Burial Services

For those choosing whole-body burial, we can help. We are familiar with all local cemeteries, and even offer "green" or natural burial options.

Is the burial location or death out-of-state? We also help families bring their loved ones back to Stillwater, as well as help arrange burials out of our area.

Understanding Burial Services

Whole-body ground burial remains a common choice in our area. As with so many other things, there are now more burial options available than ever before.

If you are interested in learning more about the burial services we offer, please review the following information and feel free to call us or arrange a no-obligation meeting at your convenience.

A few of the things to consider when deciding to bury or when selecting burial during funeral pre-planning are: Choosing a cemetery; purchasing burial spaces or transferring ownership of currently-owned spaces; confirming who, if anyone, the deceased will be buried next to; what, if any burial related expenses need to be paid, such as the digging of the grave, the tent and chairs needed for any service, etc.; selecting a permanent marker or headstone; and possible purchase of additional spaces for other family members.

Our staff can help you with any of these decisions. We now also offer in-house marker and monument sales. Call us or see Laura Deaton, our cemetery monument specialist, for more information and pricing.

An Open Invitation

We offer a number of affordable burial service options. They include: traditional full service burial when the burial follows a funeral; a graveside-only burial; an immediate burial where the family is not present at the cemetery; a Chapel-limited burial, where the family does not accompany the casket to the cemetery following a service; a "green" or "natural" burial with or without the family and friends present; out-of-state burial; and even burial on privately owned land.

Each of these options involves many more questions and requires much more discussion. All can be tailored to meet the needs and expectations of families, friends, and other members of the community.

Let us explain the possible pros, cons, benefits, and even some unexpected consequences that might be experienced with any of these options. Call us or request your free "Final Wishes Organizer" to get started.

Reasons to Hold a Burial Service

When it comes time for you to make final care arrangements on behalf of a deceased family member you may be surprised to learn of the benefits of well-crafted burial services. During the arrangement conference with a funeral director you'll have the opportunity to discuss the features and benefits related to whole-body burial.

Simplicity

Many people today hunger for greater simplicity in their lives; a life that is natural, uncluttered, and uncomplicated. This is a desire which is nothing new to the human heart. Consider the Roman Catholic, Anglican and Quaker religious orders who continue to strive for a simple, sincere approach to life. We've long wanted to focus on what is most important, and the simplicity of graveside services does just that.

The Natural Setting

What better place to celebrate the life of a loved one than under the open sky, beneath trees, or beside flowers? No matter the type of cemetery that your loved one's burial services is held at, the emotional and spiritual comforts of the natural surroundings will be keenly felt.

Religious Requirements

There are profound religious reasons families choose burial services over any other final care option. For example, the Christian concept of resurrection of the body is deeply held by many and makes burial an act of religious ceremony. Jewish families and those practicing Islamic traditions also have strong religious and social commitments to burial.

The Importance of Witnessing

As mentioned earlier, human societies of all times and in all places have incorporated burial into their cultural or religious practices. This long-lived social relationship with burial has resulted in a core belief shared among peoples around the globe: burial is an act of respect, made most meaningful when witnessed.

Selection of Cemetery & Burial Property

Before we get too far into the subject, we should mention that a family member may have already chosen and purchased a burial plot or mausoleum crypt. It's also very possible a distant relative purchased a large section in a local cemetery intended for the future burial of family members. In either of those situations, you'll need to obtain the documents necessary to prove ownership of burial rights and then bring them to the initial meeting with the funeral director.

What if there is no such pre-plan in place? As mentioned earlier, you will need to locate a cemetery and select the burial property on your own. For that reason, we offer the following information:

Unlike when you purchase a house (where the structure and the land are yours to do with as you like); when you buy a cemetery property, such as a burial plot, mausoleum crypt or columbarium niche; you are merely buying the right to inter (or bury) an individual (or individuals) in that location. The property you now have the rights over remains the property (and the responsibility) of the cemetery administration.
A small portion of the money you pay for these interment rights will be contributed to an irrevocable fund used in the basic on-going care of the cemetery grounds.
The cemetery will have specific by-laws addressing floral/decoration policies, monument policies and requirements, etc. If you are choosing between two or more cemeteries, you might want to compare those and other rules and regulations.
As with most other things, the cost of burial property rights range widely in price, depending on the exact location of the plot, crypt or niche. If you have time, you can certainly find resale "deals" on cemetery property; but if you're not shopping far in advance of need, this may not be of help to you.

Again, there are other costs involved with the burial of a loved one, such as the fees charged by the cemetery for the "opening and closing" of the site, the headstone or grave marker and its installation, and the purchase of a casket and burial vault.

Because we have strong working relationships with local cemetery administrators, we want to help you with this part of the process. Simply call us to get started.

Are You Ready to Talk About Burial Services?

We're ready to listen. In fact, that's what we do best: we not only hear the words, we understand the feelings and the familial dynamics behind them. When you call us at for assistance in making the necessary arrangements for a graveside service, you'll discover the value of having an experienced ally committed to serving your family as you would wish to be served.

Sources:

Wikipedia, "Burial", modified 2014, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Burial
National Parks Service, "Burial Customs and Cemeteries in American History", accessed 2014
Funerals & Flowers, "Death and Funeral Customs", 2013