Yes. Forwarding or receiving of cremains to or from another funeral home or mortuary consists of preparing the body for shipment in a casket strapped into a combination unit. If a funeral is to be conducted in a different city to the place of death, or even in another state, there are options to transport the deceased. In the case of short distances, your funeral home will usually be able to offer their services and this is sometimes charged at an additional mileage rate. When the distance is beyond their travel range, the funeral service provider will hire a carrier that specializes in transporting human cremains – a funeral or mortuary transport company. State legislation governing funerals homes can vary state-to-state, so the need for embalming may depend upon where the deceased is being transported.

If the costs for transporting the body of the deceased seem too expensive and you wish not to incur that level of expense to repatriate your loved one’s cremains, you may wish to consider a cremation at the place of death. The cremains can then be shipped back home at a reduced cost. Cremains can be carried on most airlines, although you do need to carefully ensure that you are compliant with the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) guidelines. Cremains must however be transported in a temporary container that can pass through TSA x-ray machines. This should be a container constructed of wood, plastic, cardboard or any non- based ceramic. The TSA personnel are not permitted to open an urn to check the contents, therefore if a container does not pass through the x-ray, it will not be allowed as carry-on. Most reputable funeral homes and cremation urn suppliers who are familiar with this legislation will be able to provide a known TSA complaint container for transportation.

Yes. Typically a local funeral home can assist you with out-of-state arrangements, either to transport the cremains back home or help coordinate funeral arrangements with an out-of-state funeral home on your behalf.

In most States, family members may bury their own dead although regulations vary. However, most people find it very trying to be solely responsible for arranging the details and legal matters surrounding a death. A Funeral Director is a very important help during this time of need. The funeral director is a great comfort during this time when loved ones often find that grief makes handling all the details associated with death a very difficult task. With quiet dignity and a complete understanding of how to assist people in grief, the funeral director gently guides loved ones through a rough period, allowing them to honor the deceased in a way that is proper and respectful.

Not necessarily, but factors of time, health and possible legal regulations and religious beliefs might make embalming prior to cremation either appropriate or necessary.

Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body and slows the decomposition process. It also can enhance the appearance of a body disfigured by traumatic death or illness. Perhaps most importantly, embalming makes it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final disposition, thus allowing family members time to arrange and participate in the type of service most comforting to them.

Except in certain special cases embalming is not required by law; however, embalming will be necessary if you select certain funeral arrangements such as viewing during visitation or a delay of more than 24 hours before interment. If you do not want embalming, you have the right to choose an arrangement that would not require it such as closed casket services with immediate burial, within 24 hours of death, or cremation prior to your services.

A funeral, or life celebration is a ceremony for celebrating, honoring, respecting or remembering the life of a person who has recently passed away. The word funeral comes from the Latin funus, which had a variety of meanings, including meaning the corpse and the funeral or celebration rites themselves. Funeral services are as old as human culture itself dating back to at least 300,000 years ago.

Indeed, it seems that from the beginning of history, people and cultures have honored those who have died with a ceremony. According to early beliefs, the purpose of the ritual was to send the deceased on his or her journey into the afterlife. Today, however, many experts agree that the benefits of a service are for those who are left behind. In essence, it provides "closure" of sorts to help survivors adjust to the loss of their loved one. And the funeral service or life celebration provides the opportunity for friends and family to celebrate the life that was lived and allow the healing process to begin.

A funeral and a Life Celebration are somewhat similar although of course with a different focus. Both however refer to paying tribute or honoring someone who has passed away. Around the world and in every culture, families and friends have honored and paid tribute to loved ones when they die. Typically this is now done in a funeral home whether it be for burial or cremation and the cost of a funeral can vary widely. The Funeral Director works with the family on all funeral arrangements and helps the family plan for a funeral.

There are many different types of funeral rituals and rites as they vary among all the various cultures and religions throughout the world and yet they typically share some common elements like removing the deceased to a funeral home or mortuary, preparing the cremains, performing a ceremony, taking care of the spiritual and grief needs of the family and friends and then finally handling the final disposition of the deceased. Funeral services or life celebrations can take place in many places like in a home, in a house of worship, outdoors in nature, in a funeral home or at the grave site or crematory.

Funerals or Life Celebrations fill an important role for those mourning and grieving over the loss of a family member or loved one. First and foremost, they provide family members and friends a caring and supportive environment to share thoughts and feelings about the death and about the life lived by the family member or loved one. By doing so, funerals are an important step in the very important grief healing process. Indeed, attending a funeral service provides many benefits including providing a social support system for the bereaved, helping them understand that death is a part of life, easing the transition to a new life, providing a safe place for expressing pain, reaffirming one’s relationship with the person who died and providing an opportunity to say good-bye.

The bereavement process starts with the recognition and realization that someone has died. In the USA, typically the family with go to a local Funeral Home and meet with the Funeral Director to plan for the funeral. They will help the family decide on burial vs. cremation, the cost of the funeral and all other details.

The funeral or memorial service provides an opportunity to remember and tell stories about the person, to come to terms with the reality of death and to reaffirm beliefs about that person as well as in other faiths that are shared. Certainly, having a funeral service with time to say goodbye and to remember and pay tribute to your loved one is important for the healing of the immediate family as well as other friends and loved ones.

From the beginning of recorded history, societies have honored those who have died with a ceremony. The purpose of the ritual was to send the deceased on his or her journey into the afterlife. However, many experts today agree that the benefits of a service are for those who are left behind - it provides "closure" to help survivors adjust to their loss and provides the opportunity for friends and family to celebrate the life that was lived and allow the healing process to begin.

Some governmental jurisdictions require a licensed person to transport a body, obtain the necessary permits and perform the cremation service. Funeral Directors are among those so licensed and are the only ones permitted to perform such services in these jurisdictions. Normally, the funeral director performs the same professional functions for cremation as for any other service.

Funeral Directors, also called morticians and undertakers, help plan the funeral and arrange all of the details of funerals depending upon the direction of the deceased or family members. Together with the family, funeral directors establish the location, dates, and times of services and wakes, organize the memorial services, and burials; prepare obituary notices, arrange for pallbearers and clergy, schedule the opening and closing of a grave with a representative of the cemetery, decorate and prepare the sites of all services, and provide transportation for the deceased, immediate family and mourners between sites. They also direct preparation and shipment of bodies for out-of-State burial. If a family chooses cremation they assist in the selection of the urn, personalizing that urn and preparing for the funeral with other keepsakes for the family like jewelry or Life Prints.

Funeral directors handle the paperwork involved with the person's death, including submitting papers to State authorities so that a formal death certificate may be issued. Funeral Directors might also help family members apply for veterans' burial benefits or notify the Social Security Administration. Also, funeral directors may apply for the transfer of any pensions, insurance policies, or annuities and other financial matters on behalf of survivors. Most funeral directors are also trained, licensed, and practicing embalmers. Embalming is a sanitary, cosmetic, and preservative process through which the body is prepared for interment. Funeral directors also work with those who want to plan their own funerals in advance thereby ensuring that the family’s wishes will be completed. The process of preparing in advance is typically called pre-planning for a funeral.

Most funeral homes are small, family-run businesses, and many funeral directors are owner-operators or employees with managerial responsibilities. Funeral directors often work long, irregular hours, and the occupation can be highly stressful. Many are on call at all hours because they may be needed to remove cremains in the middle of the night. Shift work sometimes is necessary because funeral home hours include evenings and weekends. Funeral directors are licensed by the State in which they practice.

The funeral director is a great comfort during a time when loved ones often find that grief makes handling all the details associated with death a very difficult task. With quiet dignity and a complete understanding of how to assist people in grief, the funeral director gently guides loved ones through a rough period, allowing them to honor the deceased in a way that is proper and respectful.

Funeral homes in the USA began in the mid-19th Century and were originally responsible for the preservation and shipment of Civil War deceased. As little as a quarter century ago virtually all funeral homes were owned by individuals and families. Today, over fifteen percent of all funeral homes, and an even greater percentage of 'for profit' cemeteries and crematories, are owned by large corporations.

Most funeral directors work in funeral homes that have one or more viewing rooms, a casket-selection room, a preparation room, and sometimes a chapel. Some may also have a crematory on the premises.

Family owned funeral homes are locally owned and operated and many have been in the funeral service for generations. Because of this they have personal relationships with many people in the community and are very actively involved in the communities they serve. They strive to offer the highest quality of service to their families because they are very sensitive to the needs of the community in which they live and serve. Poor service of course would jeopardize their business due to negative word of mouth. As mentioned, a few corporations buy funeral homes across the country. At times these continue to be run by the family but sometimes new management is brought in. It is not easy to tell whether a funeral home is family or corporate owned.

There are many ways to say goodbye to a loved one. In fact, that is one reason you should consider the expertise of a Funeral Home Director who is very aware of all the options. Some of the most popular types of funeral services are:

• a ‘direct committal’ cremation (no mourners present)
• a funeral service held in a church or our chapel followed by a committal at a cemetery
• a funeral service held in a church or our chapel followed by a private committal attended only by family
• a funeral service in a church or our chapel with the coffin removed for the committal
• a funeral service and committal at the graveside
• a funeral service at another venue, such as the local hall, bowling club, a special garden or at the beach
• a memorial funeral service where the coffin is not present, followed or preceded by a public or private burial or cremation
• a burial preceding a funeral service of thanksgiving.

The Funeral Home Director or a member of their staff sits down with the family to determine the best way to celebrate a life. A funeral is more than a way to say goodbye - it’s an opportunity to celebrate the life of someone that was dearly loved. Today a funeral can be as unique as the individual who is being honored. So it is important for the family to consider what the loved one was like – what they liked to do, whether or not the loved one was very spiritual, whether or not the loved one was proud of their culture, etc. Also important is whether or not the loved one was a member of the military, police or fire department. A Funeral Director or a member of their staff assists the family with creating the best Life Celebration for the loved one of that family.

Funeral directors are trained to help families arrange the type of service they desire. The service is usually held at a place of worship or at the funeral home. The service may vary in ritual according to religious denomination or the wishes of the family. The presence of friends at this time is an acknowledgement of friendship and support.

A private service is by invitation only where selected relatives and a few close friends attend the funeral service.

A memorial service is usually a service without the body present and can vary in ceremony and procedures according to the family's community and religious affiliations.

A memorial Most people who have visited or driven past a cemetery have noticed that all burials are not the same. There are different types of burial plots that can be purchased from a funeral home. An important role of the Funeral Director is that they can get a list of all available options at local cemeteries and their costs. Here are the most common options, although every cemetery may not have all available options:

Single plot. The most common type of burial involves a single plot, often with a headstone, where an individual loved one is buried. Depending on the size of the cemetery, you may have choices about where exactly in the cemetery to be buried.

Companion plots. Many people with spouses choose a companion plot so that they can be buried next to their spouse or loved one. In some cases, depending on the policy of the funeral home and local laws in the community, a couple can be buried side-by-side in a companion plot, which often is larger and more expensive than a single family plot.

Public mausoleum. In some places there is a mausoleum where you can be buried in a single or companion crypt. The benefit of a mausoleum is that mourners can visit at any time without regard to weather conditions.

Private mausoleum. Some families or businesses have private mausoleums, which are only open to those with an appropriate connection to the deceased.

Lawn crypt. Instead of being placed in the ground in a casket, a lawn crypt is an aboveground burial location. A lawn crypt is more expensive than a burial plot, but provides a clean, dry space for the cremains.

Cremation. If a family member is cremated, that does not rule out any of the traditional burial options. An urn can be buried in a plot in the ground, placed in a public or private mausoleum crypt or included in an above-ground lawn crypt. Additionally, some families may decide to do away with all burial options and have a beloved family member take possession of the urn and cremation ashes.

If you already own a burial plot or family lot, you may choose to inter the cremation urn there. Cemeteries often permit the interment of the cremains of more than one person in a single adult space. If you wish to be interred in a family plot, but do not want ground interment, there are monuments available to house the cremains. These monuments can be used for those who have chosen cremation or in combination with family members who have chosen casketed burial. Grave site committal of the urn is available and some cemeteries require that the urn be placed in an urn vault for interment. There are a wide variety of markers and monuments available but you should check your cemetery's rules before purchasing your memorial. The monument or marker you select will be a lasting genealogical record for the generations of your family and a lasting symbol of the special life you want to remember and commemorate.

A columbarium is an indoor or outdoor wall containing niches. A niche is defined as a recessed compartment designed to hold urns. Columbariums may be an entire building, a room, a wall along a corridor or a series of special alcoves or halls in a mausoleum, chapel, or other buildings located in a cemetery or on other dedicated property. Niches come in many sizes with a selection of fronts such as glass, marble, bronze, granite or mosaic. Glass fronts may be clear, tinted, frosted or etched. Some columbarium niches are designed for specific size urns while others may contain a double size space for two urns or even larger niches for multiple urns. Some clear glass fronted niches allow meaningful memorabilia to be placed inside along with the urn.

Many cemeteries or memorial parks have areas designated specifically for the interment of cremains. These areas are called Urn Gardens and are set aside for those who desire ground or above-ground interment. Some gardens offer individual urn burial plots that will accommodate a marker. Others offer unmarked areas for interment of the urn, with adjacent walls or sculptures for memorial plaques. Check with your cemetery or memorial park on the types of permanent memorialization they offer for garden interment of cremains.

A Green burial, or natural burial, ensures the burial site cremains as natural as possible in all respects. Interment of the bodies is done in a bio-degradable casket, shroud, or a favorite blanket. There are no embalming fluids used, nor concrete vaults etc.

It is clear that nature has intended that our bodies be reunited with the earth. Constant microbial activity in the soil breaks everything down. Nature creates no waste. Everything is recycled. In keeping with your personal values, a natural burial site for you, family, even pets, promotes growth of native trees, shrubs and wildflowers, in turn bringing birds and other wildlife to the area. Water is not wasted, nor are pesticides and herbicides used in attempts to control nature. A green cemetery allows nature to take its course.

A green burial is a cremation alternative, and a viable alternative to "traditional" burial practices in the United States. It is an earth friendly option when considering burial vs. cremation. Many families choose cremation because it's seen as more environmentally friendly than traditional burial. Embalming, expensive sealed caskets and burial vaults are not required by law. Though traditional memorial parks may require them, a green cemetery or memorial nature preserve does not. The simplicity of a green burial is in tune with nature and need not be expensive.

Until recently, interment in an environmentally friendly burial ground was not an option. Now we can consider and encourage a natural burial, helping to preserve open spaces throughout the United States. This will increasingly become a cremation alternative.

All veterans are entitled to a free burial in a national cemetery and a grave marker. This eligibility also applies to some civilians who have provided military-related service and some Public Health Service personnel. Spouses and dependent children are also entitled to a lot and marker when buried in a national cemetery. There are no charges for opening or closing the grave, for a vault or liner, or for setting the marker in a national cemetery. For more information, contact the Department of Veterans Affairs at 1-800-827-1000.

Service providers specializing in burial at sea are available through funeral directors or by contacting them directly. These service providers are familiar with the various federal and state laws and will handle all governmental reporting requirements.

The most common method of burial at sea is a scattering of cremains. Whole body burials are possible but they are more involved due, in part, to regulations requiring them to be done at a specific depth of the sea and the need for a specially prepared casket that will descend to the ocean floor.

The Department of the Navy offers free burial at sea services for veterans and their families subject to certain restrictions.

Funeral costs vary depending on the funeral home and type of service selected. There are two types of costs associated with a funeral. First, services provided by the funeral home. Secondly merchandise such as a casket or urn. More and more, people are choosing cremation partially due to the fact that it can be less expensive than a traditional burial.

A large number of families use funds that were set aside in funeral pre-arrangements ahead of time. Others may pay with cash, checks or a credit card, and some families rely on life insurance to pay for funeral expenses.

The Social Security Administration may pay a lump sum death benefit to the surviving spouse, provided the deceased and their spouse were living together at the time of death. Entitled children may be eligible for a lump sum as well, if the deceased received monthly benefits at the time of death. To learn what you or your family is entitled to, contact the Social Security Administration directly at (800) 772-1213 or visit www.ssa.gov

Each veteran, discharged other than dishonorably, is entitled to a burial flag and a government grave marker for an unmarked grave. If the death is ruled to be service connected, there may be additional monies available.

The funeral home will gather the information and place an obituary. You will want to know survivors, important dates, hobbies, and interests. You will need to be prepared to provide the full name, date of birth, social security number, Mother’s maiden name, and Fathers name to help the funeral home obtain a death certificate.

The funeral Prearrangement and prepayment of funerals are becoming more and more common. Prearranging will provide you with more time to review your options and it gives you the choice in your own funeral service. It also provides you with the peace of mind in knowing everything has been taken care of, relieving your family of the emotional stress and financial burden of making arrangements at the time of death. In addition, making arrangements in advance often also can guarantee today's prices thereby avoiding inflation and price increases. Once these prearrangements are made, a person may decide to prepay for the funeral to secure the price at today's cost. The interest that accumulates on the funds is often then used to offset the increase in cost due to inflation etc.

Most prepaid arrangements are established using an irrevocable contract to protect the funds from being acquired by the State, the funeral home or the family before death occurs. Typically however arrangements are easily transferred to another funeral home should a person decide to leave the area.

It is a good idea to collect and make such pertinent personal details readily available at the time of death. The following is a sample of the information that helps you plan for in advance:

Biological & Personal Details

• Full name of the deceased, date and city of birth
• Deceased’s marital status and address
• Names of surviving family and next of kin, their addresses and phone numbers
• Deceased’s occupation, education and/or military service
• Deceased’s church, lodge and club associations

Funeral Service Instructions

• Place of service
• Name of clergy
• Name of organist and/or vocalist
• Special music or hymns
• Favorite Bible passages, quotations, poetry, etc.
• Items and photos to personalize service
• Flower requests
• Memorial donations
• Casket- or pallbearers
• Name and location cemetery, contact name and grave site
• Participation organizations (Fraternal/Military Rites)
• Clothing to be worn by the deceased

Financial Matters

• Veteran’s Benefits
• Wills & Estate Taxes
• Social Security Benefits
• Insurance Benefits
• Bank, Retirement & Investment Accounts

Donation of organs or donation of the body should not affect funeral ceremonies. Donated organs must be transplanted shortly after death. After the organs have been taken, all aspects of the funeral can proceed as they would otherwise, including an open casket viewing, traditional funeral services, and burial or cremation. Likewise, donation of a body to medical science can be preceded by a viewing and funeral ceremonies.

To ensure that your donation wishes will be followed make your family aware of your decision to donate. Family consent will be needed regardless of whether you have signed a Donor Card or a Driver's License. They will be more likely to follow your wishes if you have discussed the issue with them previously. Be sure to sign a Uniform Donor Card and have 2 people (preferably family members) sign as witnesses. The back of your Driver's License may also have a donor authorization form. Finally, carry your Donor Card in your wallet at all times. Additional information and Donor Cards can be obtained via the web from:International Association for Organ Donation

When the death occurs in a hospital or nursing home, the medical staff should take care of all the necessary legal steps. A person would only need to notify the medical staff about what Funeral Home will be handling funeral arrangements, and they will have you sign any necessary release forms. When death is anticipated at home under hospice care, a person need only notify the Funeral Home and they will handle the arrangements and all of the necessary legal requirements. Many times when someone is terminally ill, pre-arrangements are often made so you are not overwhelmed with the many important decisions that would otherwise need to be made at the time of death. When death occurs unexpectedly at home or elsewhere, a person should immediately call 911. Police and emergency medical personnel will determine appropriate next steps. Often times, police can release the bodily cremains directly to the funeral home. In some instances, however, the body might need to go to the Medical Examiner's office so the cause of death can first be determined. When death occurs out of state a Funeral Home can make arrangements for the bodily cremains to be transported back home.

If you have a friend who is grieving the loss of someone, here are some ways for supporting a friend that will help and comfort them best:

First of all, attend funeral services or visitation, even if you didn't know the deceased. These services are really for your friend and the others who knew and loved that person. For them, your presence is comforting. Even if a casual friend or co-worker has experienced a loss, go to the funeral or visitation. Your presence is felt, and it is appreciated. You may be reluctant to attend funerals because you are not sure what you should say or how you should act. "I'm so sorry" is always an appropriate condolence, as is "I hurt for you." "I know just how you feel" may not be as comforting as you think. This might suggest to the grieving person that their feelings are not unique. If you cannot find the words, a warm hug, an arm across the shoulders, or a firm clasp of the hand are always comforting.

Second, you might call or pay a visit. A phrase commonly heard at funerals is "If there is anything I can do..." The problem is that very few grieving people will call on you later for help or companionship, no matter how badly they want to or need the help. It might be best to call after the funeral with specific offers like "I thought I'd come and mow your lawn this Saturday.” Offer something that you know is needed. Vague promises to stay in touch are too often forgotten after the funeral.

Third, let them know it's okay to talk about it, or cry. What about the weeks following the funeral? These may be some of the loneliest times of all for your grieving friend. Call or pay a visit soon after the funeral. You don't have to stay long. In fact, you probably shouldn't. Spend this short time focusing on their feelings. Refer to the deceased naturally, by name. Don't hesitate to ask how they are feeling. Let them know that it is okay to talk about their loss, or cry. Listen carefully to what is said. The most important ingredient of this is successive visits, and the acceptance of your friend's feelings.

Finally, try to remember them on weekends, holidays, and special family times. These occasions are often the most painful, because they are full of memories. Invite your friend or family member to join you on an outing, to a movie, or just for a quiet evening visiting or watching television at home. At first, you may get a lot of refusals. Your friend may not feel up to socializing, and it is important for you to not be insistent at this time. Try to understand and offer again later.

Over a period of months, your friend will start making some plans for their new life, and will feel like socializing and getting back into the mainstream of life. When this happens, you will realize how much your presence and caring has meant to your friend, and how valuable it was for you to keep the channels of communication open.

Funeral directors are in a unique position to help you through some of the most difficult times you will ever experience in life. Funeral directors provide focus and clarity in the time of emotional stress and chaos. In short, a funeral director is the facilitator and organizer during your hour of greatest need.

One of the important decisions to be made when a death occurs is whether or not there should be a burial or a cremation. There are certain costs associated with burial including casket selection, the plot within the cemetery and headstone. Each cemetery is governed by their own board of directors and therefore prices and guidelines differ from one cemetery to the next.

"Disposition" is the term used by the funeral industry to describe the final handling of the deceased's cremains. Although your initial decision for the disposition of the body is between burial and cremation, there are several variations on each. For example, burial choices include an earth burial, having the casket entombed in a crypt within a mausoleum (above-ground burial) or it can be buried at sea.

In the United States, in 1972, only five percent of the population chose cremation. That number had quintupled by 1999, with over 25% choosing cremation. In Canada, the rate is already over 42%; in Great Britain, 71%; and over 98% in Japan. The reasons for choosing a cremation might include the fact that many people believe that a cremated body becomes one with nature more quickly or perhaps cremation is traditional in your family, religious group, or geographical area. Some prefer to have the body returned quickly and cleanly to the elements while others have environmental concerns. Some are worried about the use of valuable land for cemetery space, or believe it is wrong to fill the ground with materials that won't erode ... metal coffins and concrete vaults for example. Others choose cremation because they want to keep the costs down although selecting cremation does not necessarily mean that it will be an inexpensive funeral. The family might also choose an expensive casket for a viewing, and/or decide to have the cremains buried in the ground or placed in a columbarium.

In addition, although burial in a casket is the most common method of disposing of cremains, cremation is increasingly selected because it allows for the memorial service to be held at a more convenient time in the future when relatives and friends can come together. A funeral service followed by cremation need not be any different from a funeral service followed by a burial. Usually, cremains are placed in some type of permanent receptacle, or urn, before being committed to a final resting place. The urn may be buried, placed in an indoor or outdoor mausoleum or columbarium, or interred in a special urn garden that many cemeteries provide for cremains.

If you choose to have your loved one buried, you will need to decide if you want to have a viewing with the body present and if you want this viewing to be public or private. You will also need to make arrangements for a cemetery plot. If you choose to have your loved one cremated, please remember that you can still have the body present for viewing before the cremation. Many families do not know this option exists and do not get the needed closure to be on their path to healing. You will then need to decide if you would like the cremains scattered or kept in an urn or other keepsake.

There are usually more options for cremation services; however, they can be the same as a traditional burial service or uniquely different as well. The families may choose as much or as little formality as they feel is appropriate for their individual situation. When it comes to celebrating the life of a loved one, cremation services are equally as meaningful as a traditional burial service.

The basic charge for cremation is usually less expensive than traditional burial, but with so many additional types of services that are available, it's not possible to make an accurate comparison.