Questions About Cremation Answered

Has someone you loved recently passed away? If you're considering cremation, this article answers some of the most common questions. For more information, reach out to a cremation service like Morris Nilsen Funeral Chapel near you. 

Can I Hold a Viewing Before a Body Is Cremated?

Yes. In most cases the body will need to be embalmed before a viewing, in order to preserve the remains well enough that they will stand up to a viewing. If you or your loved one order a direct cremation, this may not be possible — though rules and regulations about how bodies are handled can vary. Direct cremation means no embalming, though in most cases a small number of immediate family members can still view the body. A viewing may help some family members find closure after death, so it's worth thinking about whether or not that would be helpful.

Do I Have to Hold a Service in a Funeral Home?

Not necessarily, but it may help to have a service at the home for those who are more inclined towards formal mourning — this is something that needs to be decided with the whole understanding of what mourners around your or your loved one's death will need. But if you're inclined to a more relaxed service, keep in mind that many funeral homes can accommodate this type of service as well. Given that funeral homes tend to be accessible for wheelchairs, it may be easier on the disabled members of your family to hold a service at a funeral home. Services are possible after the cremation and have a lot more flexibility.

What Will Happen to the Ashes?

That largely depends on what you or your dead loved one expressed should happen and how well that was communicated. Broadly, in the US, you can release ashes in most places, though you will want to check on local and state regulations. You can also divide up the ashes among family members. There is also specialty jewelry available specifically for carrying a small amount of ashes. You can also have them interred at a cemetery. You can have them buried in a plot or put in an urn garden. 

Can It Wait?

While cremation needs to happen fairly quickly, once the cremation has taken place you can hold off on holding services for a while. If say, there's a surgery in the family or a baby being born, you can hold onto the ashes and wait to hold a service until it's easier to gather people up.