“Do you remember when…?”
Listen.
That story may become one of the things you carry with you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is it normal to find the period after the funeral difficult?
Everyone responds differently. The period following a funeral can bring many different emotions and experiences.
What can we do with photographs collected for the funeral?
Families may choose to preserve them in albums, digital collections or other personal ways that help keep memories together.
Can people who couldn’t attend still watch the funeral?
Fitzgerald’s Funerals offers livestreaming to help family and friends who cannot attend in person remain connected with the service.
Can we hold a memorial service after cremation?
A memorial service can be held separately from the cremation, giving families greater flexibility around when and how people gather.
What’s the difference between a funeral and a memorial service?
A funeral generally takes place with the coffin present, whereas a memorial service can be held without the coffin present and at a different time.
Can Fitzgerald’s Funerals help personalise a memorial service?
Yes. Families can discuss incorporating music, stories, photographs, readings and other meaningful elements.
Does Fitzgerald’s Funerals only assist families in Townsville?
Fitzgerald’s Funerals assists families in Townsville and surrounding communities.
How do we contact Fitzgerald’s Funerals?
Fitzgerald’s Funerals can be contacted on (07) 4724 4000 or visited at 7 Yeatman Street, Hyde Park, Townsville QLD 4810. The team is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week.