Cremation

Part of making funeral arrangements on behalf of a loved one involves choosing between burial of the body or cremation. Certainly, this is a big decision based on many factors: religious or spiritual beliefs, finances, or ecological awareness are just some of the reasons we've heard for choosing cremation. However, before making a choice, you need to know exactly what it is you're considering. You can learn the basics below. However, if the content here raises additional questions for you, please give us a call. One of our staff members will address any of your inquiries or concerns.

The Cremation Association of North America describes cremation as, "The mechanical and/or thermal or other dissolution process that reduces human remains to bone fragments". 

As we said earlier, people choose cremation over burial of casketed remains for any combination of reasons. Sometimes it's the simple fear of burial itself, which may stem directly from the Victorian phobia of being buried alive. 

• Are there any keepsake items you'd like to include in their cremation casket? Perhaps there's a special memento, such as a treasured photograph or letter? We sometimes suggest family members write cards, notes or letters to their deceased loved one, and place them in the casket prior to the cremation.
  
• Would you or other family members like to be present for–or participate to some degree in–your loved one's cremation? Because we know how healing it can be to take part in an act of "letting go", we welcome the opportunity to bring interested family or friends into the crematory. 
  
• What will you keep the cremated remains or ashes in after the cremation or the service? Many families aren't aware of all the many cremation urn options which can be placed in a special place such as the family home.
  

Everyone has their own personal reasons for choosing cremation over traditional casketed burial.

Given the religious, ethnic, and regional diversity among us, there are many other reasons for the dramatic rise in the number of cremations performed each year. According to Tyler Mathisen of NBC, one of those reasons "is the softening of the Catholic church's views of the practice. For centuries—until 1963, the church outlawed it. The church's laws still express a preference for burial. But the outright ban is a thing of the past."

He goes on to tell readers that the decline in nuclear families is another reason. "As more North Americans live far from hometowns and parents, and as family burial plots have waned in popularity and accessibility, millions have turned to cremation as a practical and cost-effective way to care for a loved one's remains."

Cremation also allows a family the flexibility they may need in planning and preparing for a memorial service, celebration of life, or a scattering ceremony. While the cremation process can occur almost immediately (once all the proper paperwork is complete), the decisions required in planning a meaningful memorial for a loved one can be made in a relaxed, rational way.

You can also be sure that concern for the environment ranks high among many who choose cremation. Casketed and embalmed remains take up cemetery space and can pollute the groundwater, but many still question the amount of atmospheric pollution created by the cremation process.