One of the primary benefits to planning your own funeral is having the ability to make your wishes known. Your family, no doubt, wants to honor you by fulfilling your final wishes, and preplanning allows you to communicate those desires to them clearly. If for any reason, there could be confusion about the way you want to be laid to rest, preplanning with us makes sure your wishes are clear and removes the pressure of guessing off your family.

Here are three ways prearranging with Sunset View Cemetery & Mortuary will put you in the driver’s seat:

1.) You have the ability to discuss all of the options available to you, in depth.

You may come here to our beautiful, comfortable facility in El Cerrito to plan, or if you’d prefer, we can come to your home – perhaps in Berkeley or Oakland. Just let us know what is most comfortable for you. Either way, you’ll be armed with all the information you’ll need to make the best decision for you.

2.) You can choose, for yourself, whether you want to be buried traditionally or cremated.

While cremation is starting to gain popularity, some people still prefer traditional burial. If you have strong feelings on the subject, or cultural/religious views on the matter, don’t leave any doubt for your loved ones about how you feel.

3.) Your funeral can reflect who you were – not who other people thought you were.

Hate the idea of being laid to rest with a lot of fanfare? Plan an intimate gathering for friends and family with minimal music or tributes. On the other hand, if you want to use your service to share a message with the world about who you were, we can make that happen for you in our reception room at Sunset View. Our experienced staff can help you plan every last detail – from the music, to the eulogy, to more personalized aspects like a dove release or serving your favorite dessert at the reception. The fact is, your family may not know what your favorite song or meal is. Preplanning allows you to write the story of your life – your way.

At Sunset View Cemetery & Mortuary, we do encourage you to discuss all of these decisions with your family. But ultimately, you need to choose what brings you peace of mind. By preplanning with Sunset View, you can rest assured knowing your wishes will be heard and every detail handled.

If you were preplanning today, what is the number one thing you’d like to incorporate into your farewell?