Memorialization in Burial Versus Cremation

If someone dies before letting their final wishes be known, family members can be distressed and confused about what to select and how to proceed. There are many options regarding final disposition, including:

Here let’s explore the two most common options – ground burials and cremation – and how they affect memorialization. There are endless options available, so we are going to outline just a few key differences that might not immediately come to mind.

First, when someone is interred in the ground at a cemetery, this affords the opportunity to have a gravestone or some kind of marker which memorializes the deceased. This is a powerful and lasting tribute because family and friends can come together and return to a special place that is dedicated to our loved one. For cremation, same option is possible since most cemeteries permit cremated remains to be buried as well in ground – or they can be placed in a niche or columbarium. Such options allow for memorialization just like a ground burial, and now there can be a physical place where the cremated remains will be kept forever.

In most cases of cremation families will choose to keep their beloved’s cremated remains, however cremation does offer certain additional unique options. For instance, the cremated remains can be split among various family members, which means that some of the cremated remains can be interred, scattered in a meaningful place, or kept by the family in an urn or a keepsake.

Too often we meet with families who are unaware of all the options available to them. Many wrongly assume that cremation precludes any kind of lasting memorialization, which as we can see is simply not the case.

It’s important to be armed with all the knowledge we can have, especially for something we may be forced to address in an untimely manner or under duress. This is why we put such a great emphasis on pre-planning and making sure that your family clearly knows what your wishes are.