Funeral Services in De Soto, MO

Although many types of funeral services exist, they all aim toward the same goal: honoring the deceased and their life well lived. At Dietrich-Mothershead Funeral Home, we’re here to help you arrange a unique service for a special person. Whether you choose a specific funeral service or wish to combine aspects from several types, our staff can help make it happen.

Every family works directly with a funeral home director who coordinates each detail, from the venue to the final arrangements.

Common funeral service types include:

Traditional Funeral Services

Also called “full-service funerals,” the traditional funeral service incorporates multiple steps or events. A visitation or wake commences the day before or after the funeral ceremony. Family and friends gather at a funeral home or place of worship during the visitation to pay their respects. The deceased’s body is often displayed in an open or closed casket at the front of the room.

Next, the funeral ceremony begins, where attendees gather for eulogies, readings, music, and sometimes prayer led by an officiant. Churches and other religious settings often follow a specific order of service for funerals. Directly after, a handful of guests (close friends and family) attend the burial at a cemetery. Following the burial or committal, funeral attendees gather at a family member’s home or a common area for a reception.

Celebration of Life

A celebration of life ceremony resembles the traditional funeral in honoring a deceased loved one but accomplishes it differently. Celebrations of life often occur after the body’s burial or cremation, giving family members more time to plan a special occasion. Since they require more creativity than a traditional funeral service, celebrations of life incorporate unique aspects that tell a story.

You can choose how to commemorate your loved one’s life. Whether you plan the service around a theme, include their favorite foods and drinks, display awards, host a lantern send-off, or even throw a dance party, celebrations of life hold no restrictions. As always, your funeral director can help coordinate every aspect.

Memorial Service

Memorial services include specific parts of traditional funerals and celebrations of life. Similar to the celebration of life, memorials also occur after the body’s burial or cremation. It can either reflect the traditional order of service with music, readings, and eulogies or memorialize the deceased in a celebratory manner.

Friends and family come together with no viewing or visitation to remember their loved ones. They share memories, help each other grieve, and offer support. Therefore, memorial services often take a more reflective and somber note than a celebration of life.

Graveside Service

Although a component of the traditional funeral service, the graveside service can also commence as a standalone event. Attendees gather at a cemetery or burial site for an officiant-led ceremony. Typically shorter than a traditional service, the ceremony ends with the body’s final disposition.

Direct Burial

Direct burial occurs without any visitation or funeral service. Instead, the funeral home obtains the death certificate and other required permits, prepares the body, and arranges transportation to the gravesite for burial immediately following death. Typically, an inexpensive casket houses the body.

Direct Cremation

Similarly, direct cremation occurs right after death. Therefore, no embalming or expensive urn is necessary. The funeral director coordinates all relevant details, such as burying the urn or scattering the ashes.

Every family’s first call is different. Some already know what they want. Others are calling within hours of a loss and need guidance on the very first step. When you contact Dietrich-Mothershead Funeral Home, a funeral director answers directly, day or night, and walks you through what happens next: transporting your loved one into our care, reviewing service options, and setting a date that works for your family. We serve De Soto, Hillsboro, Festus, Herculaneum, Olympian Village, and the rest of Jefferson County, with transfer service available up to 70 miles from our De Soto location.

Call Anytime, Day or Night.

Families come to Dietrich-Mothershead Funeral Home in two very different situations. Some are arranging a funeral within hours of a loss and need immediate direction. If that’s you, our step-by-step guide to what to do after the death of a loved one walks through the first decisions you’ll need to make.

Others want to plan ahead, on their own timeline, through pre-arrangement. Our funeral planning page covers Missouri State-approved, trust and insurance-backed pre-need options that let you make those decisions now, so your family doesn’t have to guess later.

Grief doesn’t end with the funeral, and neither does our support. Our grief support page connects families with counseling and community resources after the service. If you’re searching for someone specific, our obituaries page holds our current and past listings. And if you’re deciding between casket and urn options, our caskets and urns page walks through the choices, including our full range of Batesville Casket Company options.