Cremation or Burial?

[Abraham]

Cremation for me.

Why?

For one thing, I don't want to take up any real estate. No headstone or plaque or plot necessary. A handsome savings.

No service or any of that sort of thing. More savings.

Plus, cremation is far, far less expensive for those you leave behind. Do you really want to strap your loved ones with a sudden enormous expense, perhaps in the thousands, even tens of thousands of dollars, for a fancy send off?

Last I checked and depending on which funeral home you use, cremation cost will range from $850.00 up to $1250.00. A bargain. That includes picking up your corpse, death certificate, delivery arrangements to the crematory and of course your own special barbecue of you... Yep, a turn key job. Oh yeah, if you want the "cremains" put into a fancy urn, that''ll cost a little extra, but really not much.

Plus, no gloomy parade of cars to the cemetery. Another cost savings. This particular custom always seems, to me anyway, kinda unnecessarily showy and just a little medieval...

No flowers necessary either. Ka-Ching! More cost savings!

Why am I on this subject?

In the past 2 months, 3 different funeral homes have been kind enough to remind me (by junk mail) of my impending doom, being ahem, well over 65. They see the hand writing on the wall and would like first crack at me when I shuffle off this mortal coil.

Darn vultures.

They'll find my corpse not as much a profit center as some others.

So, what's for you?

Burial or cremation?

[Oldgringo]

I agree with cremation over funeral/memorial service for the reasons aforestated. PLUS, we've asked for, and received, literature on donating our deadness to science. That will generate more savings to/for any survivor/s.

That said, we recently went to a visitation of what was once an attractive friend of ours. She didn't look good, she looked dead. I don't want anybody looking at me when I'm dead.

[jason812]

My sentiments exactly. Nobody will come see you any way and seems like a waste of space. All I ask for is to be lit on fire, put in a half drank bottle of Crown, throw a good cigar in there and the ashes from my dogs. If the wife wants, she can come along too. I'll pay for the kid (possibly kids) a nice vacation to throw the bottle with me inside in the middle of the ocean tied to a cement block. Seems like a good idea to me.

At 36 I hope I'm a good ways away from this plan coming to fruition.

[Tallinthesaddle]

My wife, my sister and I all plan to be cremated. We found a nice well kept cemetery a few miles from Lubbock on a small rise with lots for $300 each. My sister said she might just want her ashes spread someplace in the mountains. When you are looking at $10,000 to $12,000 for a funeral, the money saved can help the family a lot more, especially in these days.

[jimlongley]

My first wife was cremated at her request, and much to the chagrin of our children, and her ashes were sprinkled around Hassell Island and Water Island just off Charlotte Amalie, ST. Thomas.

I have left specific instructions for my disposal, the Navy owes me a burial at sea, my wife and I own a slot in a Columbarium in the curch where she used to work (and you must be cremated to go there), and I wish to be sprinkled over a favorite creek where I used to live. My explicit instructions are in my will, including how my ashes are to be parceled out.

[Taypo]

Cremation. I'd rather be scattered in a warm, sunny spot than rotting away in a box.

[txglock21]

Cremation for me. My dad was the first in my entire family to be cremated (he demanded it before his death). His total cost was about $850 and that included two small urns for me and my brother. The rest of his ashes were spread in Hawaii by my step-mom. His death was not sudden, so we had said our goodbyes and didn't need a memorial or service for "closure". I want cremation for all the same reasons as stated in previous posts.

[E.Marquez]

Cremation, Ashes to be sent into the wind in a place not allowed by the state of California where my Mother's ashes were sent adrift in 2005.

[Richbirdhunter]

I'm going with cremation, I'd like my wife and kids to take some of my ashes and I would like each of them to take me to their favorite memory of us a leave some of my ashes there.

[jamminbutter]

Cremation or direct burial with no embalming and holes in the bottom of the box.

[Scott B.]

Since being launched into the sun isn't a viable option, currently, told my family they can scatter my ashes out the car window on the drive back from the crematorium

[SA_Steve]

As an old guy, I spent a lot of time in cemeteries with relatives while paying respects to dead relatives. Sometimes even picnic'ing there. People don't do that much anymore. Cemeteries are pretty much missing visitors these days. I've been to some Easter sunrise services held at cemeteries, four or five times, 50 years ago...

I'll be the first in my entire family tree to be cremated.

At some point cemeteries, even the 'perpetual care' ones, will be demolished and covered over with something more useful like so many in the big cities of Europe and UK have been.

[PaJ]

My late wife died at 39 and was cremated. We had a regular service with a rented casket. After the service, they took her to the crematorium, so no procession. My mom died when I was 21. I now live too far away to visit her plot in the cemetery, and rarely have when I was back home over the years. I have no close family there anymore, so no one will visit the site. So, why bother. My late wife was mostly scattered under a tree that marks the spot where a triathlon was held in her honor on year 1 and memory on year 2. Her parents wanted a portion to bring home to bury in a cemetery with her brother, and I kept three small urns for our kids. Through the triathlon, we raised about $80,000 to help young families battling cancer, so it was probably the most significant point of impact in her life.

I want to be cremated rather than forgotten in a hole in the ground. At this point, what they do with my ashes is up to them. Bury them. Use them in the garden. Wash them down the garbage disposal. I don't really care. Just don't throw them off a tall building. I'm afraid of heights.

[Weg]

Burial, in Texas, no matter where I die.

[Eric Lamberson]

Wow--we do cover some ground on this forum. Cremation for me. I was in the 3rd Infantry (The Old Guard) for a number of years and participated in the funerals of over 200 soldiers and their family members. I never saw anyone cry at a funeral where the deceased had been cremated.