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What Exactly Is Cremation:
There are generally two types of methods for the final disposition of a persons body after they have died; placing the body in the earth via burial, or exposing the body to extreme heat so the physical body combusts - cremation
There are several reasons why the number of families selecting cremation have increased including:
Cremation may provide families with the ability to schedule services further into the future which may help accommodate the need for advanced scheduling for jobs and travel.
Over the years, I have notice traditions among our cremation families have gone through significant changes. Early in my career, memorial services and visitation were never considered an option as cremation was viewed as "immediate". Today, however, just the opposite seems to be the case; the majority of our families selecting cremation are also memorializing their loved one's memory through public visitation and services, with cremation occurring AFTER the services.
Your Family Has Chosen Cremation, What's Next?
At the time of death, the body is brought to the funeral home and will remain there until all the legal documents are prepared and signed by the appropriate parties. During this time an arrangement conference will take place to discuss how your family wishes to proceed with services. Cremation Services can be broken down into three basic categories:
Do we have to buy a casket? Whenever a body is viewed publicly it is necessary that it be placed in a casket of some sort. Selecting a casket is a personal choice and one that should not be taken lightly. With that being said, it is not necessary to spend large amounts of money on any casket, especially those used for cremation. We are very proud to offer caskets suitable for view to families that select our funeral home as inexpensively as $230.00.
Does this mean a family cannot have a visitation? No at all. It is very common that families selecting this type of services will have an evening of public visitation followed by a memorial service the next day WITHOUT the body present.
What About the Cost?
By comparison the cost of cremation has increased significantly compared to the cost of traditional burial. This is a direct result of the amount of Natural Gas that is required to maintain the extremely high temperatures during the cremation process. As the cost of fuel increases so will the cost of cremation. Each service is unique, and therefore the overall cost of the services selected will vary on a case by case basis and should be evaluated by each family individually.