Cremation

While earth burial remains the most chosen form of final disposition of a deceased person, cremation offers an alternative. Cremation is the reduction of the body by intense heat. Choosing cremation still permits arrangements for a traditional funeral or a memorial service. Family and friends can support survivors during visitation and attend a funeral ceremony at the funeral home or church. The cost of cremation depends upon the services chosen.

Cremation with Services

The participation in services with the body present prior to cremation can:

Lengthen the time before final separation
Help confirm the reality of death
Express the fact that a life has been lived
Acknowledge the survivors’ need for community support

Cremation Process

Some persons choose cremation because they prefer the process of reuniting the elements of the body with nature.

Cremation occurs at a crematory in a specially designed furnace known as a retort, which reduces the body into its chemical elements. Each body into its chemical elements. Each body is cremated separately in a container. The cremains, consisting of ashes and some bone fragments, are placed in a container, carefully identified and released to the survivors.

Disposition

Survivors may purchase an urn; a special container in which to keep the cremains in their possession. Or, the cremains may be buried in the family plot or in a special section of a cemetery. Markers may be purchased to designate the burial place.

The urn may be permanently placed in a niche in a columbarium. A niche is a recessed chamber with a glass, metal, or stone facing. The columbarium is a room or building reserved for the placement of cremains and is usually located on cemetery grounds.

Survivors may choose to scatter the cremains over ground, water, or at a site of special interest. This alternative may be subject to local environmental protection laws.

History

Ancient Greek, Roman, and Eastern cultures practiced cremation. It was not accepted by Western culture until the mid-nineteenth century. Religious restrictions against cremation have diminished, but some denominations advocate earth burial because of theological teachings or church law.

If you have any further questions about cremation, do not hesitate to call Everhart-Bove Funeral Home.