The loss of life is a tragedy regardless of how it happened or how old the person is. With that said I think many still confuse a Public Memorial with a Funeral. Some people have public funerals as well, but I do understand why most prefer only family and close friends.
A Public Memorial:A memorial service is one that occurs without the body. The services may take place within a day or two of death, or it can be delayed as long as needed, to meet the convenience or needs of the family.
An alternative to the traditional funeral. They incorporate many of the elements of a funeral music, prayers, readings from scripture, poetry or other prose, a eulogy honoring the life of the deceased and sometimes a sermon.
Memorial services might be held when a body has been lost at sea, is never recovered (e.g. September 11, 2001), when the body was immediately cremated after death or donated to science.
http://dying.about.com/od/glossary/g/memorial.htm
n.
1. Something, such as a monument or holiday,
intended to celebrate or honor the memory of a person or an event.
adj.
1. Serving as a remembrance of a person or an event;
commemorative.
2. Of, relating to, or being in memory.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_service
The term memorial service is often used to describe a funeral. A funeral is a religious service that is held with or without the body of the deceased present. A memorial service is usually a secular service with or without the body present.
Alternatively, it is used to describe a less formal practice than a traditional funeral, and include such things as eulogies, music and fellowship, see funeral#Memorial services
In the Orthodox church, a memorial service is a liturgy performed in memory of the deceased, three, nine, forty days, one year and three years since the day of the funeral, see Memorial service (Orthodox).
