Affordable Cremation Services
When considering cremation, today's families are concerned with many complex issues: how cremation affects the environment (especially when compared to traditional burial), personal finances and faith being amongst the top three. If you, or a family member, are curious about cremation or wondering if cremation is the right option for your situation, we invite you to read the articles in this section. And of course, if you have concerns or additional questions, we ask that you Contact Us and we will be pleased to take part in your cremation conversation.
WHAT IS REQUIRED TO ARRANGE FOR a CREMATION service?
Once the cremation-over-burial decision has been made, all that's required is authorization. This is provided by the person who is the legally identified or appointed next-of-kin. Once all authorization documents are signed, and service charges are paid; the body can be transported from the place of death to the crematory and the cremation process can take place. However, there are some additional things you may wish to consider, such as:
- Is there a special set of clothes (such as a military uniform or favorite dress) your loved one would appreciate the thought of wearing? This will be a focus of the cremation arrangement conversation, and you will be advised by your funeral director as to your best options regarding jewelry or other valuable personal items.
- Are there any keepsake items you'd like to include in their cremation casket? Perhaps there's a special memento, such as a treasured photograph or letter? We sometimes suggest family members write cards, notes or letters to their deceased loved one, and place them in the casket prior to the cremation.
- Would you or other family members like to be present for–or participate to some degree in–your loved one's cremation? Because we know how healing it can be to take part in an act of "letting go", we welcome the opportunity to bring interested family or friends into the crematory. Please discuss your desire to participate with your funeral director.
- What will you keep the cremated remains or ashes in after the cremation or the service? Many families are simply unaware that they can purchase a cremation urn to be placed in a special place such as the family home. We offer a large selection of urns that will help memorialize your loved one. Ask one of our caring funeral director's to see the wide variety of urns.
CREMATION SERVICE OPTIONS
We are caring cremation experts who promise each family we serve the highest level of:
- Courteous, professional service. Our dedicated staff will take care of all details, including prompt filing of required permits and notifications. Accurate completion of these essential documents not only ensures their acceptance by local or state agencies; it guarantees your loved one's cremation will not be delayed.
- Respectful care of the deceased and timely completion of cremation process. Your loved one will be attended to by certified crematory operators; each of whom has been trained to provide both compassionate care for the deceased, and conscientious attention to detail throughout the cremation process.
- Safekeeping and prompt return of cremated remains. We know it's important for the families we serve to know their loved one will be coming home as soon as possible. That's why we promise to notify you as soon as their ashes become available, and safeguard their urn until the time you are ready to receive them.
- A memorial service to celebrate the life of the deceased. There are many advantages to taking some time to remember the life lived, share stories and laugh about all of the memories. Our team can help you plan a fitting memorial service with or without the cremation urn present, at our facility or in a place of your choosing.
We offer three cremation options; each can be modified to meet your needs:
- Traditional cremation services. These are much like a traditional funeral. The body of the deceased, placed in a specially-selected cremation casket or a rental casket, is the focal point of the service. A visitation can take place prior to the funeral service and the cycle is completed with the cremation rather than a traditional burial. Once the cremation has occurred, the cremated remains are returned to your family. You can then decide to scatter the ashes, bury at a local cemetery, or retain the cremated remains in an urn.
- Memorial gathering after the cremation has taken place. This can occur at any time after the cremation process. The urn is usually on display at the service, which can take place in any setting preferred by the family.
- Direct cremation. This involves completion of all required paperwork and the transportation of the deceased from the hospital, home, nursing facility, or coroner's office to the crematory.
The CREMATION PROCESS
Cremation has been a part of the human death experience for a very long time. If you would like to understand more about the cremation process we invite you to read this section. We'll also take a look at cremation costs that will help you with your decision.
Traditional cremation is the process of reducing a body at very high temperatures until it is nothing but brittle, calcified bones. These are then processed into what we commonly call ashes. Returned to the family in a temporary urn (or a more personal urn selected by the family), these ashes can be kept, buried, or scattered. Some families even choose to place a loved one's cremated remains in a hand-crafted piece of cremation art.
The container housing the remains, which can be a casket or an alternative container, is placed in the retort or cremating chamber. It takes anywhere from two to three hours to reduce an average adult to skeletal remains. When the cremated remains are cooled, they are processed to a uniformly-sized pebble-like substance and placed in an urn or temporary container. The funeral director then returns the cremated remains to the family.
CREMATION EXPLAINED
Cremation is an alternative to the burial process and it is chosen by many people because of religious beliefs, the desire to preserve the environment or it was requested by the person who died. Cremation services are also a less expensive option in comparison to a burial. The remains are placed in a container that is combustible and placed in a special furnace called a cremation chamber or a crematory where through intense heat is reduced to bone fragments that are then crushed and pulverized to resemble course sand. The cremated remains of an average adult body will weigh about 7-8 pounds. Cremation is not an alternative to a funeral, but rather an alternative to burial or other forms of disposition.
The Cremation Association of North America cremation as, "The mechanical and/or thermal or other dissolution process that reduces human remains to bone fragments". On our page, The Cremation Process, we offer a deeper look at the most common cremation process which uses extreme heat.
As we said earlier, people choose cremation over burial of casketed remains for any combination of reasons. Sometimes it's the simple fear of burial itself, which may stem directly from the Victorian phobia of being buried alive.
Cremated remains can be scattered or buried, or they may be kept with the family in a decorative urn. There are many new and different ways to dispose of ashes today, cremated remains can be placed in an artificial coral reef in the ocean, they can be launched into space or sent up in helium balloons, or they can be spun into glass pieces of art or diamonds.
Some religions welcome cremation services while others forbid them. The Catholic Church had banned cremation up until 1963, and burial remains the preferred form of disposition today. Our informative brochure on cremation for Catholics takes an in-depth look at the changes within the Church and the effects they have had. In other Christian denominations cremation was historically discouraged but nowadays it is more widely accepted. In eastern religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism cremation is mandated, while in Islam it is strictly forbidden. Orthodox Jews also forbid cremation while other sects of Judaism support cremation, but burial remains the preferred option.
CREMATION COSTS
Cremation costs vary dramatically depending on the services selected. Some cremation services can be priced comparable to that of a traditional burial. Visit our page, Our Cremation Options to see all the options available. While it's true that cost is a big factor for many families, it's important to remember that cremation is simply a form of disposition, an alternative to burial or entombment, not funeral services as a whole. Coming to terms with the death of a loved one is important and can be achieved with a memorial service. Bringing family and friends together provides everyone with the opportunity to share memories and receive support.
Cremation Integrity Guaranteed
Logan Funeral Homes offers this guarantee to ensure you that your loved ones’ remains are respectfully cared for before, during, and after cremation. We utilize sophisticated identification procedures similar to those used in hospitals to give you and your loved ones peace of mind and a high degree of confidence in the cremation process.
Contact us anytime to discuss your options or schedule an appointment:
Click here fora copy of our Cremation Authorization Form for immediate use.
Frequently Asked Questions about Cremation
Cremation is the process of reducing the human body to bone fragments using high heat and flame. Cremation is not the final disposition of the remains, nor is it a type of funeral service.
No, a casket is not required, most states require an alternative container constructed of wood or cardboard, however, in some states no container is required.
No. In fact it is against the law for a funeral home to tell you otherwise. Embalming is not required by Pennsylvania law prior to cremation. Pennsylvania law mandates that a body be refrigerated or embalmed after the deceased has been deceased 24 hours. With the use of refrigeration embalming is not required, and the unnecessary expense of embalming is alleviated.
Yes, most crematories allow immediate family members to briefly view the deceased prior to cremation.
Yes they can, some cremation providers will allow family members to be present when the body is placed in the cremation chamber. Some religious groups even include this as part of their funeral custom.
Nearly all Protestant Churches allow for the urn to be present during the memorial service. Most Catholic Churches also allow the remains to be present during the Memorial Mass. It is encouraged that cremated remains be a part of a funeral as it provides a focal point for the service.
While laws vary state by state, for the most part remains can be buried in a cemetery lot or a cremation garden, interred in a columbarium, kept at home or scattered. In Pennsylvania, there are no state laws controlling where you may keep or scatter ashes. Ashes may be stored in a crypt, niche, grave, or container at home. If you wish to scatter ashes, you have many options. Generally, use common sense and refrain from scattering ashes in places where they would be obvious to others.
All reputable cremation providers have developed rigorous sets of operating policies and procedures in order to maximize the level of service and minimize the potential for human error. Since it is illegal to perform more than one cremation at a time, and the vast majority of crematories can only cremate one body at a time, it is next to impossible to receive the incorrect remains.
It all depends on the weight of the individual. For an average sized adult, cremation can take two to three hours at a normal operating temperature of between 1,000 and 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cremated remains resemble coarse sand and are whitish to light grey in color. The remains of an average sized adult usually weighs between 7 and 8 pounds.
With the exception of minute and microscopic particles, which are impossible to remove from the cremation chamber and processing machine, all of the cremated remains are given back to the family.
An urn is not required by law. However, an urn may be desired if there is to be a memorial service or if the remains are to be interred in a cemetery. If an urn is not purchased or provided by the family, the cremated remains will be returned in a temporary plastic container.
Contact us for a FREE copy of our Cremation Integrity Guaranteed brochure