One of the most important decisions you will make when it comes time to plan a funeral for someone you love, or for yourself when preplanning, is choosing a final resting place – or final disposition option. There are many preferences, cultural elements, and religious requirements that can go into such a decision, and the team at Calhoun Funeral Home & Cremation Service can help you determine your options. To help you get started, here is a Q&A to guide you through some of the most common choices available.

 

Q.How do I choose among the many kinds of caskets available? 
A.That decision is highly personal and may be determined by preference and/or by budget. A variety of woods and metals are used in the construction of caskets, and the choice of styles is practically limitless. Our funeral professionals can guide you through the many selections available.

Q.If I choose cremation, is a casket required?
A.That depends upon your wishes. Even when you choose cremation, you can still have a traditional viewing prior to cremation, and you would need a casket for that purpose. If you choose to not have a viewing, then a casket is not required.

Q.What is a burial vault or grave liner?
A.These are both containers into which the casket is placed. A burial vault is made of very sturdy materials – concrete, steel, copper, bronze or fiberglass, for example. A grave liner is also very sturdy, but it is a more lightweight version of a burial vault. The purpose of each is to keep the grave surface from sinking.

Q.What are alternatives to grave burial?
A.A casket or cremated remains in an urn, may be placed in a building called a mausoleum. Most mausoleums are large and provide crypts to hold casketed remains and niches to hold cremated remains in an urn. Both crypts and niches are sealed once the remains are placed inside.  Urns are sometimes placed in a columbarium, which may be located in a mausoleum or chapel. A columbarium is composed of several small compartments designed especially to hold urns.

Q.Are there other alternatives available to cremated remains?
A.Yes. Some people keep the remains in their home, in a special urn. Many cemeteries provide designated scattering gardens for ashes. If permitted by local regulations, you may scatter remains in a place that is meaningful to you – at sea, for example.

 

You may want to go all out in the festivities, or you may not feel up to doing anything big. Grief does not operate on a timeline, and no matter how many years have passed, perhaps the idea of fun, celebration, and parties still doesn’t feel right on their birthday. Allow yourself to feel the sadness as it comes, but also leave space for joy and new memories.

While your memorial options are many and vary, the team at Calhoun Funeral Home knows there is one that is perfect for you or your loved one. Contact us today, and we will help you discover which one it is.