CREMATION OPTIONS

The death of a loved one is one of the most tragic and difficult times in anybody’s life. On top of the emotional grief that comes with it, there are also important decisions to be made. When people are overcome by grief, it is quite natural that they don’t wish to have to deal with the complications of funeral planning. As such, most of them just leave it to the funeral service providers to take care of the whole funeral process for them. Well, this is the wisest option, of course, but if you choose to cremate the body of your loved one, the least you can do is spend more time and effort to find the right cremation urn for him or her.

Choosing a cremation urn is perhaps the most significant part of a cremation funeral. The cremation process is very much the same for everybody, and at the end of it all, the only thing that is left to represent a life well-lived is the cremation urn. Therefore, it is important that you choose an urn that reflects the personality of your loved one and shows the true meaning of his or her life.

When you are choosing a cremation urn, there are a few factors that you have to take into consideration. First of all, you have to decide whether you want the urn to be placed on a mantel or buried at a cemetery. There are different types of urns for these purposes. If you want to scatter the ashes at sea or other places, you should get a scattering urn, which can be biodegradable or made for keeping.

Other things that you have to consider are the design and material of the cremation urn. These factors should represent the personality of your loved one as much as possible. There is a wide selection of urns that will aptly represent all types of personalities. Whether your loved one is a down-to-earth, artistic, trendy, or conservative person, you can find an urn with the right combination of design and material to suit his or her personality.

To get a better idea of the types of cremation urns that are available for your choosing, you can browse through Cremation Options selection of urns. You can also contact Cremation Options to get more advice and information about selecting cremations urns.

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Cremation urns vary, just as people do.  Making the decision as to what type of urn you will place the cremains of your dearly departed in usually falls upon the relatives.

The law does not require that cremains be placed in any type of urn, but most family members find that purchasing one will give them peace after losing their dearly departed.  An urn is usually desired when a memorial service is planned or when the cremains are to be interred in a cemetery.  A temporary container will be supplied after cremation, if arrangements are not made for a permanent urn.  Unlike choosing a casket for a traditional funeral, there is no rush in choosing an urn for your loved one.

Deciding what will be done with your dearly departed’s cremains will help you choose what type of urn you would like to select.  During a memorial service, the cremation urn serves as the focal point during the service.  When selecting an urn, you should consider your loved one’s personal taste and character.

My sister had a great love of the ocean.  When she passed away, we chose to place a portion of her cremains in the “Dolphins in Harmony” cremation urn from Cremation Options.   This urn sits beautifully on my mother’s mantle as a fantastic tribute to a lovely woman.  We chose to have the remainder of her cremains released into the ocean.   Our choice of the “Signature Reflections” scattering urn, also from Cremation Options, was perfect.  Each family member was able to write a message to her on the urn prior to the release.  This lovely urn floated on top of the water for several minutes before descending into the ocean that she loved so very much.

Cremation urns come in many styles and varieties to fit your needs.  They can also be personalized with your loved ones name.  Some families choose to separate the cremains in miniature urns.  They are ideal when several family members want a treasured keepsake or when a scattering of the cremains is planned.

There is no right or wrong choice when selecting a cremation urn.  The caring staff at Cremation Options will gladly help you through the decision making process.

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Following cremation, a growing number of American families are choosing to have their loved one’s cremains placed in a columbarium, either at a local cemetery or, increasingly frequently, at the church they attend. Housing a loved one’s cremains in a columbarium provides families with a place of remembrance where they can go to honor and mourn their dearly departed family member.

A columbarium is a free-standing structure constructed of numerous small niches designed to hold urns containing cremated remains. Generally, each compartment holds the cremation urn of a single individual, but some columbarium compartments may hold multiple cremation urns to accommodate a husband and wife or a mother and her child, for example. Columbariums may be built either indoors or outdoors and are often located within a mausoleum or chapel at a cemetery or church.

My son-in-law’s mother died while her three boys were in high school and college. Katherine had been instrumental in spearheading the  construction of a memorial garden at their family’s church. It’s a peaceful oasis in the midst of a busy city, sheltered from the noise and chaos of life, a beautiful, restful place that invites quiet reflection. A terraced stream winds through the garden, splashing into a fern-shrouded pond. Crushed stone paths wander past ornamental trees and banks of fragrant flowers. Inviting benches are tucked into quiet alcoves, welcoming meditation.

At one end of the garden rests a gracefully curved decorated wall. Its visible facade belies the fact that this presumed piece of art  is a columbarium, the sealed niches accessible from behind the wall. In a moving memorial ceremony a month after her death and cremation, Katherine’s sons gathered to place the urn containing their mother’s cremains into one of the niches in this beautiful walled columbarium.

Whenever they need to feel close to their mother, to feel her presence, they visit the memorial garden at their church. Their fingers linger on the columbarium wall where they know their mother’s cremains rest; they say a prayer and spend some time reminiscing on their mother’s favorite bench by the pond. For Katherine’s sons, being able to visit their mother’s final resting place has helped ease the pain of her death. 

If you have questions about cremation, please talk to the compassionate staff at Cremation Options. We’re here to offer you a helping hand.

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Choosing cremation when a loved one passes away does not limit your ability to hold a funeral or memorial service to honor your loved one. Cremation actually offers families increased flexibility in making funeral and cemetery arrangements.

Funeral and cremation arrangements made through Cremation Options allow families to choose the timing, place and type of service that best suit their particular needs. A funeral service can be held before cremation just as it would be before a burial. Cremation caskets allow either an open or closed casket visitation to be held before cremation. The use of a cremation casket also allows the body to be present during a funeral mass or other church service. When families disagree about the decision to cremate, holding a traditional service prior to cremation can offer an acceptable compromise.

When my father died, our family chose to hold an open casket visitation followed by a funeral mass prior to cremation. It was comforting to see my father at peace one final time, particularly for those family members who had not been able to visit during his final weeks. It was also important to my mother, a devout Catholic, that his body be present during the funeral mass. While it was always my father’s wish to be cremated, Mom was a little uncomfortable with cremation until our funeral planner suggested that the cremation be held after the service. This allowed Mom to honor Dad’s wishes while still meeting her own important needs.

Some families choose to hold a memorial service at the time of cremation. More common is the choice to hold a memorial service after cremation so that the cremation urn containing the cremains of the dearly departed can be present. A committal service is often held at the final disposition of the cremated remains, whether the cremains are interred in a cemetery, installed in a columbarium in a mausoleum or chapel, or scattered.

My father had always intended that his cremains be interred in the family plot where his parents and grandparents were buried. Cremation allowed us to easily transport Dad’s cremains 100 miles away to the cemetery for internment. Our family held a quiet committal service at the gravesite as Dad’s cremains were interred.

Cremation provides families with maximum flexibility in choosing the type, timing and place of services to honor their departed loved one. Cremation Options’ experienced funeral planners can assist you and your family in making the funeral service and cremation arrangements that best suit the particular needs of  your family.

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I’ve always planned to be cremated. For a long time I’ve thought I’d like to have my cremains scattered to the four winds from a hilltop in the Smoky Mountains, a favorite place of mine. In my more poetic musings I think of my cremains rising with the winds to travel the world. My gardener’s soul likes the idea of my cremains nurturing the forest floor, helping to create new life. And then my father died last year, and I realized how important it is to have a place of remembrance, a place where you can go to remember your departed loved ones. 

I have found it very comforting this past year to have a special place to go to think about my father. His cremains are interred in a grave in his family’s plot at a beautiful park-like cemetery. His parents are buried there and his grandparents and an aunt and uncle. There’s room next to Dad for Mom when her time comes. People can get a little fanciful about death. I think it’s one of the ways we cope with the unknown. When he was dying, my Dad would reminisce about growing up. His grandparents lived a block a way; his aunt and uncle, just down the street. It seemed to comfort him to think they would all be together again when he died.

I’m still going to have some of my cremains scattered in the Smoky Mountains, but now I’m also going to have some placed in a cremation urn and interred in the family plot with my parents and grandparents. And I’m going to have a marker placed so that my children and grandchildren will have a place to come to remember me. I’ve learned first-hand that there is great comfort in having a place of remembrance for your departed loved ones.

One of the unique advantages of cremation is that it allows you tremendous flexibility in choosing your place of remembrance. My son-in-law’s mother chose to have her cremains interred in the memorial wall in the serenity garden at the church to which she dedicated so much of her life. It comforted her to know that her final resting place would be beautiful and peaceful, and that her sons and husband would be able to visit every Sunday.

An important thing to consider in choosing your place of remembrance is the permanent accessibility of the site. Land ownership can change. Housing developments can go up on once pristine land. Access to public land can be denied. Having your cremains interred in a gravesite, placed in a columbarium or scattered on a cemetery’s grounds ensures that future generations will have a place to go to remember you.

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