What are the responsibilities of an usher at a funeral?

Answer 1

An usher at a funeral takes either individual or shared responsibility for escorting mourners towards their seats, pews, or location the family has requested. It allows families to politely manage certain individuals to sit in a preferred area, such as those with actual printed invitations, and to direct those without, politely to another area. An usher may also manage where individuals who are providing a reading or eulogy, are seated, to ensure that they are seated on the aisle, so as not to create congestion for other mourners and maintain a smooth access to the lectern.

An Usher may also be responsible for the distribution of the Order of Service sheets, and in some churches, synagogues, and crematories, to hand out hymnals, or other associated details.

In some cultures, mourners are invited to offer a donation in lieu of flowers. In most cases, provided they are cheques, they may be handed to your trusted Usher. In the United Kingdom, Funeral Directors manage the responsibilities of collecting, documenting, and disbursement of those donations, on behalf of the family, later (up to ninety days), providing the family with an account of the funds received. On Service sheets mourners are also invited to post their donations directly to the funerary service. Sadly, in the US, there has been a number of instances documented where donations arrived at a funeral home and a either a 'handling' fee was deducted from the final sum, as a justification for their auditing and disbursement of funds. Each country and locale may vary in their traditions and customs.

Finally, the Usher may also be requested to extend invitations to mourners to sign a visitors book. Many families use these for writing thank you cards. However, this custom has reduced substantially over the past decade and is now occasionally thought of only when having been sold to the family as an ancillary feature for the funeral. (where additional costs are levied.)