Cremation was first introduced to the United States by Dr. Julius LeMoyne, who built the first-ever crematory in Washington, Pennsylvania in 1876. According to the Cremation Association of North America, the earliest cremations in history occurred during the Stone Age around 3000 BC in Europe and throughout the Near East. However, new evidence has recently come to light that reveals cremation could have been around centuries earlier around 5600 BC,…

Cremation allows families to customize their final farewells to loved ones when it comes time to scatter ashes. Families can scatter their loved one’s cremains in the ocean, send cremains off to space in fireworks, or bury cremains in a columbarium niche. Now, a new cremation garden in Oklahoma City allows you to bury cremains and find them later on using satellite GPS. Reflection Pointe Cremation Garden is owned and…

Though the funeral industry has managed to stay more or less traditional for the last several decades, the time has finally come in which the industry is being forced to deal with trends just like any other industry. Now that the American economy is back on the rise, funeral directors are having to battle the popularity of cremation, which has risen within the last few years due to being a…

Cremation offers endless benefits to families of loved ones, including the ability to be as creative as desired when scattering cremains. Most people know very little about how to scatter cremains outside of what they’ve seen in the movies and on television, but fortunately, the sky is literally the limit when it comes to your options. Saying goodbye to your loved one can be difficult, but knowing the difference between…

One of the most revered benefits associated with cremation is having the ability to be as creative as desired when it comes to scattering ashes, or cremains. You can choose to have your ashes scattered at sea, in the air, or at one or more of your favorite places on Earth. Now, thanks to a Kansas man named Vaughn Evans, you can have your ashes turned into one or more…

Saying a final farewell to your loved one can be difficult as it is, and some families struggle with saying goodbye if they’re faced with burying their loved ones into the ground or scattering their ashes. However, if you’re looking for a way to keep the ashes of your loved one nearby, you can now have your loved one’s ashes placed into a special type of biodegradable urn that turns…

Not many people like to think about the day they will pass away, as the very thought might invoke feelings of sadness and regret. In fact, the majority of US individuals fail to make cremation and memorial arrangements, which means that when they finally do pass away, their family members are tasked with the responsibility. While this happens quite commonly, the fact is that you know yourself better than anyone…

At the moment you learn a loved one has passed, the first feelings you may experience could be a combination of sadness, grief, and shock — even if your loved one may have been ill and had already made end-of-life arrangements. Unfortunately, we can lose a loved one at any time, even when we’re least prepared. In some cases, you may be the person who happens to be spending time…

After your loved one has been cremated, your cremation provider or funeral director will provide you with their ashes, or cremains, which will be sealed in a plastic bag or container. Some people find that transferring cremains to an urn is emotionally challenging, and either ask for assistance from their cremation provider or ask for help from friends and family members. However, if you have decided to place your loved…

After your loved one has been cremated and you’ve held a memorial service in their honor, you may be indecisive about what you want to do with their ashes, or cremains. Since cremation has become America’s new favorite, eco-friendly way to say good-bye to loved ones, there are now many creative ways you can scatter and use cremains, depending on the interests your loved one had throughout life. Those who…

In the United States, most people are making cremation part of their final wishes in place of a traditional funeral and burial. Considering cremation is so vastly different from a traditional funeral, cremation and memorial service etiquette is also just as different, and is largely based on a family’s unique cultural traditions. Additionally, memorial services are generally more casual than traditional funerals, and allow more time for guests, friends, and…

After centuries of having been considered a taboo practice by many countries and cultures, cremation continues to rise steadily in popularity throughout North America, according to a number of studies. As those born during the Baby Boomer era continue to age and reach what they consider their twilight years, cremation is being seen as more of a convenient practice, especially in regards to the financial aspect. While interesting stories about…

Cremation has been continuing to rise in popularity in America considering the process is affordable and convenient for those looking for a simple, worry-free cremation for themselves or their loved ones. Traditional funerals can be quite costly, especially considering you can usually end up paying more for embalming services, a casket, and a burial plot. However, if you are a United States resident and currently receive Medicaid benefits, it’s possible…

When a loved one has passed away, you and your family may be faced with scheduling demands when it comes to making cremation and memorial service arrangements. In some cases, the rush to cremate an individual may partly be due to religious customs and preferences, while in other cases, out-of-town friends and family members who plan on attending the memorial service may need to adhere to strict work and traveling…

Including your family members in a memorial service following cremation is an ideal way to allow your family to show their love and support for one another after losing a loved one. In most cases, close friends and family members want to become involved in the memorial service so they can contribute to the process of saying good-bye and show respect for the person who has passed. If you’re in…