When cremation is chosen as a means for final disposition, several options for funeral services become available. While your own personal preferences are extremely important, you may also want to discuss your choices with other family members to make sure they are comfortable with your decisions. Some individuals will be hesitant to accept anything that is different from earth burial. By sharing your decisions related to cremation with important people in your life you will help insure that your wishes will be followed.

Many families, regardless of the type of final disposition they choose, feel strongly about having a public visitation. Providing such an opportunity insures that they, as well as close friends and acquaintances, have a time to show their support and share memories of their loved one.

It has been found that a visitation at which family and friends gather is one of the most helpful things that can be done for a family’s future adjustment. Sometimes we forget that the death of our loved one is not only a loss for us but also for his/her circle of friends and the larger community. The public visitation provides an opportunity for all individuals to participate in an important aspect of dealing with their loss.

It is important to remember that families who choose cremation as an alternative to burial or entombment may still experience all of the aspects a funeral service has to offer.

Choices

There are various types of cremation services available including:

• Funeral service with the body present and cremation following.Many families choose to have a funeral service with the body present and cremation following. This option contains all of the elements of a public visitation and funeral service with the only difference being that cremation is the means of final disposition.
• Cremation followed by a memorial service.When families prefer something for family members only, they may choose to have a private memorial service following the cremation. An alternative to these two options involves having a private visitation for family and close friends followed by cremation and a memorial service.
• Cremation with no services.For families wishing to have no visitation or funeral services, arrangements are made solely for the cremation.

Please contact your local funeral director for more information regarding your cremation options.