FRIENDS Funeral Home - Cremation and Burials Los Angeles

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ 20/10 (10/10 + 10 bonus points for exceptional care!) Our family is deeply grateful for the compassionate and outstanding service provided by funeral Director and owner Ms Ziri Rideaux @ Friends Funeral Home during the loss of our beloved mother, who passed away in April 2025 on Sunday morning. From the moment we reached out, their team went above and beyond to accommodate our urgent needs, arranging a funeral and cremation by Tuesday morning. In our Sanatan Hindu tradition, same-day cremation is ideal, and with other facilities quoting 8-10 day waits, their ability to prioritize our request was a blessing. The staff was incredibly helpful, patiently guiding us through the complex process of obtaining necessary paperwork from the city, county, and hospital. Their expertise made an overwhelming time feel manageable. The funeral director Ziri’s personal touch was extraordinary—she recorded and live-streamed the service, skillfully capturing every moment, including walking with us to document the final events leading to the cremation. This level of care and attention was unlike anything we’ve ever experienced. The cost was also remarkably affordable compared to other facilities, making their exceptional service even more meaningful. They offered to preserve our mother’s ashes until we were ready for the final immersion in a holy river in India, providing clear guidance on navigating Indian consulate requirements. They even overnighted certificates and permits to the consulate, addressing details that were unclear to us. Most touching was the moment just before our departure from LAX to India. The funeral director personally delivered our mother’s ashes in a beautifully packaged urn, dressed in a traditional Indian outfit, showing profound respect for our Hindu culture. As our religion prohibits bringing ashes home, she thoughtfully arranged to store them respectfully and deliver them just before our flight near airport, ensuring every detail was handled with care and dignity. This service wasn’t just professional—it was deeply personal and culturally sensitive. We wholeheartedly recommend Friends funeral home to anyone seeking compassionate, accommodating, and exceptional funeral services. Thank you Ziri for honoring our mother’s memory with such grace.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I’m deeply grateful to Ziri for the beautiful and compassionate way she conducted the burial ceremony for our loved one. From the moment we met, she brought a sense of calm, warmth, and sincerity that made a very difficult day feel meaningful and comforting. Her presence, and guidance were truly a blessing to our family. Thank you, Ziri, for your kindness and support during such a tender time. We couldn’t have asked for a more respectful and heartfelt ceremony. Fariba

It never even dawned on us that our baby would endure a SIDS death. She did. The most devastating time of my life. Of our lives. Lorena and Ziri and the whole team at Friends Funeral Home were beautifully compassionate, kind, thoughtful, patient and loving throughout this entirely unimaginable process. I am forever grateful. And so is my baby, gone too soon. ♥️

Eilene, Ziri and the rest of the team at Friends were kind, compassionate and communicative across the whole process of planning my father’s funeral. They offer services for a variety of religions and were able to put together a Hindu ceremony in a timely manner while most other places in LA county had waitlists that were weeks long. All of our traditions were respected. This allowed my family and I to focus on our grief as we knew that the team at Friends took care of the finer details and kept us updated along the way anytime we messaged or called. This team is a true blessing and would recommend them for anyone who might need help planning a Hindu ceremony or any other religion that might be difficult to coordinate on your own. The costs were also competitive when compared to other services across LA

Friends was recommended to us by my best friend after they helped her with father’s services. This recommendation was a true gift. This was our most trying times. We were devastated by our loss and Eilene from Friends made it so easy for us to arrange our father’s cremation. She walked through every step of the way with such sympathy and kindness. She was patient and attentive. She was efficient and kept us informed of every step in the process and personally delivered my father’s ashes to us. Friends made this most difficult times so much easier and I am so grateful for them.