WHAT IS CREMATION?

Cremation is the process of reducing the body to bone fragments through the application of intense heat. This usually takes from two to three hours and occurs in a special type of furnace, known as a cremation chamber of retort. The remaining fragments are then processed into finer substance and placed in a temporary containment. Before the remains are returned to the family, they are usually transferred to an urn for permanent containment.

Cremation is often considered to be an inexpensive, less complicated substitute for the "traditional" funeral. Many people also believe that at the time of death only two basic choices exist: immediate cremation of the body or a complete funeral including viewing, followed by burial.

Actually, several options are available in between for those who prefer cremation--perhaps even more than with burial.

Cremation and burial are both defined as "modes of deposition," methods of caring for the body and, as such, are just one part of a funeral. Also, the term traditional, when applied to funerals, simply refers to an accepted trend of choices in the past.