Funeral Arrangements

Compassionate Funeral Guidance

The Ryan Funeral Homes family and team are here to help you honor your loved one with compassionate care.

Every life has a story – our focus is to honor it

Every celebration of life should be as unique as your loved one who lived it. There is no formula for honoring a loved one’s life. Our caring staff is here to listen to your wishes and concerns and help you arrive at the best way to honor the life that was lived.

Whether you are considering funeral preplanning for yourself, assisting a family member through their loss, or you have recently lost a loved one, we are here to guide you through this process to help you honor your loved one in the way they and you desire to be honored.

If you are in need of services immediately, please call Ryan Funeral Homes​ at
(608) 249-8257 for 24/7 on-call support.
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If you want to learn more about preplanning a funeral for yourself or a loved one, click here.
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If you are looking for more information about the process of making funeral arrangements, please see the three basic steps below or contact us directly if you are looking for something in particular. Our experienced team will make every effort to accommodate your needs.

Step 1: Choose Burial or Cremation

Reasons for Traditional Burial

People choose a traditional burial for different reasons.  Some believe loved ones can gain closure by attending a wake/visitation with a casket present to be able to see and say goodbye to their loved one. For others, a funeral with a burial service provides the most meaningful way to mourn the loss of a loved one. Some people choose burial so they can be laid to rest alongside a spouse or other family members, and others choose burial for religious reasons.

Green burials are also available and are a simple and natural means of burial that is an alternative to the “traditional” funeral and allows the burial site to remain as natural as possible. Many people choose this option because it is a natural way to return to the earth.

Reasons for Cremation

People may choose cremation because of environmental reasons or personal reasons such as opting to not have a viewing at the memorial service or to create a truly unique and custom celebration of life.

A common misconception is that with a cremation service, the remains have already been cremated at the time of service. However, it is possible to host a wake service with cremation and a traditional graveside service afterward. This would require a separate burial service at a later date, but combines traditional service and burial desires with cremation. Cremation allows the family to have more flexibility with the timing of the services and customization of the celebration of life and final resting place for their loved one.

Step 2: Choose the Type of Service You’d Like

Most services include a visitation either the day before,  hours before, or both, followed by a memorial service and a graveside service. Families may also choose to host a meal with family and friends before or after the graveside service. Some families choose to offer live-streaming of the services either privately or publicly to allow family and friends who can’t be physically present to participate in the honoring and mourning from their home or other location.

Our team at Ryan Funeral Homes will assist with the selection and implementation of the final arrangements desired. These services include, but are not limited to, preparation of the body, filing of any necessary permits and documentation, and logistics such as coordination of all service details with clergy, newspaper, cemetery, etc. along with the lead car, funeral coach, and support vehicles.

Step 3: Choose How to Honor Your Loved One at the Service

A memorial service can be an important part of the grieving and healing process. Many families choose to include additional personalized items such as family photo boards, displays of personal items and/or keepsakes, personalized music, bagpipes, or honor guards or escorts for military and emergency service personnel. Your funeral director at Ryan Funeral Homes can guide you through these options.
We believe in paying proper respects to military and first responder service members both as they live and as they pass on. Whether the desire is for a full service or simply a small family funeral, we are committed to offering memorial and burial services that honor, respect, and provide true meaning to those gathered in mourning. Learn more about our special service offerings for our Service Heroes and Veterans.

Learn More From Our Team…

What a Green Burial is and How to Plan One

Guide to Memorial Services

Guide to Traditional Services

Next Steps for Making Funeral Arrangements

Explore our website to learn more about our service offerings, or get in touch with our team for expert guidance through the decision-making process.
what our families say

Tiffany Foster went out of her way to fulfill all my requests, talked me through problems I was facing, and tried to make me feel as comfortable as possible when I was a wreck, totally crushed, and I thank her with all of my heart for that.

James S. | July 2020

The professional manner of the staff made a difficult time a little easier.

Lynda R. | July 2020

Services provided for both parents were perfect, on time, and no issues. Brenda is awesome and strong!

Michael M. | July 2020

Skyler was absolutely amazing. She was so caring and helpful through this whole process. She even went above and beyond to meet with us in DeForest and even to make a stop at our home to drop off or pick up anything needed. While it was a small gesture, it was so helpful and greatly appreciated.

Brooke S. | Dec. 2020

Madison North East

2418 N. Sherman Avenue
Madison, WI 53704
Tel: 608-249-8257

Madison West

5701 Odana Road
Madison, WI 53719
Tel: 608-274-1000

Verona

220 S. Enterprise Drive
Verona, WI 53593
Tel: 608-845-6625

DeForest / Windsor

6924 Lake Road
DeForest, WI 53532
Tel: 608-846-4250