Without specific instructions, the party or parties in charge of your disposition would be your legal next of kin as described in Pennsylvania Law.  

If you are not confident your next of kin will fulfill your wishes or if you are concerned there could be disagreement between next of kin over the fulfillment of your wishes, you should know that you have the right to designate any one or more persons, relative or not, to be in charge of your disposition.

You can do this by executing an “Allegation of Contrary Intent” as set forth in the PA Probate, Estates & Fiduciaries Code, 20Pa. C.S.A. Section 305.

Free of charge, we can provide an allegation of contrary intent form for you to complete in order to ensure your preferences for burial or cremation are fulfilled.

An allegation of contrary intent can be a helpful document to avoid disagreements between next of kin over fulfillment of your wishes. Call us for more information.

History of Cremation in the U.S.A.

The first crematory in North America was built in 1876 in Washington, PA by Dr. Julius LeMoyne to one day provide for his own cremation, which it did. In 1884, the second crematory in North America was built in Lancaster, PA. There were 52 crematories in North America by 1913 and over 10,000 cremations took place in that year. 

Increase in Cremation versus Burial

In 1945 at the end of WWII, the national cremation rate was 4% and stayed there until 1963 when the Catholic Church lifted the ban on cremation. By 2009, there were over 2,100 crematories and over 900,000 cremations performed that year, 37% of all deaths in the United States. The National Funeral Directors Association projects that by 2030 only 23% of Americans will be choosing burial over cremation.

Catholics & Cremation

In 1886, Pope Leo XIII forbids cremation for Catholics. In 1963, at the Second Vatican Council, Pope Paul VI lifted the ban on cremation.  In 2016, the Catholic Church published detailed instructions for cremation of the “faithfully departed.”

Religions that forbid cremation

Eastern Orthodox Church, Islam, Orthodox Judaism, Bahá'í Faith, Iglesia ni Cristo and Zoroastrianism forbid cremation. Neo-Confucianism under Zhu Xi strongly discourages cremation.

Yes. All of the more than 7000 cremations our family owned firm has handled, each has been performed individually by our licensed funeral directors all of whom are also certified crematory operators.

UNLIKE MOST FUNERAL HOMES, we personally handle everything and that’s why we know whose ashes are in the urn. From the transfer into our care to the pre-cremation preparation, the actual cremation itself, the retrieval and processing of the cremated remains and until we return the ashes to you, your loved one never leaves our care. With us you will have no doubts because we do not relinquish custody of your loved one to any outside party, jobber or middleman. Your loved one is safe in our care.  

With us you will indeed receive 100% of the recoverable cremated remains of your loved one. The actual volume of the cremated remains depends on the size of the individual cremated i.e. there will be more cremated remains for a tall person than a person of smaller stature.  The weight of the cremated remains of an adult is approximately 6 to 8 lbs. depending on the size of the person.

The cremated remains are calcium and ash processed to a uniform, fine consistency and then placed into an urn, which you can either purchase or provide. We have a large selection of urns to consider.

With cremation you have many options and no time pressure regarding what is to be done with the cremated remains.

The cremated remains, also referred to as ashes by some, can be can be buried at a cemetery or placed in an above ground niche at a mausoleum, church, university or other special location. 

Ashes may also be kept at home. They may also be divided and placed into miniature keepsake urns providing a portion of the cremated remains to family members and close friends.

Keepsake jewelry is a vessel that holds a small portion of ashes or locket of hair. Some people choose to wear this keepsake on a necklace finding comfort in having part of the person always with them.

Scattering or placement in a garden is another option.  In fact there are special options you could consider for a garden tribute at home. Examples we can show you include a sundial, a tree stump and a hollow artificial bolder, all of which are fitting products that can be incorporated into the landscaping of a garden.

When scattering is the preferred option, whether on water or land, on private property or another place that was significant to you or the deceased, it would always be advisable to check for local regulations especially if scattering in a public place. We can help you with this.

When scattering, be mindful of weather conditions, specifically wind.

If scattering on water, you might consider using one of our special scattering urns. This vessel holds the cremated remains and after being placed in water, floats on the surface then slowly dissolves gently releasing the cremated remains into the water.

You have many options for what you can do with cremated remains and you are under no time pressure to make a decision.

CATHOLICS NOTE: The Catholic Church does not accept scattering as an option for the cremated remains.

In the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, cremation itself is the final disposition rather than what might be done with the cremated remains i.e. interment, scattering, kept at home, etc.

Therefore, if the person who wants to be cremated is the first to pass away, the urn could be held and someday placed in the casket to be buried with the spouse just as pictures and treasured keepsakes may be placed in a casket.

If the person who wants to be cremated is the second to pass away, the urn could be buried on top of the first interment. Note that this option would be subject to any cemetery policy, which can vary from one cemetery to another.

The purpose of embalming is to temporarily delay decomposition long enough to have the deceased present for public viewing and/or ceremony without the use of refrigeration.

In Pennsylvania embalming would only be required if there is to be a public viewing.  Otherwise, embalming is optional and NOT required by law.  Our onsite refrigeration means you do NOT need to pay for embalming you do not want. 

The Federal Trade Commission Funeral Rule states, "Except in certain special cases, embalming is not required by law. Embalming may be necessary, however, if you select certain funeral arrangements, such as a funeral with public viewing. If you do not want embalming, you usually have the right to choose an arrangement that does not require you to pay for it, such as direct cremation or immediate burial."

Please call us immediately when a death occurs, especially if the passing is at home. We will come right away. You can reach us any time day or night 24/7.  Even if you want some time before we arrive, please call to make us aware of the passing so we can prepare for the transfer into our care. Together we can determine the time you wish us to arrive that you feel would be right for you. If an attending physician or hospice care professional advises you that a passing is imminent, consider calling us then if only to make us aware and maybe answer any questions you might have at that time.

A ceremony, whether memorial service or funeral, can fill an important role for those mourning the loss of a loved one by  providing surviving family and friends with an atmosphere of care and support in which to share thoughts and feelings about the passing of a loved one.  Ceremony is the first step in the healing process. It recognizes the finality of death. An end-of-life ceremony can help survivors begin the grieving process.

Whether burial or cremation, planning a personalized ceremony will help begin the healing process. Overcoming the pain is never easy, but a meaningful, fitting ceremony can help the grief journey.

Viewing the person who passed away can be a last goodbye for family and friends. Many grief specialists believe that seeing the deceased aids the grief process by helping the bereaved confront the reality of death. Viewing is encouraged for children, as long as the process is explained and the activity is voluntary. We have helpful information on explaining death to children so please don't hesitate to request a brochure.

• We transfer the deceased person into our care, from place of passing to the funeral home (anytime day or night 24/7)
  
• Notify proper authorities, family and/or relatives
  
• Arrange and prepare death certificates
  
• Procure certified copies of death certificates after determining with the family how many certified copies will be needed to settle the estate.
  
• Prepare and file all paperwork to ensure survivors receive any benefits they may be entitled to receive from Social Security, Veterans Administration, Railroad Retirement, etc.  
  
• Prepare and submit obituary to the newspapers of your choice
  
• Bathe and prepare the deceased for final disposition. Depending on the services selected, this may or might not include embalming, which is only required by law in certain circumstances.
  
• Prepare the deceased for viewing including dressing and cosmetics
• Assist the family with arranging an appropriate service that is just right for the family as well as assisting with the selection and arrangement for all other relevant items including outside parties.

• Arrange for the final disposition either scheduling for the cremation or scheduling the opening and closing of the grave if the deceased is to be interred.
  
• Coordinate with clergy or certified celebrant if a funeral or memorial service is to be held
  
• Arrange a transfer and cortege to the cemetery
  
• Order flower arrangements as the family may wish
  
• Provide aftercare resources or grief assistance, to the bereaved
  

Things for the Arrangement Conference

If you are up to it and want to prepare for the arrangement conference, here is a list of items and information to gather.   

PERSONAL ITEMS: Clothing, undergarments, glasses, dentures and personal cosmetics (if applicable)

OFFICIANT FOR THE CEREMONY: We have certified celebrants on staff for those who are not a member of a church. Our celebrants can create a truly personalized, tribute ceremony for you. However, if you are a member of a church, please plan to provide the name and phone number of the clergy and we will coordinate your arrangements with them.

PICTURES OR DIGITAL IMAGES TO GATHER

        Picture for obituary 

        Up to 12 pictures for a personalized tribute folder

        Approximately 30 pictures from which we can create a video tribute

CEMETERY NAME AND LOT OWNER (if planning burial)

PERSONAL INFORMATION OF THE DECEASED

Date and place of birth

Father’s name and Mother’s maiden name

Social Security number

Highest level of education completed

DD-214 Veteran Discharge papers (if applicable)

ANY SPECIAL REQUESTS

At the arrangement conference, we will discuss all your options which will enable you to choose a service that is just right for you.

You will find us to be flexible, accommodating and very receptive to answering any questions you might have.

To lose someone you love is a devastating human experience.  It can be traumatic and seriously impact one's judgment. Therefore, it is important to be realistic with respect to funeral expenditures.  We do not want your choices to be more than is affordable nor less than you would like to arrange. What is important is that arrangements be in keeping with your wishes and budget. We believe in the recognition and meaningful celebration of a life that has been lived and will assist in arranging an appropriate service to meet your individual needs. For your convenience, we accept eleven methods of payment.

Cash, Check, Debit Card, VISA, MasterCard, Discover,

Diners Club, American Express,

Assignment of a verifiable insurance policy,

Payment by a forwarding or receiving funeral home

and Pre-Arrangement

There are 3 options and 3 benefits in planning ahead,

Peace of Mind,Economy and Personal Choice.

Families tell us they have peace of mind knowing arrangements are taken care of and won’t be a burden on loved ones. The economic benefit is that planning ahead avoids emotional overspending. It also provides personal choice by documenting your wishes. 

We have several options for planning ahead.

Hospice Care Pre-Planning

Since March 29, 2010, without any financial commitment or payment whatsoever by the client or client family, it is our company policy that for individuals under hospice care, we offer a price guaranteed quote honored for six months from the date on the Statement of Goods & Services Selected. The price guarantee is exclusive of CASH ADVANCES.

No Cost Pre-Planning

Another option is to make all the decisions and selections without financial commitment. At time of need, the arrangements are reviewed with your next of kin and they would then be responsible for payment at that time at the then current prices.

Funded Pre-Planning

If you are interested in funded pre-planning, we offer single payment and installment payment options both of which can be used with a basic fund plan or a price guaranteed plan. Funded pre-planning can be accomplished with an Irrevocable Trust or with a final expense insurance policy.

We encourage families to meet with us before an emergency and welcome the opportunity to explain all options and of course, with no cost or obligation.