Do Women Serve as Pall Bearers?

Pallbearers are the people who are intended to escort or carry the casket at the funeral. This practice is only accepted if there is a casket present during the memorial service, which simply means that they are not generally a part of the funeral service. But in case you noticed, most of the people who act as pallbearers are men. Female pallbearers may seem to be an uncommon occurrence, perhaps due to the fact that most of them are physically incapable of carrying the casket. Fee & Sons Funeral Home & Crematorium stated that anyone can be a pallbearer regardless of their gender, age as long as they have a close relation with the deceased.

Choosing the People Who Will Act as Pallbearers

As it was already mentioned above, family members and close friends regardless if they are male or female can be pallbearers. Conventionally, the funeral ceremony will require at least 6 pallbearers since there are also 6 handles present on the casket. They can have 8 if you account for the handle located at the back and front of the casket.

This is considered an honour and people who were given the responsibility are usually friends or members of the family. Some of the most common choices include colleagues, friends, nephews, nieces, grandchildren, adult children and siblings. But anyone can really play the part. They can be someone who already participated in other funeral service or an important person that is not involved in the funeral ceremony.

When you are thinking of choosing the right pallbearers, you need to think about the person who is fitting for this honour. In the traditional method, the chosen pallbearers should have the capacity to physically carry the weight of the casket. Those people who are dear with the departed but do not have the ability to bear the weight can be regarded as honorary pallbearers.

You should talk first to the people that you are considering. You have to let them know that you want them to participate on the funeral service. Explain their roles and your reasons for asking them to participate in the funeral ceremony. Communicating with them will let you know if they have any concern and will allow you to find a solution on their issue.

You should also ask the choices of the immediate family members. Tell them about the people you chose as pallbearers to avoid any problems during the funeral service. In terms of the honorary pallbearers, there are no limits on the amount of honorary pallbearers. However, you should also talk this matter over with your family.

In case you have any concerns about funeral services or you are currently planning the funeral of a departed loved one, talk with the funeral directors of Fee & Sons Funeral Home & Crematorium, they will be able to provide you with their expert guidance. Call us to find the right solution for your concerns.