traditional funeral or cremation?

[davestlouis]

With all the talk about aging in OD recently, let's talk about your final disposition. I personally want to have a traditional funeral with open casket, church or chapel service, then ground burial. The family will then go out to lunch...wood casket so it biodegrades and I return to the earth.

Honestly, I don't really care because I'll be gone. My family can do whatever makes them feel better.

[aklim]

Originally Posted by davestlouis

With all the talk about aging in OD recently, let's talk about your final disposition. I personally want to have a traditional funeral with open casket, church or chapel service, then ground burial. The family will then go out to lunch...wood casket so it biodegrades and I return to the earth.

I thought the casket goes into a concrete box?

[davestlouis]

Most cemeteries insist on an outer container, which can be unlined concrete, or a sealed vault, either metal or concrete. The unlined concrete will let water and "cemetery elements" in, like bugs and the like, so the casket will still rot quickly, as will the contents.

In STL, Catholic cemeteries don't insist on an outer container, and will even reuse a grave after 40 years, if a wood casket was used with no container.

[davestlouis]

As far as outer containers, the unlined concrete box is basically a cistern, shaped to fit a casket, with drain holes in the bottom. Among vaults, I prefer the Clark metal units, cool engineering, instead of using 1200 lbs of concrete to protect your loved one.

http://www.clarkvault.com/clark/index.cfm

Wilbert is a big brand among concrete vaults.

http://www.wilbertonline.com/store/index.asp?DEPARTMENT_ID=37

[kerry]

I like that, 'cemetery elements'.
Cremated in a pyre on a canoe floating down a river.

[Txjake]

cremation, with ashes at the Arlington National Cemetery Columbarium

[el presidente]

Cremation.

[suginami]

Cremation....and in line with the Japanese custom, I want my Japanese wife to keep my ashes in an urn on display in front of my picture.

[aklim]

What does Cremation and the old Corning Ware jingle have in common?

Both of them go: From the freezer, to the oven, to the table.

[t walgamuth]

Originally Posted by davestlouis

With all the talk about aging in OD recently, let's talk about your final disposition. I personally want to have a traditional funeral with open casket, church or chapel service, then ground burial. The family will then go out to lunch...wood casket so it biodegrades and I return to the earth.

I kindof am leaning this way. The whole embalming process seems so un natural. this way, "ashes to ashes dust to dust". I am not very reliegous but I like the old traditions. I want folks to scoop dirt and throw it on too.

OTOH I like the idea of having my ashes spread someplace I loved, like Turkey run state park, near here where we love taking the kids and grandkids hiking and where my folks took us when we were little.

[davestlouis]

Even if you are embalmed, that is a temporary measure, you'll surely return to the earth. We have gold-anodized sugar scoops that we can use if the family wants to ceremonially help fill the grave, or they can grab a shovel if they're serious about refilling the grave.

I think we're going to see a return to simple, quick dispositions in coming years. A lot of it has been driven by the crappy economy...but once families go back to simple, they tend to stay that way with subsequent family members.

As much as I love imposing funeral homes, fancy caskets, shiny vaults, and black limousines, there is a clear trend away from that.

[The Clk Man]

I told the wife to just throw me into a ditch when I die, because I won't need my earthly body anymore.

[t walgamuth]

The fuel burned in a cremation has to be enormous. So from an environmental point of view it is not very "green". My generation does not think that way but our kids and grandkids do and will.

[davestlouis]

Tom, you have to figure that a normal cremation involves 1600-1700 degrees for 2 hours...I saw a statistic somewhere that if you're burning fuel oil, count on 45-50 gallons, don't recall how much propane or natural gas it would take. You burn a lot of fuel, and throw all sorts of things up the exhaust, including mercury from dental fillings.