Types of Cremation Services

Posted by Circle of Life on September 29th, 2016

People are constantly searching for new ways to honor the dead. With personalized funerals and non-traditional methods on the rise, cremation services are fast becoming a popular choice where the deceased’s body is burned to ash in a legally regulated place.

Cremation can occur before or after the funeral service. During the funeral service, the deceased’s body can be placed in an open or closed casket for visitors to pay their last respects. Later, the body is transported to the crematorium and the ashes or remains are later returned to the family. Sometimes, cremation occurs immediately after death due to circumstances or the personal choice of the deceased and family. So, later when the funeral service is performed without the presence of the body, it is termed as a memorial service. An urn containing the remains is usually present and may be kept for display for those who’d like to offer their tribute.

Once, the body is cremated i.e. reduced to ashes and bone fragments, the cremation services provider will return the remains to the family in an urn. After that, the remains should be treated with dignity. Some people choose to scatter or disperse them. The ashes can be transported on a boat and then gently scattered in any water body. Another method is scattering them in the wind. Casting means when the related persons gently let the remains blow and become one with the wind. Contrarily, a private plane can be hired to take the urn to a pre-specified location and scatter the ashes over a larger area from above. There are commercial services and societies that offer to carry out the scattering process in case it is too painful or burdensome for the family. A family member could choose to go along with them, else stay back and let them carry it out.

In the burying or interring method, a hole or trench is dug and the ashes are placed inside and covered up again with soil. A grave marker may be inserted or a tree can be planted to signify the spot of burial. The final method is to store or preserve the remains. An urn or any kind of container is used to hold the cremated remains to cherish the loved one’s memory. Some even go on to encase it in jewelry to have as a keepsake forever.

When you visit any of the Waterdown funeral homes, you can enquire about the various cremation services they offer. Funeral homes in Ancaster can help you arrange the cremation of a loved one according to your preferences.