I go to my car and find a football trophy my son had dug out of the garbage and thrown on the floor of the back seat. I use a black Sharpie and write on the front of the trophy: “David, April 23, 1954 to April 23, 2015.” I walk over to Grave 83 and place the trophy at the top of the patch of dirt where a headstone might go. I leave a pebble, as people sometimes do, and walk back to my car.
I go to my car and find a football trophy my son had dug out of the garbage and thrown on the floor of the back seat. I use a black Sharpie and write on the front of the trophy: “David, April 23, 1954 to April 23, 2015.” I walk over to Grave 83 and place the trophy at the top of the patch of dirt where a headstone might go. I leave a pebble, as people sometimes do, and walk back to my car.
Traditionally, Zoroastrianism disavows cremation or burial to preclude pollution of fire or earth. The traditional method of corpse disposal is through ritual exposure in a "Tower of Silence", but both burial and cremation are increasingly popular alternatives. Some contemporary adhererents of the faith have opted for cremation. Parsi-Zoroastrian singer Freddie Mercury of the group Queen was cremated after his death.
Flowers are an excellent way to express your sympathy while giving the loved ones of the departed a beautiful reminder of the love and support that surrounds them. Whether you decide to send a beautiful standing funeral spray or wreath to the service or a simple and elegant sympathy bouquet to the home, there are many sympathy flower and gift delivery options for every need and budget.
After the unexpected death of a family member, we were overwhelmed with the process of laying her to rest. Like anyone on a budget, I started calling around to get prices. It felt like an insensitive thing to do but cremation/burials is a competitive business, and believe me, the costs are startling. But then I called Oviedo's National Cremation & Burial Society and their direct cremation option were surprisingly affordable - literally thousands less than the other local providers. Our family member made it known she wanted her ashes scattered at sea so a direct cremation worked for us. They... Read More
^ Shimizu, Louise Picon; Maruyama, Meredith Enman; Tsurumaki, Nancy Smith (1998). Japan Health Handbook. Kodansha International. p. 335. ISBN 4-7700-2356-1. Not only is cremation of the body and internment [sic] of the ashes in an urn a long-standing Buddhist practice, it is also a highly practical idea today, given the scarcity of burial space in crowded modern Japan.
This place is called the columbarium, and at first, the very existence of this vast chamber full of urns can come as a surprise. In the movie version of life and death, a cremated person’s remains sit up on the shelf at home, or friends scatter the ashes over a sacred locale. In the real world, many cremated people stay in the cemetery, just like their buried counterparts.
Starting in the 1960s, cremation has become more common than burial in several countries where the latter is traditional. This has included the United Kingdom (1968), Canada (early 2000s), the United States (2016) and Finland (2017). Factors cited include cheaper costs (especially a factor after the 2008 recession), growth in secular attitudes and declining opposition in some Christian denominations.[40]
The resulting gases and particulates travel into the after-chamber, a 30-foot maze designed to retain the gases for at least one second. The after-chamber subjects the gases to a temperature of 1,700 degrees Fahrenheit to make sure the particles and odor are negligible before everything goes up the stack and out into the atmosphere. Gamage compares the secondary chamber to the catalytic converter on an old car, which neutralizes the emissions of the exhaust system.
Traditionally, Zoroastrianism disavows cremation or burial to preclude pollution of fire or earth. The traditional method of corpse disposal is through ritual exposure in a "Tower of Silence", but both burial and cremation are increasingly popular alternatives. Some contemporary adhererents of the faith have opted for cremation. Parsi-Zoroastrian singer Freddie Mercury of the group Queen was cremated after his death.
Once the cremation process is complete, the remains are put onto what looks like a silver baking tray. A technician runs a magnet over them to remove ferrous materials that did not combust during the cremation process. These often come from a person’s staples, screws, hinges, and prosthetic joints. The technician will then visually inspect and remove any material the magnet missed—say, the bits of glass left behind because someone wanted their father cremated with a bottle of Scotch. Those pieces are disposed of by the crematory.
Trina L. Salter is the Service Manager at Neptune Society Altamonte Springs. She is a Licensed Funeral Director and Embalmer, Crematory Operator, and Licensed Cosmetologist. She also has an Associate Degree in Arts from Valencia Community College/UCF and an Associate Degree in Science from Florida State College at Jacksonville. She has been with our company for 6 years, and she has three beautiful daughters and a grandson. She is an avid traveler, loves to shop, and goes to the movies for relaxation.
In 1885, the first official cremation in the United Kingdom took place in Woking. The deceased was Jeanette Pickersgill, a well-known figure in literary and scientific circles.[25] By the end of the year, the Cremation Society of Great Britain had overseen two more cremations, a total of 3 out of 597,357 deaths in the UK that year.[22] In 1888, 28 cremations took place at the venue. In 1891, Woking Crematorium added a chapel, pioneering the concept of a crematorium being a venue for funerals as well as cremation.[21]
Each cremation requires about 110 L (28 US gal) of fuel and releases about 240 kg (540 lb) of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Thus, the roughly 1 million bodies that are cremated annually in the United States produce about 240,000 t (270,000 short tons) of carbon dioxide, which is more CO2 pollution than 22,000 average American homes generate in a year.[74] The environmental impact may be reduced by using cremators for longer periods, and relaxing the requirement for a cremation to take place on the same day that the coffin is received, which reduces the use of fossil fuel and hence carbon emissions. Cremation is therefore becoming more friendly toward the environment.[75] Some funeral and crematorium owners offer a carbon neutral funeral service incorporating efficient-burning coffins made from lightweight recycled composite board.[76]
Venessa, joined National Cremation & Burial Society in June of 2017. She is the proud mother of a 15 year old boy and is engaged to be married in 2020. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Communications as well as a Master’s in Business Administration. When she is not working she moonlights as an event manager, in addition to donating her time with various volunteer organizations.
In Australia, the deceased is cremated in a coffin supplied by the undertaker.[citation needed] Reusable or cardboard coffins are becoming popular, with several manufacturers now supplying them.[55] For low cost, a plain, particle-board coffin (known in the trade as a "chippie") can be used. Handles (if fitted) are plastic and approved for use in a cremator. Coffins vary from natural cardboard and unfinished particle board (covered with a velvet pall if there is a service) to solid timber; most are veneered particle board.[citation needed]
Some of the various Protestant churches came to accept cremation, with the rationale being, "God can resurrect a bowl of ashes just as conveniently as he can resurrect a bowl of dust." In Anglican and Nordic Protestant countries, cremation gained acceptance (though did not yet become the norm) first by the higher classes and cultural circles, and then by the rest of the population.[21] In 1905, Westminster Abbey interred ashes for the first time; by 1911 the Abbey was expressing a preference for interring ashes.[29] The 1908 Catholic Encyclopedia was critical of the development, referring to them as a "sinister movement" and associating them with Freemasonry, although it said that "there is nothing directly opposed to any dogma of the Church in the practice of cremation."[30]
How long do your organs live after you die?
There is now a water-based process called alkaline hydrolysis, which was invented as a way to dispose of animals infected with mad cow disease. It is being marketed as a more environmentally friendly postmortem option for humans because it produces less carbon monoxide and pollution. Alkaline hydrolysis involves placing a body in a chamber that is then filled with water and potassium hydroxide and heated up to 300 degrees Fahrenheit at high pressure. After three hours, the body becomes a green-brown-tinted liquid, and bones are soft enough to be crushed. The bones can be returned to the family, while the liquid can be sent into the sewer system.
We’ll take you through the steps of arranging a funeral — from making the first calls when someone dies to taking care of the financial and administrative matters that have to be handled following the funeral. If a death has already taken place and you have not yet begun to make notifications, visit our First Call page. This page has information that can help you understand what steps you need to take right away.
Not all that remains is bone. There may be melted metal lumps from missed jewellery; casket furniture; dental fillings; and surgical implants, such as hip replacements. Breast implants do not have to be removed before cremation.[62] Some medical devices such as pacemakers may need to be removed before cremation to avoid the risk of explosion. Large items such as titanium hip replacements (which tarnish but do not melt) or casket hinges are usually removed before processing, as they may damage the processor. (If they are missed at first, they must ultimately be removed before processing is complete, as items such as titanium joint replacements are far too durable to be ground.) Implants may be returned to the family, but are more commonly sold as ferrous/non-ferrous scrap metal. After the remains are processed, smaller bits of metal such as tooth fillings, and rings (commonly known as gleanings) are sieved out and may be later interred in common, consecrated ground in a remote area of the cemetery. They may also be sold as precious metal scrap.
In the United Kingdom, the body is not removed from the coffin and is not placed into a container as described above. The body is cremated with the coffin[48] which is why all British coffins that are to be used for cremation must be combustible. The Code of Cremation Practice[49] forbids the opening of the coffin once it has arrived at the crematorium, and rules stipulate that it must be cremated within 72 hours of the funeral service.[50] Therefore, in the United Kingdom, bodies are cremated in the same coffin that they are placed in at the undertaker's, although the regulations allow the use of an approved "cover" during the funeral service.[50] It is recommended that jewellery be removed before the coffin is sealed, for this reason. When cremation is finished, the remains are passed through a magnetic field to remove any metal, which will be interred elsewhere in the crematorium grounds or, increasingly, recycled.[51] The ashes are entered into a cremulator[52] to further grind the remains down into a finer texture before being given to relatives or loved ones or scattered in the crematorium grounds where facilities exist.[53]
Beginning in the Middle Ages, and even more so in the 18th century and later, rationalists and classicists began to advocate cremation again as a statement denying the resurrection and/or the afterlife,[86] although the pro-cremation movement more often than not took care to address and refute theological concerns about cremation in their works.[87] Sentiment within the Catholic Church against cremation became hardened in the face of the association of cremation with "professed enemies of God."[87] When some Masonic groups advocated cremation as a means of rejecting Christian belief in the resurrection, the Holy See forbade Catholics to practise cremation in 1886. The 1917 Code of Canon Law incorporated this ban, but in 1963, recognizing that, in general, cremation was being sought for practical purposes and not as a denial of bodily resurrection, the choice of cremation was permitted in many circumstances.[88][89] The current 1983 Code of Canon Law, states: "The Church earnestly recommends the pious custom of burial be retained; but it does not forbid cremation, unless this is chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching."[90]
Traditionally, Zoroastrianism disavows cremation or burial to preclude pollution of fire or earth. The traditional method of corpse disposal is through ritual exposure in a "Tower of Silence", but both burial and cremation are increasingly popular alternatives. Some contemporary adhererents of the faith have opted for cremation. Parsi-Zoroastrian singer Freddie Mercury of the group Queen was cremated after his death.
My father recently passed last week and Robin Fisher was excellent through the entire process. She was able to guide me through the process and even arranged a small viewing for my out of town family in a very short notice. My father looked great when they arrived and I can tell he was in good hands. The cremation process was quick and I had my father's remains back home where he belongs. I can't say enough about how great this place is and the people that are there to help me through this very difficult time. Thank you Robin.
Stephen was so caring and sensitive at our meeting with my children and myself planning the funeral of my husband, and our children's dad that we all felt like Stephen also felt the loss and we were all family in planning this difficult Farewell to the Man we Loved So Much. Stephen made the "Funeral Home" feel so loving it was like "home" we could discuss whatever we were thinking and Stephen understood our Broken Hearts. Thank you, Stephen
Cremated remains are returned to the next of kin in different manners according to custom and country. In the United States, the cremated remains are almost always contained in a thick watertight polyethylene plastic bag contained within a hard snap-top rectangular plastic container, which is labeled with a printed paper label. The basic sealed plastic container bag may be contained within a further cardboard box or velvet sack, or they may be contained within an urn if the family had already purchased one. An official certificate of cremation prepared under the authority of the crematorium accompanies the remains, and if required by law, the permit for disposition of human remains, which must remain with the cremated remains.
Suzanne Blanks is a licensed funeral director with a passion for helping people. She grew up in Central Florida and has also lived in London, England, Atlanta, GA and Key West, FL. Before her 10 year career in funeral directing she was a pre-school and elementary teacher. She enjoys art, spending time at the beach, traveling and volunteering at church.