Is cremation in your future? What you need to know to be prepared

PITTSBURGH, April 16 /PRNewswire/ -- On Memorial Day, people throughout the United States will visit cemeteries to place wreaths and flowers on the graves of their loved ones as a symbol of their eternal love. However, there are many people that do not have a place to visit because their loved ones choose cremation without a form of permanent memorialization.

"Cremation is a process that prepares the body for memorialization," explained Bernard E. Stoecklein, Jr., chairman of CMS Mid-Atlantic, Inc., a company that provides financial, marketing and consulting services as well as business development processes to the cemetery industry throughout New Jersey and New York. "Those who choose cremation need to realize that cremation is not an end - it is a means. It is important to include permanent memorialization of the cremated remains in their plans."

According to the Cremation Association of North America (CANA), approximately 32 percent of the deaths in the United States result in cremation which means that nearly one out of every three people chooses cremation.

When Matthews International Corporation, the world's leading provider of bronze memorialization, conducted an independent survey to assess consumer's preference for cremation memorialization, the resounding response was that people wanted a place to visit their loved ones remains.

What do the increasing number of people who are selecting cremation need to know to make informed decisions?

First, cremations can be pre-arranged just as people pre-plan for ground burial and mausoleum entombment. By pre-arranging for the cremation and memorialization, people can make their decisions free of the emotional stress that can be present when a death occurs.

Second, with cremations you can still have a viewing as well as a funeral or memorial service. With the aging Baby Boom generation now making arrangements for their parents at the time of need or pre-planning for themselves, they are moving away from the traditional funeral rituals for less conventional services that have greater meaning to them.

Finally, there are many types of memorialization offered for those who choose cremation that appeal to almost every personality and budget. In fact, there are more choices for cremation memorialization than for ground burial and mausoleum entombment combined.

  - Urns are available in many styles, materials and sizes that can be

    placed in cemetery niches or taken home.

  - Cremated remains can be placed in columbariums or special flush bronze

    ground memorials with canisters to hold the remains.

  - For those who choose to scatter the remains, portions can be retained

    and placed in keepsake urns or special lockets.  Additionally, the

    deceased's name can be listed on a scattering plaque in a cemetery's

    cremation garden.

  - People concerned with the environment can choose to have their remains

    placed in special containers that are placed in the ocean to create

    reefs.

"Humans like security and peace of mind - that's one of the key reasons we buy insurance and plan our estates," Stoecklein remarked. "No matter if you are among the growing group who prefers cremation or want traditional ground burial or entombment in a mausoleum crypt, it is important to pre-plan so that your final wishes will be carried out and you will spare your loved ones difficult decisions during one of the saddest times in their lives."