Shifts

Death is something we is deal with at some point in life whether it be the death of a family member, friend, co-worker, neighbor, etc.   Some people have questions and they wonder about death. Some give little thought about death.    I did not really give aspects related to death much thought other than attending funerals and saying my last goodbye to friends and loved ones. Until the early 20th century, it was considered appropriate for children to hear about death from the parents but that changed. This is probably why I did not give to much thought about death and dying. It was not something that we discussed in our home and in many homes across the United States.
  Death can sometimes be a mystery. It is interesting that in our society today we purchase elaborate caskets for the deceased like how we shop for cars. We can purchase them online or in showrooms. This was not always the case though. In the 20th century, options for caskets/coffins were more limited than how they are today. They did not have the internet to purchase a casket. Most times, it was a pine box that was used.
I have previously mentioned that there has been a shift away from home funerals to the funeral homes. This is a change from the early 1900's to modern day.
 Until the late 19th century, most funerals and the preparation of the dead, such as embalming, occurred in the home of the deceased, but by the 1920s death had moved from the deceased's home to the hospital and then to the funeral home. 
Funerals tended to be very plain usually with the deceased being placed in a pine box and family and friends cared for the body and had a simple burial. The modern funeral is carried out by professionals who transform the body of the deceased into a living memorial.
Memorial services and cremations seem to be gaining popularity and may replace the standard body preparation for a ground burial and the traditional funeral service. Cremations started to become more popular in the past 40 years or so.

A memorial service after cremation or quick burial is now being seen by many individuals as an alternative to the  standard funeral. Dealing with disposition of the body at death is one of the most pressing issue for most  families.With cremations, a memorial service can be held days, weeks or months later when the family is ready. They do not have to rush and get ready for a funeral/burial.  As we have moved into the 21st century, memorial services and cremations will continue to replace the standard body preparation ( embalming) for ground burial and the traditional funeral service of the past