Cremation services offer a means of expressing thoughts and feelings about the death of someone we love.
Cremation Choices
- burial in the ground in a regular plot or in a smaller cremation plot.
- placed in a niche within a columbarium.
- stored by the family
- keepsake jewelry may be chosen in which a token portion of the cremated remains may be placed and worn in honour of the deceased.
- some may choose to scatter cremated remains, however there are a number of factors that need to be taken into consideration. Is it legal to scatter where you are wanting? Will the family always have access to this place? Can a marker be placed there to commemorate the fact that this is a burial or scattering ground? After reviewing these questions, some families choose to scatter a portion of the cremated remains and bury the remainder in a cemetery where these factors can be addressed.
Can we still have a viewing?
This is one of the more common questions we as funeral directors answer. The answer quite simply is, yes. It is important to know that even when cremation is chosen, a time of visitation or viewing can still take place. This can be scheduled the evening before the service and can be open to the public should the family desire with the cremation taking place overnight; the urn then would be present at the service. Alternatively, some families choose to have a viewing at the time of the service with the cremation following.
What do we call the service?
More and more families are choosing to call these cremation services "A Celebration of Life" or "A Service of Remembrance" as they want the occasion to have an emphasis on happier times and to celebrate their loved one's life. No matter what you choose to call the service or the emphasis, it is important to commemorate a person's life; to recognize a life lived and to honour someone who has made an impression on your own life.
Cremation services assist us with acknowledging that someone we loved or cared about has died. The service allows us the opportunity to say good-bye, provides a support system for us and our family members, offers continuity and hope for those left behind and allows us the opportunity to reflect on the meaning of death, and life.
Meaningful cremation services allow us the opportunity to express our loss through music, comments and fellowship, in a safe environment. They also help us to move from life prior to death - to life after death. At Memories Chapel, we believe that every family is unique. While we offer various types of services which are outlined below, there are also many ways to personalize the service and make it truly unique as you commemorate the life of your loved one.
