Cremation Services
Losing a loved one is one of the most difficult experiences families and friends can go through. In grieving times, people are also faced with the difficult task of making arrangements for the final disposition of their departed loved one. For this reason our Community Mortuary Services staff work closely with you to provide a personalized and compassionate cremation service to honor the memory of your loved one. We handle every detail of the cremation process with dignity and respect from the initial preparation to the presentation of the cremains to the family.
Community Mortuary Services is a fourth-generation family-owned business with over 35 years of experience. At Community Mortuary, we have our own on-site state-of-the-art crematories, so once we make the removal, your loved one will never leave our care.
Our standard cremation includes the removal, refrigeration, cremation container, filing of the death certificate, securing the necessary permits, and the use of our viewing room for a final goodbye if the family wishes before the cremation.
What is Cremation?
Cremation is one of the processes for the final disposition of a deceased person’s remains. This alternative to traditional funerals uses extreme heat, turning the remains into ash, which can then be collected and stored in an urn.
This practice is becoming one of the standard services provided by funeral homes in the United States. More than half of the people today prefer cremation over traditional funeral services for their deceased loved ones. According to estimates from the National Funeral Directors Association, around 78% of Americans will choose cremation by 2035.
This preference for cremation is due to several factors, including:
- Flexible Timing: This process allows friends and family to gather together and prepare for the final arrangements necessary.
- Personalization: You have more options for the final disposition of your loved one’s remains. Family members can store the ashes in a columbarium, scattering the ashes to sea or other relevant areas and other meaningful options representing the deceased’s wishes.
- Lower Cost: The cost of arranging a cremation service is significantly lower than the total cost of arranging traditional funeral services.
- Environmental Awareness and Concerns: Many environmentally aware individuals prefer cremation since it has a reduced impact on Mother Nature. The process involved in a standard cremation service avoids using chemicals for embalming. It reduces the need for natural resources like wood and soil.
- Reduced Religious Affiliation: Studies show that less than half of Americans today prefer non-religious funerals, which prompts them to consider cremation services instead.
What is the Process?
The deceased’s remains are taken to our facility and placed in cold storage. Working with family members, our staff will assist you in preparing all the necessary paperwork to initiate the cremation process. Once all the requirements have been provided and preparations have been made, the cremation process can be conducted.
Family members can opt to have a family viewing before the cremation of their loved one is performed. However, some people prefer a simple cremation involving no public gatherings, which means our team can pick up the deceased and proceed with the cremation.
During the cremation process, the remains of the deceased will be placed inside a cremation chamber, also known as a crematorium. Most funeral homes do not have a crematorium on site. The remains must be taken to a different facility for the actual cremation service.
Some cremation facilities have more than one cremation chamber. The professionals handling the process use fuel for the chamber, usually gas or propane. These chambers can become extremely hot, reaching around 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. Cremation facilities are fully equipped to handle extreme temperatures and have electronic tools to monitor the entire process, preventing accidents and other potential hazards.
Is There a Funeral Service Involved?
While Community Mortuary encourages the family to create a space that honors your loved ones, they do not offer any type of funeral services. Loved ones of the deceased will need to arrange their own memorial services.
Identification of the Deceased
When opting for a cremation service, it is essential to discuss every step of the process so the details will be clear to you. Our staff at Community Mortuary will be responsible for collecting the remains of your beloved family member and preparing them for cremation. During this process, we have methods in place to help determine the remains of your deceased loved one.
It is important to note that some facilities have more than one cremation chamber and can process multiple clients on the same day. Our staff can use various means to help identify and secure the cremains such as documents and tags, allowing them to identify the remains and ensure that we present the correct cremains to the family.
How Long Does It Take?
Cremation services offered by our team begin when our staff picks up the deceased’s remains. From that time to the final stage, where the ashes are presented to the family, it can take several days to complete depending on several factors.
Some potential delays may occur when securing the necessary paperwork. Sometimes the doctor’s delay in signing the death certificate, waiting on medical examiners permission to cremate or the vital statistics to issue the burial transit permit.
However, the actual cremation will take about two hours on average. That will be enough time for the heat to reduce everything to ashes. Cooling and processing usually takes about 30 minutes to one hour.
Who Is Responsible for the Ashes? Do I Need a Receptacle?
The staff will collect and store the ashes in a temporary container until they can be presented to the family members. Family members can then opt to keep the ashes in an urn or scatter them, as per the wishes of the deceased.