Monthly Archives: February 2023

cremation services in Shelby Charter Township, MI

What To Do With Cremated Remains

After cremation, funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MI, often deliver the cremated remains to the family of the deceased. You may get the ashes delivered to you in an urn that you bought with the funeral home, or in a simple cardboard box. You can then bury, scatter, or do what you feel needs to be done with the ashes. Here is what to do with cremated remains.

Add The Remains To An Existing Grave

You can add the ashes to the existing grave of a spouse or other family member. It is not illegal to dig into an old grave to bury an urn but there are guidelines you have to stick to. You can only dig from 6 to 12 inches into an old grave, which means that you cannot place the urn on the casket in the grave. Before you begin the process, you must talk to the cemetery and get their permission. But you need to get experienced grave diggers that will avoid disturbing the old grave to prevent any damage to the grave and the remains of the person buried there. To avoid delays, carry the cremation certificate with you when you go to the cemetery.

Bury The Urn In A Cemetery

Many people would rather bury the ashes of their loved ones rather than keep them at home or scatter them. Just like it is for caskets, you have to buy a parcel of land to bury an urn. Most of the time the urn is buried 3 feet deep. This is deeper than when you bury it in an old grave. You can have a traditional funeral with viewing or visitation and then cremation instead of a burial. Funeral homes can provide a casket that you can hire for a significantly lower cost to be used for the viewing.

How To Keep The Remains At Home

cremation services in Shelby Charter Township, MIKeeping the ashes of a loved one at home is a way to remember your loved one after the memorial. It may also be a cultural practice. Depending on your culture or preference you can keep the ashes in a decorative urn or in an artsy but simple urn. The urn can be made of wood, metal, marble, ceramics, or other material. Another way to keep the ash is to have small amounts added into a piece of custom-made jewelry such as a locket or pendant. But jewelry can only hold small amounts of the ashes, which means you will need to either create a special memorial garden in your backyard to bury the remaining ashes, or even scatter them in a place that was meaningful to your loved one.

It is important to make sure that the ashes are kept, buried, or scattered in a safe and respectful place. Our funeral home doesn’t just offer you quality cremation services in Shelby Charter Township, MI but can also help you and your family members make an informed decision on what to do with your loved one’s ashes.

Funeral homes in Chesterfield Township, MI

Choosing The Right Urn For Ashes

You may not be in the right emotional state to pick the right urn for your deceased loved one. Funeral homes in Chesterfield Township, MI, often take over the responsibility of arranging the funeral, but you still have to choose the urn you want. Here are some tips to make it easier for you to choose the right urn for your loved one.

The Final Resting Place Determines The Type Of Urn You Choose

Consider the final resting place for the ashes when choosing an urn for a loved one. You should pick a cheap, temporary urn, such as a scattering urn or water burial urn if you intend to scatter the cremated remains. However, you should get a sturdy marble urn if you intend to inter the cremated remains in a cemetery. Additionally, if you plan to place the urn in your home, be sure to pick one that is both attractive and strong. In the end, the urn you select should go with your personal preferences and your loved one’s final resting location.

The Size Of The Urn Refers To How Big It Is And How Much It Can Hold

There are a few elements to consider while deciding on an urn’s size. Urns are available in adult, medium, and small sizes, among others. A standard urn can hold the ashes of a person who weighs between 200 and 210 pounds. Family members might divide an individual’s ashes among themselves using medium urns. There are also smaller urns known as keepsake urns that are great for preserving a tiny amount of cremated remains to honor and remember your loved one. The urn’s height, width, and diameter are also significant, particularly if you plan to display it in your home or keep it in a columbarium. Prior to purchasing, be sure to give the columbarium a call and find out what size urns they accept.

The Material Used To Make The Urn Can Determine How Long It Lasts And How It Looks

Funeral homes in Chesterfield Township, MIYou should also consider the materials the urn is made of. Traditional urns are usually made of brass, but you can also find urns made of wood, marble, and other types of metals. Marble urns have a stately appearance, while wood urns offer a warm and natural feel. If you’re looking for something more unique, you can also find urns made of glass or ceramics. For burials, urns made of cultured marble are a good choice because they don’t require a vault for protection and are durable. There are also many other types of urns available, including multicolored urns and more. You can ask the funeral director to place the ashes in an urn of your choosing after a cremation or have them deliver them in a cardboard box if you want to scatter them.

We can help you find the right urn when you use our cremation services in Chesterfield Township, MI. You can trust us to work with you to arrange a meaningful ceremony for your loved one.

funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MI

A Guide to Planning a Military Funeral

Due to their sacrifices, it’s important that military members be honored not just when they are alive but also when they pass away. If you are a spouse or family member of a military member, you should know that funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MI can help you honor the unique life of your family member. Here are things you need to know about planning a military funeral for your loved one.

Find Out If Your Loved One Is Eligible For A Military Funeral

You need to verify that your loved one is eligible for a military funeral before you plan for a military funeral. A person is eligible for military burial benefits if one of these is true: the person must be a Veteran who did not receive a dishonorable discharge, a service member who died while on active duty or training, the spouse or minor child of a Veteran, or in some cases, the unmarried adult dependent child of a Veteran. It is important to check all of the qualifications to make sure that your loved one is eligible for a military funeral.

A Military Funeral Means Access To Certain Benefits

An average funeral can cost up to $9,000 or more depending on the circumstances. But for military members, some of the funeral costs are covered by the VA. For any army veteran that died on or after September 2011, the family receives up to 2,000 in burial benefits. The amount is only $1,500 for service-related deaths that occurred before September 2011. Family members may also be reimbursed for the costs of transportation to the VA National Cemetery.

Other Benefits That Family Members Of Veterans May Receive

If your loved one passed away in a VA hospital, you may be entitled to up to $1,400. But you only get $300 if your loved one did not pass away in a VA hospital. You also get $300 for buying land for burial in a private cemetery. You should consult the U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs to see if you can access these burial allowances or benefits. The VA only informs you about the benefits you are entitled to if you ask them about it.

Where Can Your Loved One Be Buried

funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MIAfter locating or obtaining the DD 214 form which verifies your loved one’s military service, you can then start looking for a suitable cemetery for burial. Most active duty service members, veterans, and reservists can be buried in a VA National Cemetery. If the state has a veteran cemetery, you may be able to bury your loved one there but you must meet specific requirements. For instance, state VA cemeteries often require that the deceased must have been a resident. People who are eligible to bury in state VA cemeteries may get benefits such as a grave site, a burial flag, a headstone or marker, and so on.

We have years of experience helping families to plan or arrange funerals when they use our funeral and cremation services in Shelby Charter Township, MI. Our main focus is to provide you with the highest quality service.

funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MI

Maintaining And Preserving A Cemetery Vault Over Time

People who come to our funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MI often don’t know that some cemeteries require a burial vault. Some who know this fact are unaware that a burial vault can still leak even if it was set or sealed correctly. This is because, over time, the vault is going to lose its structural integrity and may not provide adequate protection for the casket. You can prevent this through proper maintenance and preservation of the cemetery vault.

Ensure That The Cemetery Has The Correct Equipment

Some cemeteries are so small that they do not have the correct equipment to set or seal a vault. If they use the wrong equipment, you may have a harder time maintaining the vault. Fortunately, companies that sell vaults can provide the equipment and help you seal the vault correctly. A vault that is sealed correctly lasts for a longer period of time and does not need to be maintained frequently.

Why You Should Maintain A Burial Vault

While it’s true that burial vaults are built to last for a couple of centuries, it does not mean that they cannot be damaged. You want to maintain that vault so that you and your children will still be able to visit the burial site of your loved one years in the future. A damaged burial vault can cause the earth on top of the vault to cave in and expose the casket to water and dirt. That means that the casket will get damaged.

How To Maintain And Preserve A Burial Vault

Burial vaults may not need regular care as your car does but you should clean the exterior of the vault whenever you can. Just removing the dirt and debris that collect on the vault can help protect the structure of the vault and make it last longer. Inspecting the vault periodically for any damage allows you to spot a problem such as a crack or other things that may need repair or restoration. Just applying a special coating on the vault can also make it moisture or dirt-proof.

Be Careful When Cleaning A Burial Vault

funeral homes in Shelby Charter Township, MIMost of the time there will be instructions from the manufacturer on how to clean the burial vault. You will find that the requirements for cleaning a concrete vault differ from those of cleaning a metal vault. Only use a broom or a brush when removing debris or dirt from the surface of a concrete vault. Follow the manufacturer’s instructions if you want to use a pressure washer because using it carelessly could damage the vault and leave the casket vulnerable. Take extra care not to damage the engravings on the carapace of the vault. Metallic vaults just need to be wiped clean with a sponge or soft cloth dipped in soapy water. Make sure you wipe away all the soap residue from the metal surface.

If you still have any questions about maintaining burial vaults, come talk to our friendly staff. We also provide funeral and cremation services in Shelby Charter Township, MI.