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All About Direct Cremation Services

Colonial Chapel Funeral Home & Crematory • Jun 24, 2019

There are a few different kinds of cremation services available in Orland Park, IL. Direct cremation services offer convenience, simplicity, and affordability.

There are actually lots of different kinds of cremation services in Orland Park, IL all varying in cost and included services. One type of cremation that’s becoming more and more popular for many reasons is direct cremation.

A direct cremation is a cremation in which the body is cremated right after death without any preceding ceremony. Some funeral homes offer direct cremation, as do many crematoriums. Direct cremations can be a lot more affordable than funerals or other cremations as they skip potentially expensive add-ons and services like caskets and embalming. There is no visitation, wake, or viewing with a direct cremation, so the body doesn’t need to be embalmed. Family, loved ones, or executors can also choose to have the body cremated in a simple container, rather than a traditional and more expensive casket, as there is no need for ornamentation for a viewing or service.

Direct cremation does allow for the bereaved to plan a memorial service at a later date after the cremation, allowing for scheduling flexibility so more people can attend. The longer timeline also allows the family extra time to make the service more creative and personal.

The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule has laws that protect your direct cremation rights such as:

You are not required to purchase or use a casket
The crematory or funeral home must furnish a wood box or alternate container for the direct cremation
The funeral home or crematory must return the remains to you in an urn provided by yourself. If you do not provide an urn, they will return the remains to you in a basic container.

Most direct cremation packages include services other than the cremation itself, from transporting the body to the crematory to completing a death certificate form. Be sure to ask your cremation provider for a specific list of services included in their direct cremation.

Don’t forget to make plans for the cremated remains after the direct cremation. There are many options such as burying them in a crematory plot, columbarium, or pre-determined cemetery, or scattering them in a meaningful place. Do keep in mind, though, that there are added costs for internment like headstones, cemetery fees, grave markers, endowment or perpetual care, and columbarium or plot fees.

Direct cremation is a desirable option if you are looking to avoid costs such as preparing the body, casket, extensive transportation, or funeral services, or if you are looking for a simple way to honor the deceased.

Do you want to learn more about direct cremations, or other Orland Park, IL cremation services? Colonial Chapel Funeral Home & Crematory can help. We have years of experience with cremations, and can offer expert advice and compassionate service for your specific needs. Please visit us at 15525 S 73rd Ave Orland Park, IL 60462, or give us a call at (708) 532-5400 for more information on what we can do for you in your time of loss.

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