Cremation Services
Cremation is an alternative to the burial process and it is chosen by many people because of religious beliefs, the desire to preserve the environment or it was requested by the person who died. The remains are placed in a container that is combustible and placed in a special furnace called a cremation chamber or a crematory where through intense heat is reduced to bone fragments that are then crushed and pulverized to resemble course sand. The cremated remains of an average adult body will weigh about 7-8 pounds. Cremation is not an alternative to a funeral, but rather an alternative to burial or other forms of disposition.
Cremated remains can be scattered or buried, or they may be kept with the family in a decorative urn. There are many new and different ways to dispose of ashes today, cremated remains can be placed in an artificial coral reef in the ocean, they can be launched into space or sent up in helium balloons, or they can be spun into glass pieces of art or diamonds. We can help you with any questions you may have. We also have a beautiful selection of urns and jewelry.
Some religions welcome cremation while others forbid it. The Catholic Church had banned cremation up until 1963, and burial remains the preferred form of disposition today. In other Christian denominations cremation was historically discouraged but nowadays it is more widely accepted. In eastern religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism cremation is mandated, while in Islam it is strictly forbidden. Orthodox Jews also forbid cremation; other sects of Judaism support cremation, but burial remains the preferred option.
Cremation FAQ
What is Cremation?
Cremation is the process of reducing the human body to bone fragments using high heat and flame. Cremation is not the final disposition of the remains, nor is it a type of funeral service.
Is a casket needed for Cremation?
No, a casket is not required, most states require an alternative container constructed of wood or cardboard, however, in some states no container is required.
Is embalming required prior to cremation?
No. In fact it is against the law for a funeral home to tell you otherwise.
Can the body be viewed without embalming?
Yes, most crematories allow immediate family members to briefly view the deceased prior to cremation.
Can the family witness the cremation?
Yes they can; some cremation providers will allow family members to be present when the body is placed in the cremation chamber. Some religious groups even include this as part of their funeral custom.
Can an urn be brought into church?
Nearly all Protestant Churches allow for the urn to be present during the memorial service. Most Catholic Churches also allow the remains to be present during the Memorial Mass. It is encouraged that cremated remains be a part of a funeral as it provides a focal point for the service.
What can be done with the cremated remains?
While laws vary state by state, for the most part remains can be buried in a cemetery lot or a cremation garden, interred in a columbarium, kept at home or scattered.
How can I be sure I receive the correct remains?
All reputable cremation providers have developed rigorous sets of operating policies and procedures in order to maximize the level of service and minimize the potential for human error. Since it is illegal to perform more than one cremation at a time, and the vast majority of crematories can only cremate one body at a time, it is next to impossible to receive the incorrect remains.
How long does the actual cremation take?
It all depends on the weight of the individual. For an average sized adult, cremation can take two to three hours at a normal operating temperature of between 1,000 and 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
What do the cremated remains look like?
Cremated remains resemble coarse sand and are whitish to light grey in color. The remains of an average sized adult usually weighs between 7 and 8 pounds.
Are all the cremated remains returned?
With the exception of minute and microscopic particles, which are impossible to remove from the cremation chamber and processing machine, all of the cremated remains are given back to the family.
Do I need an urn?
An urn is not required by law. However, an urn may be desired if there is to be a memorial service or if the remains are to be interred in a cemetery. If an urn is not purchased or provided by the family, the cremated remains will be returned in a temporary plastic container.
Why We Need To Talk About Grief
Grief is among the most intense, painful human emotions, but it's time we stopped running away from it
BY JESS DENHAM MAY 16, 2019
Before my dad died, I thought grief was something that happened to other people. I thought it meant being really sad for a long time. It's true; he died on Christmas Eve and I have been really sad since. I know I will be really sad for a long time. But since that day, I have also felt anger; sometimes simmering, other times seething. I have felt relief; he was very ill for six years and now he isn’t. I have felt regret; for things I did and didn’t say. I have felt overwhelmingly, existentially anxious. I have also felt happiness and excitement and hope. I have laughed.
Comedian Rob Delaney, whose two-year-old son Henry died from a brain tumor in 2018, aptly described grief as a new black ray in your rainbow of emotions.
“I still have the other ones,” he said. “I have red, blue, indigo for some reason. But there’s now a band of black in there that wasn’t there before. It’s part of my life now, that black, and why wouldn’t it be? I try not to hate it. The reason it hurts so much is because of how much I love him.”
"Talking about death doesn’t bring it about sooner. It just makes us that little bit more prepared"
In the immediate aftermath of losing someone you love, getting out of bed, having a shower and plodding on in the simplest of ways is an achievement, a sign that somehow, despite the pain and sometimes your own will, you’re surviving. Be proud of yourself for managing.
There is no ‘right’ way to feel or act; no neat, linear path to recovery. Those ‘five stages of grief’ you’ve heard of? Swiss psychiatrist Dr Elizabeth Kübler- Ross first proposed them in her 1969 book, On Death and Dying, for people coming to terms with their own terminal illness, not the death of a loved one. They might reflect your personal experience of bereavement; they might not. It’s okay either way.
The one certainty in life is that we will die. Most of us will suffer major loss. It makes sense to be scared; our survival instinct is innate. But talking about death doesn’t bring it about sooner. It just makes us that little bit more prepared for something nobody can really prepare for. It helps us better support those living our own biggest fears.
I sometimes feel like an alien in the company of those not yet in ‘the club’. But never is the sense of isolation and otherness more acute than when my grief goes unacknowledged. Contrary to what a song popularized by an ex- Boyzone singer might have you believing, you do not say it best when you say nothing at all.
"Never is the sense of isolation and otherness more acute than when my grief goes unacknowledged"
Chances are, your bereaved friend has just endured a perspective earthquake of off-the-Richter-Scale magnitude. Failing to mention what’s happened is akin to treating us as if all we felt was a tiny tremor. It risks making us feel like you only want us around when we’re jolly. When we can pretend everything is fine. When it’s easy for you. In the throes of grief, it’s hard to believe that you’re staying silent for our sake. Forget about platitudes. “He’s in a better place,” for example. No, he’s not, he’d rather be here with us. “You’re so strong.” My dad just died. Right now, I don’t feel strong. Please let me be vulnerable.
I’m lucky to have many friends who have shown an ability to sincerely sympathize, even where they can’t empathize. The most special handful regularly check in on how I’m holding up. One came over just days after hearing our news, gave my mum a big hug and took me out for the first fresh air I’d had in what felt like forever.
"For those grieving and feeling alone, know that you aren’t"
It’s easy to show up for birthday parties, weddings, any event where joy and revelry are on the menu. It takes stronger character to put your own awkwardness and discomfort to one side, sit alongside another’s suffering, offer your presence and listen without trying to fix the unfixable.
But what do you say? Everyone’s different and it can be tricky to know. How are you supposed to? Chatting to friends about death isn’t on the curriculum. It should be. Try, “I know you’ve had a super tough time lately, how are you doing at the moment?”, then let us answer. We won’t always cry on you. But if we do get emotional, it’s because we’re already feeling bloody rough. It’s not your fault. Reminders aren’t a thing when you rarely stop thinking about somebody. If we want to talk, we’ll be grateful for the chance to shuffle off some of the load. If we don’t, we’ll still be grateful you gave us the option.
For those grieving and feeling alone, know that you aren’t. I thought I was for a while. Then I found the rightly acclaimed podcast Griefcast, ‘funny people talking about death and grief’, which spoke to me like nothing else has. I learned who my friends are. I see a kind and patient therapist who is helping me slowly accept the woman this experience has made me, and how to like her.
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