CREMATION

No casket is legally required for cremation, just a simple container, which is strong enough to hold the body. This could be a box of rough boards, pressboard, or heavy cardboard.

Some crematories accept metal caskets; most require the container to be combustible.

Questions to ask a cremation service before you trust them with your loved one:

1. Where will my loved one be placed before the cremation process?       Some crematories never bring your loved one to the funeral home, they leave them in a morgue or other storage space until the paperwork is completed and then transport directly to the crematory to save them a trip.  We transport immediately to our facility and keep them in our care while we facilitate the proper documentation before cremation.  We are in complete control of your loved one's care 100% of the time.
2. Does the provider actually transport your loved one to the crematory themselves? Many do not use their own staff to transport the body to the crematory. Some even transport several deceased persons at a time and go from one city to another . Our removals are made by our own staff directly to our crematory.
3. Has the crematory been inspected in the past 30 days? Is the crematory certified? The crematory must be inspected regularly to insure that it is operating properly.  We installed our own crematory to make sure our families are receiving the highest standards.  You can inspect our crematory because it is a part of our facility.
4. Can the families witness a cremation?                                                   Because we operate our own crematory we provide at no extra charge a small and comfortable waiting area for a witness cremation.
5. How are the cremated remains identified?  Our staff and certified technicians take the preventative steps before cremation to make absolutely sure that the family receives their loved ones cremated remains.  Our crematory uses numbered metal disks that accompanies your loved one through every part of the cremation process. 

 The following are included in our cremation costs:

• Provide protected storage at our facility
• Make personal arrangements with you family at your home or in their office.
• Dress your loved one's body before cremation.
• Deliver the cremated remains personally to the local cemetery of your choosing
• Place family approved obituaries (newspapers will bill designated family member)
• Process insurance claims on behalf of family. 
• Request and pick up Certified Death Certificates from county of death.
• Notify Social Security Administration of your loved one's death
• Obtain all legal next of kin cremation authorizations
• Provide a comfortable waiting room for a witness cremation

Cremation Choices

If the body is cremated:

1. The remains can be stored by the family
2. You may take the remains in the simple cardboard box purchased at the crematory and distribute ("scatter") them over the land or water.
3. The remains can be placed in a niche within a columbarium.
4. The remains can be buried in the ground in a regular plot or in a smaller cremation plot.
5. The remains can be entombed in a crypt within a mausoleum.

Why people choose cremation

• In the United States, in 1972, only five percent chose cremation. That number had quintupled by 1999, with over 25% choosing cremation.
• The Cremation Association of North America predicts that by 2010, that figure will rise to 36%.
• In Canada, the rate is already over 42%; in Great Britain, 71%; and over 98% in Japan.
• Those who choose cremation (for themselves or others) often hold the belief that it is better to honor the memory of the person, not the dead body.

Here are some other reasons you might choose cremation:

• Cremation is traditional in your family, religious group, or geographical area
• You prefer the body to be returned quickly and cleanly to the elements
• Many people believe that a cremated body becomes one with nature more quickly.
• You have environmental concerns
• Perhaps you are worried about the use of valuable land for cemetery space, or believe it is wrong to fill the ground with materials that won't erode ... metal coffins and concrete vaults.
• You want to keep the costs down
• Selecting cremation does not mean, however, that you will have an inexpensive funeral.
• You might still choose an expensive casket and/or a viewing, and/or decide to have the cremated remains buried in the ground or placed in a columbarium. These choices can bring your costs up to those of a traditional funeral.

Decisions You Must Make If You Choose Cremation

• Who will do the cremation (a funeral home or a firm that specializes in direct cremation)
• Whether to use an urn or container
• What to do with the remains

Some jurisdictions have laws prohibiting the scattering of remains; others require a permit. Ask your funeral director.

Also ask if there are any firms in your area that specialize in unique ways of distributing the remains, such as a plane to spread them over a mountain, or a ship to scatter them at sea.

Think of places that were especially loved by the deceased, close to home or far away. You can walk in the woods, by a favorite lake, or on the old family farm.

Be sure to ask permission if you want to use private property.

What about using the remains to create new life, by planting a tree? Some survivors choose to mix the remains with the soil in flowerbeds and rose gardens at home. Every time the roses bloom, you will be reminded of your loved one.

If you decide to do this, however, consider what will happen if, some day, you move away.