As a point of fact wakes and burial services are for the living. It sounds like this may have been a burial service. Funerals are for the dead and for worship of God. The confusion stems from certain protestant denominations retaining the name as an adjective for many mortuary things despite no longer believing theologically in the practice. Or retaining the practice despite no longer believing in the purpose.
wakes are to ensure they are actually dead before burying them.