cremation services in Clinton Township, MI

Cremation Basics

Cremation is among the cremation services in Clinton Township, MI. Cremations have increased dramatically in the United States in the last 30 years for a lot of different reasons. Cremations offer some distinct advantages that burials do not. These include ease of transporting cremains from one place to another, whether cremation remains are going to be buried, scattered in a place that was significant to the deceased, or used in some other creative way some place other than where the deceased died. Cremations have a lower ecological impact on the earth than burials do. And there are many things that can be done with cremains (what’s left after the cremation process) after cremations.

Cremations after death have been a part of the human story almost from the beginning. In many Eastern cultures, it is the primary way that bodies are disposed of after people die. In many ancient cultures, cremations were common during wars, both on the battlefield and to celebrate military heroes.

However, cremations fell out of favor when the Roman Empire adopted Christianity as the state religion. Because non-Christians (pagans) practiced cremation and Christians did not want to be associated with pagan practices, so Christians generally began to be buried underground.

Now, as Baby Boomers have aged and begun to die, cremation has resurfaced as a convenient funeral plan. There’s some practicality behind this decision. Baby Boomers were the first generation to, on a widespread basis, move away from where they grew up and settle all over the world. Many Baby Boomers, however, in an odd traditional nod for this generation, want to go home when they die. Being cremated makes that a lot easier.

Cremations are highly-regulated and funeral homes are very rigorous to ensure that the person being cremated is treated with dignity and respect. Many steps are taking before a person is cremated to ensure that they are identified properly (usually with a current photo or by a family member), identified with a tag that is non-combustible and will stay with the remains all the way through the cremation process, and the correct cremains are given to family members.

Pacemakers are removed before cremation takes place, because lithium batteries explode under intense heat and can cause significant damage to a cremation chamber.

Jewelry, hearing aids, and glasses will be returned to the family. There are many organizations that take hearing aids and glasses and refurbish them to provide at low to no cost to people who would otherwise not be able to afford them.

The cremation process itself takes just two to three hours. The body is put into a cremation chamber, where it is exposed to evaporation caused by very intense heat. When the cremation is finished, any metal objects in the body, such as screws, hinges, and plates, are removed using a heavy magnet.

All that’s left of the body then are bone fragments. These are allowed to cool, and then are finely ground to the consistency of sand, creating cremains (commonly called ashes). Cremains are put in a plastic bag and placed in either an urn that the family purchased or a temporary container and they are returned to the deceased’s family. The family then has many options on how to store or use the cremains to honor their loved one.

For more information about cremation and cremation services in Clinton Township, MI, our caring and knowledgeable staff at Lee-Ellena Funeral is here to assist you. You can visit our funeral home at 46530 Romeo Plank Rd., Macomb, MI 48044, or you can call us today at (586) 412-8999.