R Hayden Smith Funeral Home

Veteran services at R Hayden Smith Funeral Home

R Hayden Smith Funeral Home in Hampton, VA supports veteran families with military funeral arrangements. In their own words: "R. Hayden Smith Funeral Home assists families with obtaining veteran benefits and provides information regarding eligibility for burial in Arlington National Cemetery. They note that the VA may offer burial benefits for service-connected deaths, veterans receiving disability at the time of death, or those who die in a VA hospital. The VA also provides burial space, grave opening, a graveliner, and a headstone in a National Cemetery for eligible veterans, their spouses, and dependent children, with similar services available at State of Virginia Veterans Cemeteries. The funeral home is legally required to notify Social Security of a death." On-site amenities include chapel and elegant reception area, suited to flag presentation and honors ceremonies. Published pricing lists $4,400 for basic burial and $2,845 for direct cremation. The non-declinable service fee is $2,400. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.

Veteran-related services offered include burial, green burial, cremation, and memorial service. Each service is coordinated with the family and, where applicable, with the deceased's last unit or branch honor detail.

On-site facilities of note include chapel. These spaces accommodate full military honors details, family gatherings before and after the service, and the placement of the United States flag during the visitation period.

Published pricing at R Hayden Smith Funeral Home: direct cremation from $2,295. That places direct cremation roughly 6% below the Virginia median ($2,435). Veterans who served on active duty for at least 24 months may qualify for VA burial allowance to offset funeral costs — this home accepts assignment of those benefits where eligible.

The nearest VA national cemetery is Albert G. Horton, Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in VA, approximately 21 miles from R Hayden Smith Funeral Home. R Hayden Smith Funeral Home can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.

Virginia has approximately 579 licensed funeral homes serving its population, of which a subset specifically lists military funeral honors and VA benefits assistance among their services. R Hayden Smith Funeral Home is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What sets R Hayden Smith Funeral Home apart

• Six generations of continuous family ownership and operation since 1901.
• One of Virginia's first licensed female funeral directors/embalmers, Mattie Baker Smith, was part of the founding family.
• Operates a second location, Berceuse Funeral & Cremation Traditions, with an on-site crematory for both human and pet cremations.
• Specializes in green burial options, offering biodegradable products and guidance on Virginia's certified natural cemeteries.
• Offers certified Funeral Celebrant services for personalized, non-denominational or spiritual ceremonies.
• Assists families with Appointee and Designee Agreements for pre-planning funeral arrangements.

Military & veteran services offered

Burial & cremation services

On-site facilities

Affiliations & specializations

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: Christian, Catholic, All Faiths and Beliefs (for celebrant services and green burial options).

How honors are coordinated

Military funeral honors are guaranteed at no cost for any veteran discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. The funeral home arranges the honors detail by contacting the deceased's last unit or the nearest active-duty installation of the appropriate branch and submitting the DD-214 to verify eligibility.

For requests less than 72 hours from service time, families can call the Department of Defense's expedited honors line at 1-877-MIL-HONR (1-877-645-4667). See the full honors protocol.