What can be done with the cremated remains?

With cremation, your options are numerous. The ashes can be:

• Interred in a cemetery plot, (i.e., earth buria, columbarium, etc.)
• Retained by a family member
• Scattered on private property
• Scattered at a place that was significant to the deceased

Cremation is just one-step in the commemorative process, the preparation of the human remains for memorialization.

Today, there are many different types of memorial options from which to choose.

Memorialization is a time-honored tradition that has been practiced for centuries. A memorial serves as a tribute to a life lived and provides a focal point for remembrance, as well as a record for future generations. The type of memorial you choose is a personal decision. The limit is set only by your imagination.

What is memorialization for a cremation?

You might choose ground burial of the urn. If so, you may usually choose either a bronze memorial or monument. Also available at many cemeteries are cremation niches in columbaria. They offer the beauty of mausoleum setting with the benefits of above ground placement of remains. Many cemeteries also offer scattering gardens. This area of a cemetery offers the peacefulness of a serene garden where family and friends can come and reflect. Many Veterans’ Administration Cemeteries offer beautiful settings for the placement of cremated remains. Spouses and dependent children can usually be placed in these special areas as well.

What is a columbarium?

A columbarium, often located within a mausoleum or chapel, sometimes freestanding, either indoor or outdoor, is constructed of numerous small compartments (niches) designed to hold urns containing cremated remains. Some columbariums can accommodate more than one urn, often a husband and wife that desire to be placed in the same area after cremation. Some niches have glass fronts that allow family and friends to view the urn. In this case, a decorative urn would be most desirable. Most niches however, have solid stone or cement fronts, upon which the name(s) of the deceased is inscribed. When there is a glass front, the urn is usually engraved with the name of the deceased. When the front of the niche is solid, the urn can still be engraved.

Can I scatter the remains on private property?

Yes – with permission of the owner in most cases. Local and state laws usually permit the scattering of cremated remains.

As long as it is permitted by local regulations, the cremated remains can be scattered in a place that is meaningful to you. This may present difficulties for your survivors. Some people may find it hard to pour the mortal remains of a loved one out onto the ground or into the sea. If you wish to have your cremated remains scattered somewhere, it is therefore important to discuss your wishes ahead of time with the person or persons who will actually have to do the scattering. Another difficulty with scattering can occur when the remains are disposed of in an anonymous, unmarked, or public place. Access to the area may be restricted for some reason in the future, undeveloped land may be developed, or any of a host of other conditions may arise that could make it difficult for your survivors to visit the site to remember you.

If cremated remains are scattered in your backyard, what happens if your survivors relocate sometime in the future? Once scattered, cremated remains cannot easily be collected back up having your remains placed, interred, or scattered on a cemetery’s grounds ensures that future generations will have a place to go to remember you. If remains are scattered somewhere outside the cemetery, many cemeteries will allow you to place a memorial of some type on the cemetery grounds, so that survivors have a place to visit that will always be maintained and preserved.

Why is having a place to visit so important?

Disposition in a cemetery is important for memorializing the deceased. To remember, and be remembered, are natural human needs. Throughout human history, memorialization of the dead has been a key component of almost every culture. The Washington Monument, Tomb of the Unknown Solider, and Vietnam “Wall” in Washington, D.C are examples of memorialization, which demonstrate that, throughout our history, we have always honored our dead. Psychologists say that remembrance practices, from the funeral or memorial service to permanent memorialization, serve an important emotional function for survivors by helping to bring closure and allowing the healing process to begin. Providing a permanent resting place for the deceased is a dignified treatment for a loved one’s mortal remains, which fulfills the natural human desire for memorialization.

If I am cremated, can I be buried with my spouse even if he or she was in a casket?

Yes – depending upon the cemetery’s policy, you may be able to save a grave space by having the cremains buried on top of the casketed remains of your spouse, or utilize the space provided next to him/her. Many cemeteries allow multiple cremated remains to be interred in a single grave space. Often a second spouse can be cremated and the cremated remains placed near the casket of the first spouse. If the first spouse was cremated, the cremated remains can be removed from the place of disposition or held until the passing of the second spouse. At the passing of the remaining spouse, the urn can be placed in the casket of the remaining spouse or placed on top of the casket of the remaining (casketed) family member. This is done according to the policy of the cemetery and most are reasonable regarding this procedure. The names of both loved ones can then be placed on a memorial that is placed in the cemetery. This is becoming more popular as the surviving spouse opts to be cremated instead of having a traditional funeral

Can I take the cremated remains home?

Yes – the remains are normally placed in an urn, usually a utility urn. Many families select an urn that is suitable for placement on a mantle or shelf. Urns are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and materials. These materials can be marble, stone, metal, glass and a number of other materials. The containers can be those that can be seen through, but most often, a material is selected so that the cremains are not visible from the outside of the selected container.

Do all religions permit cremation?

Some religions prefer cremation; some do not recommend the practice; most permit you to choose. Should you have any questions or concerns, we suggest you speak with a member of your clergy or funeral director.