Why do funeral homes usually have so many rooms and look like a big creepy mansions? If the people staying there are dead, why do they need an entire suite to reside in? What do they use all of those rooms for?
by 
Shaylove
ANSWERS: 12
-
In the 2-story funeral home in my home town, downstairs were four viewing rooms, a chapel, a reception area, restrooms, and a "showroom" for caskets. Also there was a garage and receiving area for the hearse. I never went upstairs, but I understand that a couple more offices, the morgue and embalming room were up there. As for "creepy" -- well, that really depends on the design of the building. Some funeral homes are quite modern and sleek on the outside.
-
They're usally old homes that have been converted. The rooms are not for the dead, but for the family and friends that come to the funeral and calling hours which can gat really crowded. The other rooms are used for keeping other bodies out of sight, offices and prep rooms and so you can have more than one funeral at a time. Also in the old days most morticians used to live at the funeral home full time to save money.
-
It shows respect for the faimlys that come to say their goodbyes and some faimly's have a lot of faimly member's that come there and it is nice to have a nice gathering place -
-
you pay a lot for space. those undertakers know you'd be upset to see another dead in the same room where your loved one is kept. i once worked in a funeral home and there is where i was convinced that god doesn't exist. answer to another question:the dead does have underwear.
-
You never know how many people they have die that week, would you like it if you could see them, even by accident. Be lucky they do, otherwise, they might forget about someone, and they might misplace their body. Then who know's who would see it??? (this was rude, not a joke? sorry!)
-
Just because they are dead doesn't mean they don't deserve respect, Or their families for that matter. What should we do? just put them all in a big pile? Alot of these places were not purpose built to be funeral parlours..
-
Large family members attending. Thats obvious.
-
The chief reasons are obvious. Privacy being the main reason. The deceased obviously don't care where they are viewed, or even by whom. The privacy is for the grieving family and friends, and it is to have a specific area, a common room if you will, for several people to gather together to pay last respects without strangers seeing their personal emotions. I would say it is mainly for privacy though, because it wouldn't be respectful to either the dead or the grieving to lump a bunch of deceased people's bodies into one room, even if it was large, and still give people space to say their last goodbyes - it just wouldn't be personal or private then, right?
-
To allow for more viewing areas to receive large families and groups of friends. Also much of the building is used for embalming, office space, and "showrooms" for caskets.
-
at a wake or private viewing, you would want to see the body in a somewhat respectful, peaceful and clean space, not in the morgue, surrounded by harsh metal table slabs, knowing that behind all those little doors are bodys. now you may get the same thought in a funeral home, but the idea is to make the idea of a funeral home invincible. the big doors, the soft music, the flowers, all designed for the comfort of the grieving family.
-
Much like any other big business, funeral homes/mortuaries want to provide a dignified and appropriate setting for the deceased, as well as for the family of the deceased during the initial time of mourning as well as the funeral service. Not all funeral facilities, however, are large and impressive. I have visited the deceased in a number of small-town mortuaries which were marginal. Anyone genuinely opposed to funeral home services is free to opt for cremation.
-
It is a business by itself. Haven't you seen the marketing guy with suit and all the brochures explaining what type of funeral you need? Also it is nice to have more rooms and neat environment for the people to stay away from everything and pay respects.
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC