April R. Simanoff, Life Tribute Specialist/ Certified Funeral Celebrant

April R. Simanoff, Life Tribute Specialist/ Certified Funeral Celebrant Let all who mourn the loss of your loved one feel the unique spirit of a life lived, with a memorable and distinguished heartfelt presentation.

Dedications, Funerals, Living Tributes, Memorials, Obituaries, Scatterings, Unveilings Celebrant-officiated services are tributes to the deceased, in the style that grieving families define. As your Celebrant, it is my calling to be only a vessel for your vision. I can't even tell you how many people have really regretted opting for a clergy member, after sitting through their dearly beloved's ser

vice--where a very obvious presentation of a "cookie cutter" service was made even more impersonal. In these situations, not only was the focus of the content less on the deceased than on the organized religion, but whatever was included was vague and obviously without genuine representation of the life who actually lived and loved. This realization comes after sitting through an In-Sight Institute Celebrant service. My services will include religious ritual and reference, when the family members request that I do so. Celebrant-officiated services highlight the unique personality of the deceased. I do not specifically seek to wash my services of any religious representation, but many of my client families prefer not to project the ritual values of organized religion; they will want me only to highlight God in a more universal appeal. I start with a blank template and the tribute naturally evolves into a vivid and moving image; a story that brings the spirit of your beloved back-to-life. I firmly believe it is how we live that defines each of us, and a service and eulogy should reflect the aura and active contributions, humble or grand, each person has shared while he or she walked the Earth. Every life is precious and everyone is worth remembering beyond the "cookie cutter" funeral or memorial service. Each Celebrant officiated Service is as unique as the loved ones their families hope to pay final and everlasting tribute to. I meet with families for more than an hour, if they need me to sit and listen attentively to the stories that illustrate a vivid and moving picture of how their loved ones lived. I lovingly spend from 8 to 10 hours crafting the one-time service; nothing is recycled in my original literary work about the deceased—other than previously published poetry and quotes, and prayers and songs. In addition, I offer the grieving family the opportunity to have family and friends participate in the precisely choreographed service. I will often make calls to the family members, who are absent during our family meeting, and will continue contact via email and texting, at their convenience. Sometimes, our planning contact is solely by conference calls, but always at the preference and convenience of my client families. Many times I will read letters and other messages from individuals unable to attend the service. Above all, I make it my personal mission to shadow the families I work with, in an effort to offer relief and comfort during this unbelievably wearing time.

05/30/2025

What Is a Funeral Celebrant — And How They Help Families Heal With Grace


When someone we love passes away, the world shifts beneath our feet. In the middle of grief, there’s a question that can feel impossibly hard to answer:

How do we say goodbye in a way that truly honors their life—without feeling like we’re just
going through the motions?

For families who don’t belong to a religious community, or who want something more personal than traditional service, that question can feel overwhelming.

You may not know what options you have.
You may feel lost in your sorrow.
That’s where a funeral celebrant can help.

🌿 What Is a Funeral Celebrant?
A funeral celebrant is someone who creates and leads personalized end-of-life
ceremonies—crafted from the heart, not from a template. We’re not clergy. We’re not funeral directors.

We’re listeners, writers, and guides who help families create a farewell that feels real.
Every ceremony I write is built from deep conversations with the family. I ask about who your loved one was, what made them laugh, what mattered to them, what moments you'll never forget. Then I shape those stories into a tribute that feels meaningful, honest, and uniquely theirs.

💛 Why It Matters: No Two Lives Are the Same
You’ve probably been to a service where the speaker mispronounced the person’s name—or spoke in broad strokes that didn’t feel true. That kind of farewell can leave a lingering sense of disconnect.

I believe a ceremony should be a healing experience. A space where grief and love can coexist.

A moment where we remember, not just that someone died—but how fully they lived.

✨ How I Support You
My role isn’t just to speak. It’s to walk with you through one of the hardest moments of your life, and to hold space for your grief with gentleness and clarity.
​
Here’s what I do:
I meet with you to learn your loved one’s story—really learn it.
I write a ceremony that sounds like them, feels like them, honors them.
I coordinate the details so you can focus on being present with your people.
On the day, I speak with calm, care, and compassion—never rushed, never rehearsed.

🌎 For Families of All Beliefs — or None
I’ve worked with families who are spiritual but not religious, multi-faith, intergenerational,
​LGBTQ+, and everything in between. You don’t have to fit into a box to deserve a beautiful goodbye.

There’s no one way to honor a life. Let’s find the way that feels right for yours.

💬 Let’s Create Something Meaningful
Whether you’re planning ahead or facing a sudden loss, I’m here to help you craft a ceremony rooted in love, memory, and grace.

“No two lives are the same. Their farewells shouldn’t be either.”
​

April R. Simanoff
📞 Call April at (631) 875-4185
✉️ everlastingtributes@gmail.com
🌐 everlastingtributesfuneralcelebrant.com

Call now to connect with business.

05/29/2025

Why a Personalized Funeral Ceremony Means Everything: And How to Make It Happen


When someone we love dies, we want to do right by them. We want the goodbye to feel like them—not like a formality, not like a template, but like a true reflection of their life, their spirit, and their story. But too often, funerals follow a preset structure. Families walk away feeling like the person, they were honoring was missing from their own ceremony.

There’s another way.

A personalized funeral ceremony gives you the space to say goodbye with meaning, warmth, and dignity—on your own terms.

💫 Why Personalization Matters So Deeply

Every life is different. Every relationship is its own. Why should we all be remembered
the same way?

Personalized ceremonies allow space for:
Real stories—funny, loving, even messy ones
Music they actually loved (not what 'should' be played)
Rituals that reflect who they were, not just where they were from
Words spoken by those who knew them best

When a ceremony feels true to the person, it doesn’t just honor their memory—it helps us begin to heal.

🛠️ How to Make It Personal

1. We Talk — And I Listen

I don’t start with a script. I start with your memories. You tell me about their quirks, their values, the things they said that only your family would understand. Those stories
become the heart of the ceremony.

2. I Write Every Word for Them

There are no templates—only truth. Everything I say is written with care, from scratch, for this one person. That’s how it should be.

3. We Weave In What Matters
​
A favorite poem. A family tradition. A gesture that held meaning. Whether it’s lighting a candle or playing their favorite Springsteen track, the details matter.

4. I Handle the Flow So You Can Be Present

Grief is heavy. You shouldn’t have to worry about who’s speaking next or how long something takes. I coordinate the entire ceremony, so you can just show up, breathe, and be with your people.

🌈 A Ceremony That Reflects Them — Not Just Tradition

Some families I serve are spiritual. Others aren’t. Some follow cultural traditions.

​Others want something entirely new.

There’s no one right way to say goodbye. But there is a way that will feel right to you.

Whether it’s in your backyard, by the ocean, in a funeral home, or on Zoom—I’ll help you build a moment that feels real, grounded, and unforgettable.

💬 Let’s Create Something That Feels True
​
If you’re holding onto love, and not sure how to let go, I’ll help you say goodbye in a way that reflects everything they were—and everything they meant to you.

You don’t have to settle for generic. Let’s make it personal.

​

📞 Call April at (631) 875-4185
✉️ everlastingtributes@gmail.com
🌐 everlastingtributesfuneralcelebrant.com

Call now to connect with business.

05/28/2025

When the Right Words Matter Most: The Gift of a Skilled Funeral Celebrant


Words have power.
They shape how we remember.
How we grieve.
How we begin to feel even a little less alone.

When someone we love dies, we often find ourselves speechless—not because there’s nothing to say, but because there’s too much. Too many memories. Too much emotion. Too much pain to put into words.

That’s where a skilled funeral celebrant steps in.

💬 The Healing Power of Language
A ceremony isn’t just a checklist—it’s a story. One filled with tone, timing, and tenderness. My role isn’t to recite. It’s to translate your memories into something unforgettable.

As a celebrant, I listen to your stories—your love, your loss, your laughter—and I craft a tribute that:
Honors your loved one with warmth, honesty, and dignity
Weaves humor, humanity, and heart into every sentence
Gives voice to your memories when you don’t know where to begin​

These aren’t generic readings or borrowed poems. Every word is written from scratch.

Every phrase chosen with care.

✨ Words That Create Connection
When the right words are spoken, something shifts:
Tears may fall—but they’re mixed with smiles
Laughter may rise—and bring a sense of relief
Even the quiet moments feel sacred, like a pause that holds everything unsaid

That’s what meaningful language does. It connects. It comforts. It lets everyone in the room feel something true.

🛠️ How I Shape the Ceremony
Here’s how I help you find the words that matter most:
I listen deeply to your stories, quirks, and memories
I write a one-of-a-kind tribute that reflects personality and purpose
I include optional elements like readings, songs, or symbolic gestures
I deliver the ceremony with calm, heartfelt presence

🌈 Because Saying Goodbye Should Sound Like Them
Too often, families walk away from a service saying, “That didn’t feel like Dad,” or “I wish we had said more.”

But it can feel like them. It can sound like their humor, their heart, their humanity. It can leave you saying, “That was so them.”

💬 Let’s Tell Their Story — Together
You only get one chance to tell their story. Let’s find the words that sound like them—and let those words carry us forward.

📞 Call April at (631) 875-4185
✉️ everlastingtributes@gmail.com
🌐 everlastingtributesfuneralcelebrant.com

Call now to connect with business.

05/27/2025

Feeling Lost After a Loved One’s Passing? Here’s One Person Who Can Help


When someone you love dies, nothing feels real. Time moves strangely. The world feels quieter—and heavier. And in the middle of that fog, you're expected to make decisions, plan details, and somehow hold everything together.

It’s too much. It’s okay if you feel lost.

You’re not supposed to know how to do this. And you don’t have to do it alone.

This is where I come in—not just as a funeral celebrant, but as someone who can help you breathe again in the midst of sorrow. Someone who gently guides you through the chaos with compassion, structure, and calm.

💫 Gentle Guidance When You Need It Most
Most people don’t plan ceremonies every day. Especially not while grieving. And yet, you’re faced with decisions—Where should it be? What should we say? How do we make it feel meaningful? As a celebrant, I sit beside you (sometimes literally) and help you sort through what matters most. Not just the logistics, but the love. The moments. The memories.

Together, we shape a ceremony that reflects who your person was—without pressure, without confusion, without rushing through grief.

🕊 What I Bring Into the Process
Calm when everything feels chaotic
Clarity when you don’t know what to do next
Presence when you need someone who just gets it
Words when yours feel stuck or overwhelmed
​
🌿 Support for the Whole Family
Whether you're the partner, the child, the sibling, or the friend—you shouldn’t have to carry it all.
I help hold the emotional weight of the moment so you can simply be there.
I work with everyone involved, make space for different voices and beliefs, and ensure the ceremony feels inclusive, honest, and real.

💬 You Don’t Have to Do This Alone
If you’re in the thick of grief and planning feels impossible, I see you. This isn’t just about a ceremony, it’s about care, support, and honoring love with the dignity it deserves.
​
You don’t need to have it all figured out. You just need someone who knows the way.

📞 Call April at (631) 875-4185
✉️ everlastingtributes@gmail.com
🌐 everlastingtributesfuneralcelebrant.com

Call now to connect with business.

05/21/2025

Why Memorial Ceremonies Matter — And How to Make One Meaningful


When someone we love dies, the goodbye doesn’t always happen right away. Sometimes, there’s no service at all. Other times, life moves too fast — the funeral felt rushed, or the moment passed without enough space to truly reflect.
​
That’s why memorial ceremonies matter. They give us a chance to pause. To remember. To honor someone not just for how they left, but for how they lived.

A Memorial Is Not Just a ‘Makeup’ Funeral
Memorials aren’t just for those who didn’t have a funeral. They’re for anyone who wants to celebrate a life with more presence, more intention, and more meaning. They can happen weeks, months, or even years after a loss. They can be small or large, quiet or joyful, spiritual or secular. There’s no right time. Only the time that feels right to you.

What a Memorial Can Include
​Every memorial I help create is different, because every person is. Some families want storytelling. Others want music. Some want ritual. Others want simplicity. What matters is that it feels like your person — and like your family.

Here are a few elements we can include:

Personal stories and shared reflections
Candle-lighting or symbolic gestures
Favorite songs or poetry
A moment of quiet, or a chorus of laughter
A keepsake version of the ceremony to revisit and share

It’s Never Too Late to Honor Someone
If you’ve ever wished, you had a better goodbye — or that someone’s life had been celebrated more fully — a memorial can be that moment. Maybe it’s been a month. Or ten years. Maybe you just now feel ready. Or maybe you’ve felt ready all along, and just didn’t know where to begin.

You’re not alone. And it’s not too late.

Let’s Create Something Beautiful
If there’s someone you’ve been wanting to honor, I would be honored to help you shape a ceremony that feels real, heartfelt, and true.

​
📞 Call April at (631) 875-4185
✉️ everlastingtributes@gmail.com
🌐 everlastingtributesfuneralcelebrant.com

Call now to connect with business.

05/19/2025

Is a Funeral Celebrant Right for You? (Spiritual, Non-Religious, and Everything in Between)


If you’ve been searching for a way to honor a loved one without a religious service—or if traditional funerals just don’t feel like the right fit, you’re not alone.

Maybe you’ve been to a service that felt distant. Formal. Like it could’ve been for anyone. And you walked away thinking: That didn’t feel like them.

More and more families are choosing something different: heartfelt, inclusive ceremonies led by celebrants who take time to listen, understand, and tell the story of a life well lived.

🕊 What Is a Funeral Celebrant, Really?
A funeral celebrant is someone trained to create and lead custom end-of-life ceremonies
that reflect your loved one’s values, spirit, and personality.

We are not clergy. We don’t follow a script or require religious language.

What we do is listen. We craft something meaningful, from scratch that honors who your loved one truly was, in a way that feels emotionally authentic to your family.

A celebrant helps you create a ceremony that feels personal, not performative — one where every word and gesture feels like your person.

🌿 Is This the Right Fit for You?
A funeral celebrant might be the right guide if:

You identify as spiritual but not religious — or not religious at all
You want a more personal, story-driven ceremony
Your family is blended, interfaith, LGBTQ+, or nontraditional
You’re planning something nontraditional—a backyard service, a beach ceremony, a Zoom memorial
You want warmth, clarity, and calm during a hard time​

💫 Your Ceremony, Your Way
There is no "one way" to say goodbye. A celebrant gives you permission to shape a ceremony around what truly matters: the person, the connection, the life.

Whether you want a moment of silence under the trees or a tribute full of music and memory, the beauty of a celebrant-led service is that it bends to you—not the other way around.

If you're planning something that feels different—a garden gathering, a sunset beach memorial, or even a virtual tribute for faraway family—this is a path built for you.

💬 Let’s Create Something That Reflects You
“April is ONE OF A KIND! She listened to stories from 5–6 family members and told the story of our uncle so beautifully. She captured a part of each of those she spoke to and truly relayed how the family loved him… She truly is a superb celebrant and captures every detail.”
— Suzanne Beck, Walk Manager – Long Island, Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America

If you’ve been wondering what your options are or how to honor someone in a way that feels
real, I’d love to talk.

You don’t need all the answers — just the desire to honor someone you love. I’ll help you create something beautiful, together.

📞 Call April at (631) 875-4185
✉️ everlastingtributes@gmail.com
🌐 everlastingtributesfuneralcelebrant.com

05/18/2025

From Overwhelmed to Supported: How a Funeral Celebrant Can Lighten the Load


​​When someone dies, there’s often more to do than anyone expects — calls to make, decisions
to handle, people to notify. And somehow, in the middle of all of that, you’re supposed to plan a ceremony that captures the soul of a life.

It’s no wonder so many families feel overwhelmed. But here’s the truth: you don’t have to do it all.

​That’s where I come in.

🛠️ What I Help You Carry
As a certified funeral celebrant, my job is to take some of the emotional and logistical weight off your shoulders. I help you:
Make sense of what needs to happen (and what doesn’t) — from ceremony planning and eulogies to honoring your loved one’s tone, culture, or wishes
Reflect on what really matters about the person you're honoring
Create a ceremony that feels intentional, not rushed — whether that means a poem at sunset, a candle ritual, or a moment of quiet reflection
Coordinate the flow, tone, and timing so you can simply be present​

💫 Holding Emotional Space — So You Don’t Have to Hold It All
Sometimes, just having someone calm in the room changes everything. Someone who’s not asking you to make more decisions but gently guiding the ones already in motion.

In the moments when it’s too hard to speak, I step in with care.

When you’re not sure how to begin, I offer structure.

​And when no one knows what to say — I find the words that make people feel connected, seen, and safe.

🌿 What Families Often Tell Me
“I didn’t know how much I needed someone to help carry this.”
“You made something beautiful out of a very painful time.” — Family member, Westchester
“I felt like I could just show up and be a daughter again — not an event planner.”

💬 You Don’t Have to Be the One Holding It All Together
If you’re in the middle of loss, I want you to know it’s okay to ask for support. You can still honor your loved one fully without carrying the entire burden alone.

Let’s make space for grief, memory, and love — not just logistics.

📞 Call April at (631) 875-4185
✉️ everlastingtributes@gmail.com
🌐 everlastingtributesfuneralcelebrant.com

Call now to connect with business.

05/16/2025

How a Celebrant Helps Families with Different Beliefs Come Together


When a loved one dies, grief doesn’t follow a single path, and neither do beliefs. One family
include devout grandparents, spiritual-but-not-religious siblings, and grandchildren raised with no formal faith at all.

Planning a ceremony that honors everyone’s voice, while staying true to the person being remembered, can feel overwhelming. That’s where a celebrant makes all the difference.

🕊 A Compassionate, Inclusive Guide
As a certified funeral celebrant, I don’t bring a religious agenda. What I bring is compassion, clarity, and a deep respect for all belief systems.

My role is to listen closely, to understand the language, values, and cultural nuances that matter to your family, and to create a ceremony that honors your loved one without alienating
or excluding anyone.

🌿 A Ceremony That Reflects Everyone
Every family brings different beliefs, values, and hopes into a ceremony. My role is to help you shape something that honors all of them—gently and respectfully.
​
Here’s how I guide that process:
I weave together stories and traditions that reflect multiple worldviews
I invite meaningful elements—spiritual, secular, or both
I use inclusive language that feels respectful to everyone (like saying “spirit” instead of “God,” or using universal themes of love and connection)
I make space for silence, for prayer, for poetry or song—whatever feels right for your family
Families often tell me, “Everyone felt included—no matter what they believed.”

💫 Why This Approach Matters
When a ceremony brings people together, instead of creating discomfort or division, it becomes a healing space. It allows each person to show up in their grief, feeling acknowledged and respected.
​
You don’t need to choose between honoring faith and honoring family. You can do both, with a guide who understands the balance.

💬 Let’s Create Something That Unites, Not Divides
If your family includes a mix of beliefs, traditions, or generations, I’d be honored to help you craft a ceremony that feels inclusive, respectful, and true.

📞 Call April at (631) 875-4185
✉️ everlastingtributes@gmail.com
🌐 everlastingtributesfuneralcelebrant.com

Call now to connect with business.

02/26/2025

I am the alternative to a clergy member for a funeral or memorial service or Living Tribute. As a Life Tribute Specialist/Certified Funeral Celebrant since 2011, I serve families looking for a more personal and spiritual service.
I meet with families, for an hour or more, to gather the stories that depict a precious living footprint of the deceased or honoree. I then sit for at least six hours to craft a unique service that I deliver at the venue of choice. A written hard copy and digital copy of the service is provided to the family.
Please visit my web site to view my 8-minute TV interview!

Send a message to learn more

Address

Melville, NY
11747,11760,11775

Opening Hours

Monday 9am - 7pm
Tuesday 9am - 7pm
Wednesday 9am - 7pm
Thursday 9am - 7pm
Friday 9am - 7pm
Saturday 9am - 5pm
Sunday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+16318754185

Website

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Everyone deserves to be remembered in the story of the life they lived.

Celebrant-officiated services are tributes to the deceased, in the style that grieving families define. As your Celebrant, it is my calling to be only a vessel for your vision. I can't even tell you how many people have really regretted opting for a clergy member, after sitting through their dearly beloved's service--where a very obvious presentation of a "cookie cutter" service was made even more impersonal. In these situations, not only was the focus of the content less on the deceased than on the organized religion, but whatever was included was vague and obviously without genuine representation of the life who actually lived and loved. This realization comes after sitting through an In-Sight Institute Celebrant service. My services will include religious ritual and reference, when the family members request that I do so. Celebrant-officiated services highlight the unique personality of the deceased. I do not specifically seek to wash my services of any religious representation, but many of my client families prefer not to project the ritual values of organized religion; they will want me only to highlight God in a more universal appeal. I start with a blank template and the tribute naturally evolves into a vivid and moving image; a story that brings the spirit of your beloved back-to-life. I firmly believe it is how we live that defines each of us, and a service and eulogy should reflect the aura and active contributions, humble or grand, each person has shared while he or she walked the Earth. Every life is precious and everyone is worth remembering beyond the "cookie cutter" funeral or memorial service. Each Celebrant officiated Service is as unique as the loved ones their families hope to pay final and everlasting tribute to. I meet with families for more than an hour, if they need me to sit and listen attentively to the stories that illustrate a vivid and moving picture of how their loved ones lived. I lovingly spend from 8 to 10 hours crafting the one-time service; nothing is recycled in my original literary work about the deceased—other than previously published poetry and quotes, and prayers and songs. In addition, I offer the grieving family the opportunity to have family and friends participate in the precisely choreographed service. I will often make calls to the family members, who are absent during our family meeting, and will continue contact via email and texting, at their convenience. Sometimes, our planning contact is solely by conference calls, but always at the preference and convenience of my client families. Many times I will read letters and other messages from individuals unable to attend the service. Above all, I make it my personal mission to shadow the families I work with, in an effort to offer relief and comfort during this unbelievably wearing time.