Our mission is to unselfishly serve your family; based on our strong, trusting relationship with this community that we so highly value. It is our wish to provide every family with the utmost care to create a truly meaningful service. 

 

Cremation Information
  

WHAT IS CREMATION

     Cremation is the process of reducing the body to bone fragments through the application of intense heat.  This usually takes from two to three hours and occurs in a special type of furnace, known as a cremation chamber or retort.  The remaining fragments are then processed into a finer substance and placed in a temporary container.  Before the remains are returned to the family, they are usually transferred to an urn for permanent containment.

     Cremation is often considered to be an inexpensive, less complicated substitute for the "traditional" funeral. Many people also believe that at the time of death only two basic choices exist: immediate cremation of the body or a complete funeral including viewing, followed by burial.

     Actually, several options are available in between for those who prefer cremation — perhaps even more than with burial.

     Cremation and burial are both defined as "modes of dispositions" methods of caring for the body and, as such, are just one part of a funeral. Also, the term traditional, when applied to funerals, simply refers to an accepted trend of choices in the past.

     As times change, trends change too.  Today, many opportunities exist for meaningful services for the benefit of family and friends - both before and after cremation takes place.

 

THE FUNERAL SERVICE AND CREMATION

     Just like burial, cremation can occur after a funeral where the casket or suitable cremation container is present at one's place of worship or a funeral chapel. The only real difference between a funeral followed by burial and one followed by cremation, is that the body is taken to the crematory after the service in lieu of a procession to the cemetery.

     As is customary, the funeral may be preceded by a period of visitation or a reception at the funeral home! mortuary. During this time and before the service, the casket may be open or closed, according to the preferences of the survivors. Instead of a public visitation, some families opt to receive friends at their residence or other location, which is another matter of personal choice.

     Following the funeral, the body is cremated in the casket or suitable cremation container. After cremation. a public or private service may be arranged for the final placement of the cremated remains.  (See Memorialization)

 

THE MEMORIAL SERVICE AND CREMATION

     A memorial service, like a funeral, is a service of remembrance, only without the body present. It may be held at a place of worship, the funeral chapel or any other appropriate location. Regardless of the site, your funeral director will assist in planning and organizing the service, and provide the necessary staff to direct the service.

     The urn may be present for the memorial service, as the casket or suitable cremation container would be for a funeral. It is usually placed on a stand and attractively arranged with flowers. Sometimes a photograph of the person or meaningful memorabilia is displayed at the service or during a reception period.

     Depending on where the death occurred, state or provincial laws may require that a specific ‘waiting period’ elapse before cremation can occur. When scheduling the memorial service, therefore, care should be taken to accommodate these requirements, to ensure that the cremated remains can be present at the service, if that is the preference of the family. 

     The family may hold a visitation or reception preceding the services at the funeral chapel with or without the presence of the body. Frequently, the body will be in the casket or suitable cremation container during this time for viewing, and then cremated before the memorial service. If cremation is to take place immediately following death, it is often possible to arrange a brief private time for the family to see the body prior to the memorial service. For many people this has important psychological value, allowing them a time to ‘say good-bye.’

 

THE GRAVESIDE MEMORIAL SERVICE AND CREMATION

 A graveside memorial is a service of remembrance at the cemetery.  This can either be at an above ground niche wall, special urn garden, or in a suitable cemetery lot.  (See Memorialization for more information)

     Depending on where the death occurred, state or provincial laws may require that a specific ‘waiting period’ elapse before cremation can occur. When scheduling the graveside memorial service, therefore, care should be taken to accommodate these requirements, to ensure that the cremated remains can be present at the service. 

     The family may hold a visitation or reception preceding the services at the funeral chapel with or without the presence of the body. Frequently, the body will be in the casket or suitable cremation container during this time for viewing, and then cremated before the memorial service. If cremation is to take place immediately following death, it is often possible to arrange a brief private time for the family to see the body prior to the memorial service. For many people this has important psychological value, allowing them a time to ‘say good-bye.’

    

DIRECT CREMATION

     An immediate, or direct cremation is limited to the prompt cremation of the body following death, with no formal funeral or memorial services. Some funeral firms will require a family member or authorized party to at least verify the identity of the deceased before cremation. In some jurisdictions this is legally required, as well. Your funeral director will assist in arranging this kind of service, providing personal attention and professional treatment.

 

 

OTHER SERVICE OPTIONS

 

     While these descriptions cover the general types of cremation services, your choices are not required to fit exactly into any particular category. There are literally "options within options’ available to provide a meaningful service, and we are dedicated to responding with openness and flexibility to the needs of each person or family we serve. We are fully equipped with facilities and personnel to accommodate special requests and offer a wide range of services and merchandise.

 

 

CREMATION MERCHANDISE

 

     Crematories generally require that a body be enclosed in a casket or rigid cremation container, providing for the health and safety of the operator and the dignity of the deceased. This container doesn’t have to be a casket, so long as it is suitable for cremation. The funeral director can provide cremation containers meeting specific requirements in your area.

 

CASKETS

     A range of caskets are available which are suited for formal services followed by burial or cremation. For cremation, a hardwood casket is frequently chosen since it is readily combustible. Although most crematories require caskets or containers of all-combustible materials, some accept metal caskets as well. Our firms maintain a full line of caskets for your selection, and your funeral director is a reliable source of information on casket construction and pricing. 

 

CREMATION CONTAINERS

  • Alternative Containers - Designed to fill crematory requirements only.  Generally constructed of Plywood and corrugated cardboard.

  • Cremation Containers - Also constructed of corrugated cardboard, however, finished with an exterior covering and interior fabric.

  • Cremation Caskets - Veneer or Solid wood caskets, designed for cremation using a minimum of noncombustible materials.

URNS

 

     An urn serves the same purpose after cremation that a casket does with burial: it contains the remains and becomes a part of the memorial site. Urns range in style from classic and traditional designs to contemporary square, rectangular or cylindrical shapes. Their composition may also range from hardwood, stone or marble to castings of bronze, copper or other precious metals. Urn prices will vary according to their size, materials and workmanship. We have a variety of urns to satisfy most any need or desire, with complete information to aid your selection.

 

 

MEMORIALIZATION

 

Memorialization is the act of establishing a permanent means to commemorate the life of the deceased.

 

Several choices exist:

  • INURNMENT - One choice of final resting places for an urn is placement within a niche in a columbarium. Columbaria are most often located within a cemetery and may be an entire building, a room, or a series of niches along inside walls. Outdoor settings may include niches built as part of a garden wall. Options for the placement of memorial plaques or nameplates identifying urns in a columbarium vary with each cemetery’s policies.

  • URN BURIAL - Some people prefer earth burial of the urn rather than placement in a columbarium. For burial, many cemeteries now provide special urn gardens which may range from all-natural settings to arrangements of monuments or sculptures and places for personal meditation.  Urns may also be buried in standard cemetery plots. This is frequently the choice when space for the deceased has been reserved in a family plot. In many instances, two urns may be placed in one adult size space. A headstone or marker is engraved accordingly and placed at the burial site.  The urn may also be taken home. This is often a temporary situation, pending a decision regarding the final placement of the remains. For security as well as peace of mind, the urn should ultimately find a permanent place for memorialization.

  • SCATTERING - Some cemeteries also provide areas for the scattering of cremated remains. Memorial plaques are often located within these scattering gardens for the names of the deceased.  Today, it is not unusual to hear of someone’s cremated remains being scattered in the air or over water. This is legal in many areas, and though it may have particular appeal for some people, survivors feelings should be carefully considered! In addition to a funeral or memorial service, many people need a specific location — a focal point — or just "a place to go for reflection. This emotional need often surfaces later and may be overlooked if scattering takes place too quickly.

 

 

 

THE COST OF CREMATION

 

     In the most general sense, the cost of cremation as a mode of disposition is less than that of burial or entombment. However, a more accurate comparison must include the services selected to be a part of the total funeral. These will vary in accordance with each persons or family’s desires. Likewise, cremation charges vary in each state or province.

     Your funeral director can offer current information on cremation costs and will, at the time of arrangement, provide a complete listing of charges for the services you select. He or she will share your concern for making appropriate choices within your budget, and every effort will be made to arrange a payment method that suits your particular needs.

 

 

MEMORIAL SOCIETIES: A WORD OF CAUTION

 

     Depending on where you live, the popularity of memorial or cremation societies may have grown with the general public interest in cremation. Memorial societies serve mainly to provide information on minimum services for their fee-paying members. They generally do not directly provide funerals or cremation services. Since a memorial society contracts with other, providers (most often a funeral home), the total cost of arrangements may not always be less than the same arrangements made with a funeral director.

     Beyond costs, an important factor to consider is the high level of service that can be expected when dealing directly with a full-service funeral firm.

 

This includes:

  • Personal consultation available 365 days a year and 24 hours a day.

  • The ability to accommodate changes.

  • Speed in obtaining death certificates.

  • Preparing an unlimited number of news notices.

  • Assistance in completing many necessary forms (Social Security, Veterans Benefits, Fraternal Organizations, etc..)

  • Supervision of the funeral or memorial service.

  • Follow-up after the cremation.  Practical assistance with unforeseen details and help in making adjustments.

 

 

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