Funerals With Cremations

Though funerals and cremations are usually two different burial choices, they can be combined to meet the specialized needs and desires of the deceased or the bereaved family. Until recently in this country, funerals were the overwhelming preference for the disposition of the deceased. One did not properly honor the departed unless a full scale funeral service was performed. Some religions did not approve of cremation and many felt that cremation was a desecration of the human soul.

However, the feelings about cremation have shifted. This shift has occurred for many sociological and economic reasons. Sociologically, the population is older and more separated from tradition; there is an influx of immigrants from cremation-accepting cultures; the level of education is on the rise nationally. Economically, as the population ages, costs concerns rise; and land is at a premium in urban places. As the population gets more comfortable with cremation, not only do more people choose it, but there is more comfort with altering the traditional funeral model. This is best illustrated with the combination funeral-cremation ceremony.

Personal Reasons for a Funeral with Cremation

The decision to cremate after a funeral service centers around the desire to view the deceased. A family may feel that they need the closure and acceptance that comes from having friends and family view the body. But they may not want to bury the body in tact. Or they may want to scatter the remains in a subsequent ceremony. In such cases, they have the options of providing a wake or pre-funeral-type viewing and then following up with a memorial service which includes scattering the remains. Or they may choose to do a full-service funeral with pre-funeral and funeral viewing, only to subsequently cremate and store the remains privately. In either case, family and friends are able to experience the traditional funeral ceremony and take advantage of the disposition benefits of cremation.