At Lewis Funeral Home, we’ve walked alongside families in San Antonio for over five decades, offering compassionate care during some of life’s most difficult moments. Over the years, we’ve come to understand a profound truth that planning ahead isn’t just practical, it’s a final gift of love and peace to those you leave behind. Pre-planning a funeral service gives you and your family the clarity, comfort, and confidence needed when emotions run high. In this blog, we’ll walk you through everything you need to know about pre-planning a service, drawn from our years of experience serving the community.
Pre-Planning Puts You in Control and Relieves the Burden on Loved ones
When we sit down with families to discuss pre-planning, the first thing we emphasize is control. Pre-planning a funeral allows you to make decisions on your terms, without time pressures or emotional stress clouding your judgment. You get to choose the type of service you want, how you want to be remembered, and what details matter most to you, from music and readings to casket selection and burial preferences. When you’re in control of these choices, your wishes are more likely to be honored and carried out exactly as you envision.
We’ve seen firsthand how difficult it is for families to make funeral arrangements while grieving. Pre-planning spares your loved ones from making dozens of difficult decisions under emotional duress. Instead of having to guess what you would have wanted, they’ll have a clear roadmap to follow. At Lewis Funeral Home, we often hear family members express deep gratitude when a loved one has pre-planned their service, and how it brings peace of mind and reduces conflict or confusion during a painful time.
Pre-Planning Encourages Important Family Conversations
Talking about death isn’t easy but it’s one of the most important conversations you can have with your family. When you initiate the pre-planning process, you’re opening the door for honest dialogue about end-of-life wishes, legacy, and priorities. These discussions can strengthen relationships, clarify expectations, and even bring a sense of closure before it’s ever needed.
At Lewis Funeral Home, we often facilitate these conversations during our planning sessions, creating an environment of compassion, understanding, and respect. We often meet people who are overwhelmed by grief and regret because they were unsure how their loved one wanted to be honored. Pre-planning eliminates that uncertainty and prevents family members from feeling guilt or doubt about the choices they’ve made. Instead, they can focus on healing, remembering, and celebrating a life well-lived. Knowing that everything has been taken care of just the way you wanted gives your family emotional relief during one of the hardest times of their lives.
Pre-Planning Provides Access to a Range of Personalization Options
When you take time to pre-plan, you open up a wide world of personalization. Would you like a special reading, a favorite hymn, a military tribute, or a slideshow of cherished memories? Maybe you want your guests to wear your favorite color or include a toast at the reception. These creative, meaningful touches often get lost when families have to plan a service quickly. Pre-planning gives you the time and opportunity to create a truly personalized event that tells your unique story. At Lewis Funeral Home, we love helping people design services that reflect their spirit and individuality.
Pre-Planning Gives You Peace of Mind Today
There’s something deeply comforting about knowing your affairs are in order. When you’ve pre-planned your funeral, you’re able to live fully in the present, without the worry of the unknown. That peace of mind can’t be overstated. Many of our clients tell us they feel a sense of relief and empowerment after completing their pre-planning paperwork. It’s one less thing for you and your family to worry about. And it’s a lasting expression of your love and care.
We always remind families that pre-planning isn’t set in stone. Your preferences, finances, or family circumstances may change over time, and that’s okay. When you pre-plan with Lewis Funeral Home, you can update your choices whenever necessary. We keep your records secure and easy to access, so if you want to revise any details in the future, all it takes is a simple phone call or visit. This flexibility is especially important as people move, remarry, or experience changes in health or spiritual beliefs.
Pre-Planning Is Easy with the Right Guidance and Conditions
One of the biggest misconceptions we hear is that funeral pre-planning is complicated or time-consuming. In reality, with the right guidance, it can be straightforward and even uplifting. Our experienced team at Lewis Funeral Home is here to walk you through every step. We’ll explain your options clearly, answer all your questions, and handle the paperwork with care.
You don’t need to have everything figured out when you start, just a willingness to begin the conversation. We’ll help with the rest, and we know that in today’s busy world, convenience matters. That’s why we offer online planning tools and virtual consultations for those who prefer to begin the process from the comfort of home. Whether you live in San Antonio or have family in other parts of Texas, we make it easy to start pre-planning without needing to visit our funeral home right away. Of course, we’re always happy to meet in person as well.
Pre-Planning Allows for Veteran and Government Benefits Coordination
Many of our clients are veterans or family members of veterans, and they often have questions about military honors and government benefits. When you pre-plan, we can help ensure that all entitlements such as burial in a national cemetery, military honors, or VA markers are identified and prepared in advance. This eliminates last-minute confusion and helps your family avoid delays.
At Lewis Funeral Home, we take pride in honoring those who have served our country with dignity and respect. When we assist veterans in pre‑planning their service, the guidance we provide extends far beyond selecting a casket or choosing music. It includes helping them access their full range of government and VA burial benefits. In fact, according to the Department of Veterans Affairs, only about 20% of veterans who died in the most recent data year were buried at no cost in VA national or state‑run veterans’ cemeteries. That means less than one in five eligible veterans actually take advantage of these benefits, even though they are entitled to them.
Pre-Planning Connects You with Trusted Professionals
Choosing a funeral home is an important decision, and pre-planning allows you to build a relationship with the professionals who will ultimately care for your family. At Lewis Funeral Home, we believe in forming a partnership based on trust, compassion, and transparency. When you pre-plan with us you’re not just buying a service, you’re gaining a team who will advocate for your wishes and support your family every step of the way. It’s a relationship that lasts beyond paperwork, it’s personal. It’s not enough to tell someone what you want, you need to document your wishes in a way that is legally recognized.
When you pre-plan a funeral with Lewis Funeral Home, we ensure that your preferences are written, filed, and securely stored. We can also assist with preparing other essential end-of-life documents like advance directives and powers of attorney. These steps make your wishes clear and legally binding, reducing the risk of misinterpretation or dispute later on.
Let’s Begin the Conversation Together
Our decades of experience in San Antonio have taught us that every life deserves to be honored with dignity, care, and personalization. Pre-planning gives us the time and space to ensure just that. We consider it a privilege to help our neighbors create services that reflect not only how someone passed, but how they lived.
At Lewis Funeral Home, we believe that when you plan ahead, you give your family the freedom to grieve, remember, and celebrate without the burden of last-minute decisions. Whether you’re just starting to explore your options or you’re ready to put a plan in place, we’re here to guide you with honesty, respect, and compassion. We invite you to reach out and schedule a no-obligation conversation with one of our experienced pre-need counselors. After all, planning ahead is not about death, it’s about life, love, and legacy.
