Articles and Information on Death, Cremation, and Memorial Products

How to Select the Right Size Cremation Urn

Dealing with the cremation of a loved one can be difficult, and choosing how to memorialize them can be a very personal decision. Volume & Size of Cremation Urns Two of the most important things about choosing an urn is the volume and size. The... Read More

Explaining Cremation to Children

The death of a family member or friend not only affects adults, but also can have a profound impact on children. Children experience grief just as adults do. Child experts say that even before children are able to talk, they grieve when someone loved... Read More

Legacy of Life: Organ Donation

What we do for ourselves dies with us. What we do for others and the world remains and is immortal. - Albert Pine, 1851 How do you want to be remembered after you're gone? Although you may be reluctant to acknowledge your own mortality, try to... Read More

Memorial Sentiments and Epitaphs: Having the Last Word

That's All, Folks! From the tombstone of Mel LeBlanc, legendary voice of Porky Pig, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, et al. The word epitaph, from a Greek term meaning "on the gravestone," refers to the text inscribed on a tombstone or memorial plaque to... Read More

Last Rights: Who Should Make End-of-Life Decisions?

When a patient with a terminal illness can no longer bear the pain, is ending the patient’s life an act of compassion or an act of murder? Should the patient have right to say “enough”? Who has the power? These questions underscore... Read More

Duties Of An Estate Executor

When an individual names an executor for her estate, she chooses someone she trusts to be honest and responsible. For that reason, many people consider it a great honor to be named as executor. If you’re one of those people, you should also ... Read More

Cremation Facts & Information

Cremation is the process in which a body is reduced to its basic elements in a short period of time using intense heat and evaporation in preparation for final placement and memorialization. What is a crematory? The crematory is the location... Read More

History Of Cremation : A Brief Glimpse

Stone Age Scholars today quite generally agree that cremation probably began in any real sense during the early Stone Age -- around 3000 B.C. -- and most likely in Europe and the Near East. During the late Stone Age cremation began to spread across... Read More

Burial or Cremation: Points to Consider

Once a relatively rare occurrence, the popularity of cremation among U.S. consumers considering funeral options has increased in recent years. Today, 25 to 30 percent of all deaths culminate in cremation, and that number is projected to... Read More

Green Burials

Earth to earth, ashes to ashes, dust to dust . . . - The Book of Common Prayer Throughout the United States, a growing environmental consciousness has changed the way we think about transportation, energy consumption, food production, and waste... Read More

Flying with Cremation Urns & Cremains - Helpful TSA Guidelines

When traveling with cremated remains the TSA (Transportation Security Administration) has a few simple guidelines to help make traveling as easy as possible. By understanding some of the below guidelines you can be ensured that flying with a cremation... Read More

Cremation Jewelry Materials

Sterling Silver Cremation Jewelry The most common and popular material used today in cremation jewelry is 925 sterling silver. 925 sterling silver means that 92.5% of the cremation jewelry consists of pure sterling silver, and the other 7.5%... Read More

Life After Death: Surviving Grief

When you are sorrowful look again in your heart, and you shall see that in truth you are weeping for that which has been your delight. – Kahlil Gibran Within the range of human emotion, nothing compares to the profound pain of... Read More

A Matter of Honor: Military Funerals in the U.S.

A military funeral is a ritual of honor—an opportunity for our nation to pay tribute to an individual who served his or her country as a member of the Armed Forces. Honoring Those Who Served is the name of a Department of Defense (DOD) program... Read More

Opening, Filling, and Sealing of Cremation Jewelry

Depending on the style of cremation jewelry, there are various ways to open and fill the jewelry. Top Opening Bales One of the most common ways that cremation jewelry opens is by simply unscrewing the top threaded bale. The bale portion... Read More

How to Select a Casket for a Person

Not so long ago, consumers purchased caskets almost exclusively from funeral directors at the time of need, which narrowly limited the choices available. Today, however, many options are available to wise consumers who shop for a casket as they would any... Read More

Purchasing a Casket Online

Funeral homes provide us with important services that are essential for the memorial of a loved one. While these services are essential to a dignified memorial for your loved one, it is important to remember families have options. Much like any other... Read More

Choosing a Pet Casket

Saying our final farewell to our beloved pets is a difficult reality of the cycle of life. During these times we encourage families to try and plan ahead whenever possible. Planning ahead can help alleviate distress at the time of loss and allows you... Read More

Planning to Plan: Some Suggestions on Making Funeral Arrangement

Just as death is part of life, most of us will make funeral arrangements for someone at some point in our lives. Whether you're planning your own funeral while you're still very much alive or arranging the burial or cremation of a loved one following a... Read More

Writing an Obituary: Announcing death and celebrating life

Like death itself, writing an obituary or death notice is something most people would rather not think about. Many view it as the funeral director's job to gather basic, pertinent information about the deceased and report it to the local newspaper,... Read More

Autopsy: Determining the cause of death

An autopsy, also known as a post mortem examination, is a medical procedure in which a body is examined after death. The term autopsy stems from a Greek word meaning "to see for oneself." Depending on the circumstances surrounding a death, an... Read More

Understanding Funeral Costs

This year, Americans will spend billions of dollars on approximately 2.5 million funerals. According to the National Funeral Directors Association (FTC), a traditional funeral cost $6,500, on average, in 2004. The cost of many funerals today tops... Read More

Talking About Death: Taking the mystery out of life’s final pass

Forgive yourself before you die. Then forgive others. - Morrie Schwartz (Tuesdays with Morrie, by Mitch Albom) In our society today, few subjects are forbidden in polite company. Just watch a little television or eavesdrop on a few conversations... Read More

A Fragrant Memorial: About Funeral Flowers

Since ancient times, flowers and funerals have gone hand-in-hand, according to the findings of archeologists who uncovered evidence of flowers in burial places dating back thousands of years before Christ. Until modern embalming and refrigeration... Read More

Your Rights When Buying Funeral Goods & Services

When a loved one passes, grieving family members and friends often are confronted with dozens of decisions about the funeral - all of which must be made quickly and often under great emotional distress. What kind of funeral should it be? What funeral... Read More

Funerals - A Consumers Complete Guide

The FTC (Federal Trade Commission) provides consumers with an excellent source of information with their guide to buying funeral goods and services. In this article the FTC outlines many of the common questions asked by consumers when planning a... Read More

The Emotions of Pet Loss

by Moira Anderson Allen, M.Ed. "It was the most tragic, traumatic, and emotionally devastating experience I had ever been through. I didn't know what to do. I cried day and night." (Dorothy R., Alabama) "I felt like someone had ripped out my... Read More

Euthanasia: The Most Painful Decision

by Moira Anderson Allen, M.Ed. Many think of bereavement as beginning after loss. For many, however, grief can begin much earlier. Often, it begins the day you realize that your pet is approaching the end of its life -- even though the final loss of... Read More

The Final Farewell: How to Handle a Pet's Remains

by Moira Anderson Allen, M.Ed. In other articles, I've talked about the most painful decision a pet owner ever has to face -- the decision about whether, or when, to euthanize a pet. But the death of a pet brings with it yet another difficult... Read More

"Pre-Loss Bereavement" and the Power of Bargaining

by Moira Anderson Allen, M.Ed. There is a stage of grief that one hears very little, if anything, about. It's the hidden stage, a stage that friends and family may have difficulty understanding. It's a stage when people are most likely to ask why... Read More

The Moment After: Surviving Pet Loss

by Moira Anderson Allen, M.Ed. The world has just ended. Your pet -- your friend, your confidante, the companion who was always there for you -- has died. Dog, cat, horse, bird, hamster, ferret -- species doesn't matter. Age doesn't matter. All that... Read More

Breaking the Power of Guilt - Pet Loss

by Moira Anderson Allen, M.Ed. If any emotion rules supreme when a pet dies, it is guilt. No matter what the circumstances of our loss, guilt is there, grabbing us by the throat. It haunts our days, ruins our sleep, and tarnishes our memories.... Read More