Cremation or burial?

February 10th, 2008 at 03:42 pm

I've had a couple days of ALMOST no spending -- I did use .60 to make some copies at the library. I needed to make a copy of my insurance card for the good folks who will doing my colonoscopy next month. I also wanted to make a copy of the deed to my family plot -- I don't know if there is still room in it, but I am thinking about my eventual demise (a LONG way off, I hope!) and want to make things easy for my kids, who will have to do something with my mortal remains. If there is space in the family plot, I will arrange to be buried there. Otherwise, I think cremation is a good option. All pretty creepy to think about, I know. But let's face it, death WILL happen to all of us!

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11 Responses to “Cremation or burial?”

disneysteve Says:
February 10th, 2008 at 04:02 pm

I believe funerals and burials are a phenomenal waste of money and resources. Have you ever shopped for caskets? People spend $10,000-$20,000 for a fancy box in which to place a dead body and bury it in the ground. It is truly insane when you really think about it. Worst of all, they promote how the boxes are sealed to prevent deterioration of the corpse. What ever happened to "ashes to ashes, dust to dust"? Our bodies are supposed to deteriorate and go back into the earth when we die.

I've made it clear to my wife that I want a traditional Jewish burial in a plain unlined pine box. They are $599 online. Even better, would be cremation and dumping my ashes in the Seven Seas Lagoon at Disney World but DW says she refuses to cremate me.
Sami Says:
February 10th, 2008 at 06:01 pm

I am all for what I personally refer to as the "torch method." It is the cheapest way to go. Funerals may be one of, if not THE, greatest scams of all times. Unless you have planned it out beforehand, you are basically a person/family who is distraught and is also at the mercy of a funeral director. @@ No thanks!

My father had always insisted he be creamated, so that is what we did. I can't imagine anything worse than not only having someone you love die, but then, not following thru on their request as to how/when/where they want to be "buried." :-/
toyguy1963 Says:
February 10th, 2008 at 09:27 pm

For some reason I want to be burried instead of cremated. I really have no logical reason for that. Cremation probably makes more sense.
But anyway, I just recently read an article about Green funerals and I think thats for me. Basically they just bury you in a simple wooden casket without the vault and without being embalmed. You really do return to the earth that way.
Nancy Says:
February 10th, 2008 at 09:39 pm

My spouse was cremated per his wishes. It cost $2110 for:

pick up from our home; cremation; 15 offical death certificates; a nice wooden box for his ashes and two smaller matching boxes for some more ashes (gave these two to special relatives); $50 of this went to the county coroner who has to inspect all bodies in this County before cremation.

I could have also used the funeral home's chapel for the servies, included in the price, but I didn't like the chapel so found another venue.

I recommend contacting the funeral home a few weeks/months in advance (if you have some idea of impending need) and setting it all up. It doesn't take long at all.

When you pick up the ashes (although the funeral home I used will also bring them to your home), the box is in a velvet bag and there's a certificate of cremation.

I keep them on my bookshelf.
disneysteve Says:
February 11th, 2008 at 05:51 am

"Basically they just bury you in a simple wooden casket without the vault and without being embalmed."

This is a traditional Jewish burial.
Aleta Says:
February 11th, 2008 at 08:15 am

Steve: Maybe I'm misinformed again but I have heard of the bodies being prepared for burial. I know that this was a Jewish burial. Are you talking about a modern day Jewish burial or an Orthdox one?
nance Says:
February 11th, 2008 at 09:09 am

My father wanted to be cremated, and wanted to have his ashes spread at the river he and his best friend fished in when they were boys. That is what happened. However, when the ashes were given to his sister to give to the friend, she kept some of them and buried them in the family plot. Everybody was happy with the plan.
I also want to be cremated, but my husband does not. I think we should honor a person's wishes.
disneysteve Says:
February 11th, 2008 at 01:11 pm

Aleta, as with most religious things, not all Jews follow Jewish law. Honestly, I don't think I've ever been to a funeral with a plain pine box, but I'm not Orthodox. As for embalming, that sometimes depends on local law. For example, if a body is being transported across state lines, it usually has to be embalmed, regardless of religion.

So yes, Orthodox burial is different than the typical Jewish burial today.
ceejay74 Says:
February 11th, 2008 at 03:12 pm

I am terrified of dying; one of my big goals in life is to accept it, stop worrying about it and enjoy the life I'm lucky enough to have! :-) So anyway, I do think about "the end" a lot even though I try not to, and I think burning and scattering is the best bet. It creeps me out that when I'm eventually forgotten (hopefully not for a couple generations, but it will happen) my urn full of ashes, headstone and/or grave with partially preserved body will still be hanging around, but not meaningful to anyone living. I'd rather be fed back into the whole natural cycle, a beautiful (though terrifying) prospect.
Aleta Says:
February 12th, 2008 at 02:14 pm

Burial for me.
Nancy Says:
February 13th, 2008 at 06:37 am

ceejay, You can donate your body to a medical school.

Carolina Bound

Living my retirement in the North Carolina mountains.

Cremation or burial?

11 Responses to “Cremation or burial?”

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