Pacific Islander funeral services in Utah
These gatherings are often the whole community, not a small chapel list. We plan for the number of people who will actually come.
The day follows your family
Samoan, Tongan, Hawaiian, Fijian, and other Pacific Islander families along the Wasatch Front do not share one funeral script. Many are Latter-day Saint, and the service is then at the meetinghouse with the bishop. Others gather at a church of a different denomination, or with the family and the community leading. We ask which it is.
What we can count on is the size of the circle. Extended family and community often travel to be there, the viewing runs long, and the meal afterward matters. Our buildings in Salt Lake City, Sandy, and Riverton are large enough for that, and we will also take the service to a meetinghouse or a church when that is the right room.
What we prepare for
The cultural details are yours to name. We do not invent them, and we do not leave them out.
A room that can hold the community
A ward building, our downtown chapel, Sunset Lawn, Sandy, or the Riverton location can each hold a large gathering. Tell us how many people you expect, including those coming from out of state, and we will choose the room before the day is crowded.
A long viewing
Families often want people to have time with the person who died, not a single short hour. We set the visiting for the length the family asks, the evening before and the morning of when that is the custom.
Church, meetinghouse, or both
When the family is Latter-day Saint, the bishop conducts the funeral and a family member dedicates the grave. The viewing can still be with us if the meetinghouse schedule is tight. If another church is leading, we take our direction from that pastor.
Flowers, food, and the hours after
Lei and other flowers are welcome. The community often brings the meal. We have space for people to sit and eat after the service so that part of the day is not left to a parking lot.
What we take off the family's list
- A first conversation about how many people are coming, and which building can hold them.
- Visiting hours long enough for family who are still arriving.
- Coordination with the bishop or pastor so the cultural gathering and the worship are one day, not two plans.
- Transportation to the meetinghouse, the church, and the cemetery.
Where the service can be held
The funeral can be at your meetinghouse or church. The viewing and the meal can be there or at one of our locations, whichever has the room.
- Downtown Salt Lake City — 260 E South Temple, Salt Lake City, UT 84111. (801) 363-5781.
- Larkin Sunset Lawn — 2350 E 1300 S, Salt Lake City, UT 84108, with our crematory. (801) 582-1582.
- Larkin Sunset Gardens, Sandy — 1950 E Dimple Dell Rd, Sandy, UT 84092. (801) 571-2771.
- Riverton — 3688 W 12600 S, Riverton, UT 84065. (801) 254-4850.
Questions families ask
Do you serve Samoan and Tongan families in Utah?
Yes, and other Pacific Islander families as well. We ask which community and which church are involved, and we plan from that.
Can a large extended family fit?
Yes. Tell us the number you expect. Riverton, downtown Salt Lake City, Sandy, and Sunset Lawn can host large gatherings, and we also serve at meetinghouses.
What if our family is Latter-day Saint?
The bishop conducts the funeral at the meetinghouse, and we handle the care, the viewing, the timing, and the cemetery. Cultural gatherings around that service stay in the plan.
Can people bring food for the family?
Yes. We can reserve a room for the meal the community brings, so guests have a place to sit after the service.
Other traditions we serve
Tell us what your faith requires.
Call, including in the middle of the night. We will ask what your clergy and your family need, and we will arrange the day around that.