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Earlier in the year, it was suggested that I write a post about pallbearers \u2013 how to choose suitable candidates, what are their duties and what\u2019s required of them; that sort of thing. I added it to my list of potential topics and, driven by curiosity, I busied myself writing about other topics. Today\u2019s the day; I\u2019m ready to write about what\u2019s involved in selecting and being a pallbearer. If you\u2019re interested in the history of pallbearing, check out the Origin of Pallbearers<\/a>. \u201cCasket bearer\u201d is another accepted term describing this important role.<\/p>\n An active pallbearer is a person whose primary task is to help carry the casket from the place of funeral or memorial service to the hearse, for transportation to the crematory (if cremation is planned after the funeral) or to the cemetery for burial. Pallbearer duties may also include participating in the graveside events \u2013 and would be responsible for carrying the casket to the gravesite. Because of the \u2018heavy lifting\u2019 built into the position of pallbearer, you\u2019ll commonly see men in the role \u2013 but women pallbearers aren\u2019t uncommon.<\/p>\n There are two main kinds of pallbearers, active and honorary. Active pallbearers are the ones who actually perform the required tasks. Honorary ones are individuals worthy of recognition, but who have no specific duties are asked of them. For example, my son who was quite young at the time, was listed as an honorary pallbearer for his grandfather on the funeral program.<\/p>\n When it comes to pallbearer etiquette, it\u2019s not difficult to understand the need for pallbearers to be \u2018on their best behavior\u2019 as our mothers would say. They need to dress appropriately for the occasion, which could include a suit, tie, dress slacks and comfortable shoes. These are both rather obvious. The funeral director in charge of the service can further advise selectees on what they should wear.<\/p>\n Regarding comfortable shoes: weather might matter on your choice of footwear. We’ve been to rainy graveside ceremonies and the trek through the cemetery was soggy. At an uncle’s burial, the cemetery caretaker put boards down on the ground to keep the family out of the mud on our way to the tent.<\/p>\n How many casket bearers you\u2019ll need is dependent on the casket itself. Standard caskets usually have six handles; larger ones have eight handles \u2013 and the number of handles equals the number of pallbearers you\u2019ll need to select.<\/p>\n When thinking about how to choose a pallbearer, I\u2019ve used just one criterion: a pallbearer should be someone of consequence in the life of the deceased. But that\u2019s not a hard and fast rule. Take, for example, the 1961 funeral of Ernest Hemingway. It\u2019s an accident that I even bring it up. When preparing to write an upcoming post, I found myself reading about Ernest Hemingway\u2019s death \u2013thinking he could be a feature in a celebrity cremation post (similar to Celebrity Cremations: Isadora Duncan<\/a>). There wasn\u2019t a story there for that post (simply because he wasn\u2019t cremated). But I discovered a list of the pallbearers who served at his funeral and thought it a point of conversation for this post. Sweet!<\/p>\n Here\u2019s why: the list appeared to be made up of \u2018ordinary folks\u2019; some from the town of Ketchum, Idaho, where he had been living prior to his death. There was a doctor, a local rancher and business owner, a photographer from the railroad; just everyday people who came in contact with Mr. Hemingway in the short time he lived there.<\/p>\n As in many larger funeral services, there were both active and honorary pallbearers.<\/p>\n The list of honorary pallbearers was far longer, and included notables from around the world, including a bullfighter from Madrid.<\/p>\n More commonly, the casket bearers are individuals who, as I said earlier, were important in the life of the deceased. For example, at Muhammed Ali\u2019s service, in June, 2016, again there were both active and honorary pallbearers. The men elected to carry the casket included Will Smith, and Lennox Lewis, former Heavyweight Champion of the World, along with select Ali family members. Other boxing greats, such as George Foreman, Larry Holmes and Mike Tyson, will be honorary pallbearers.<\/p>\n More illustrative of the idea pallbearers should be people central in the life of the deceased, the pallbearers at the funeral of former First Lady Barbara Bush were all her grandsons.<\/p>\n 2. Choose Someone Who is Physically and Emotionally Strong<\/strong><\/p>\n Make sure those individuals you choose are physically and emotionally strong enough to participate. Emotional outbursts from the pallbearers can be very disturbing for those in attendance. And as far as physical strength, I’ve seen some pallbearers that were clearly struggling under the weight of the casket.<\/p>\n With that said, I\u2019d like to end on a lighter note \u2013 and maybe plant a seed in your mind about who should be selected as a pallbearer for your loved ones funeral.<\/p>\n 3. Hire a Professional Pallbearer<\/strong><\/p>\n Dancing Pallbearers? Really?!<\/p>\n You may not realize there are professional pallbearers available for hire, your funeral director can help you. Some put a unique spin on the more common pallbearer duties \u2013 they\u2019ll dance. (It\u2019s a tradition in Ghana.) If you have a moment, watch this YouTube video, Professional Pallbearers. In America we traditionally carry the casket lower, but in the UK and other countries, the casket rests on the shoulders of the pallbearers.<\/p>\nWhat does a Pallbearer Do?<\/strong><\/h2>\n
The Duties of a Pallbearer<\/h3>\n
Active vs. Honorary Pallbearers<\/h3>\n
Proper Pallbearer Etiquette & Attire<\/h3>\n
How Many Pallbearers Do You Need?<\/h3>\n
Who Should Be Pallbearers in Your Loved One\u2019s Funeral<\/h2>\n
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