What type of service allows families to say goodbye before the actual funeral?

The type of service that allows families to say goodbye before the actual funeral is visitation. During a visitation, family and friends gather to pay their respects to the deceased, offering an opportunity to share memories and provide emotional support to one another. This event typically occurs in the days leading up to the funeral and can take place at the funeral home, a family home, or another venue.

This setting is particularly important as it gives the bereaved a chance to interact with attendees in a more intimate and informal manner, which can help in the grieving process. It provides a space for closure and connection prior to the formal service of the funeral itself, where a more structured ceremony is usually conducted.

Other options like graveside service, memorial service, and committal service serve different functions in the funeral process. A graveside service typically takes place at the cemetery just before burial, a memorial service is held to honor the deceased, usually without the body present, and a committal service is a brief service that occurs at the gravesite, both often occurring after a visitation or the funeral. Each of these services has its own purpose but does not serve the same function of providing a dedicated time for personal farewell before the funeral.