I'm attending a funeral on saturday

[Yangsing]

I'm attending a funeral this Saturday and I'm one of the pallbearers. Has anyone ever had to be a pallbearer? Other then carrying the casket, is there any other duties/responsibilities involved?

[Correction]

I'm attending a funeral this Saturday and I'm one of the pallbearers. Has anyone ever had to be a pallbearer? Other then carrying the casket, is there any other duties/responsibilities involved?

Don't drop it?

Simple being a pallbearer, just be sure everyone starts walking at the same time. And it's probably easier bringing up the rear than leading the pack.

[Amarok]

I was a pallbearer and they actually has us set the casket on a rolling thing rather than carry it because they weigh so much. I don't know if that's how it always works but we just carried it out of the room to the rolling thing than guided it along to the gravesite.

[archibaldcrane]

I was a pall-bearer once...

...but I was 11 years old, and my best friend was in the casket. I think for most adult funerals they use 6 people, for this they had 8 kids. I don't remember having to do anything other than carry the casket, but then again that was 16 years ago.

[ghostfaced]

basically dont drop it or when you put it in the hurst dont drop it into that be gentle D:! did it for my grandma 2 years ago, you most likely will put it on the roller thingy that people were talkin about earlier

[Mysterio]

this qualifies as a sadface thread.

I think you'll only see military funerals carrying caskets these days.

Sorry for your loss Yangsing.

@Archibaldcrane that must have been harsh at that age, so sorry

[Mizango]

Your duties are to mainly carry the casket and like someone else said "Dont drop it". I'm sorry to hear about the unfortunate task you have been assigned. Just try to stay focused and keep a straight face, much easier said than done.

I was asked to carry the urn of my parents almost 4 years ago to the month after being victims of a home invasion, in which I declined. I can sympathize with you and you have my utmost respect for being able to accept such a task.

[Cail]

i was one about 2 years ago, and what people said above is correct. Not gonna reiterate cuz its been done a few times already >.>

[Gafgarionn]

depressing thread is depressssssssssssing

[Mysterio]

depressing thread is depressssssssssssing

I concur, such depressing discussion

[Remyo]

I was a pallbearer for my sister's best friend about 5 years ago, she was like a sister to me.

The Funeral director will explain everything, or you can ask him. What we did was afte rthe service they used a cart to move the casket from the altar to the rear entrance we picked it up from the cart and moved it into the hearse. Then the hearse drove to the grave site; we moved it back from the hearse to the cart and rolled the cart to the grave and lifted the casket onto the elevator type thing. then we take our place with the rest of the group.

Personally, I will not be a pallbearer ever again(unless it's immediate family), and I don't like funerals or "visitations" either. after losing multiple friends from highschool (my graduating class was only a little over 100 so everyone knew everyone and we all grew up together) I don't even like attending the inside services. You may not feel this way though. my condolences btw.

[Elesirdur]

I was a pallbearer for my grandfather when I was 15. He opted for a heavy mahogany casket and we carried it military-style at shoulder height. (He served in WWII as a physical training instructor, but wasn't a military guy.) We only had to move it from the hearse to the gravesite, about 50 yards over a slightly sloping grass field and man was it tough. We tried as best we could to keep the casket level - which it should always be - which adds to the strain if you have to lift it high off your shoulder or support it lower down. These days it seems rare to have caskets actually carried by the pallbearers (signs of growing obesity anyone?) but if that was requested or the pallbearers are physically capable I think it should be done out of respect for the dead. Just putting the casket on a cart seems rather cold and mechanical to me, while the physical strain required to carry it high on the shoulders adds a very human touch to bringing the deceased to their final resting place.

However, consider it a great honor to be asked to be a pallbearer and if the wishes of the dead were to be carried then comply with final requests.

[archibaldcrane]

I was a pallbearer for my grandfather when I was 15. He opted for a heavy mahogany casket and we carried it military-style at shoulder height. (He served in WWII as a physical training instructor, but wasn't a military guy.) We only had to move it from the hearse to the gravesite, about 50 yards over a slightly sloping grass field and man was it tough. We tried as best we could to keep the casket level - which it should always be - which adds to the strain if you have to lift it high off your shoulder or support it lower down. These days it seems rare to have caskets actually carried by the pallbearers (signs of growing obesity anyone?) but if that was requested or the pallbearers are physically capable I think it should be done out of respect for the dead. Just putting the casket on a cart seems rather cold and mechanical to me, while the physical strain required to carry it high on the shoulders adds a very human touch to bringing the deceased to their final resting place.

However, consider it a great honor to be asked to be a pallbearer and if the wishes of the dead were to be carried then comply with final requests.

Note to self - stay healthy, die fit, and make my pallbearers carry my casket at shoulder height.

Maybe it's just me, but I think that's kinda badass.