Our Cremation Options

Everyone has their own personal reasons for choosing cremation over traditional casketed burial. Cremation has been a part of the human experience for a very long time, and is the preferred method of caring for a loved one in many parts of the world.

While we could recite statistics on the rising popularity of cremation in North America and other nations, they really won’t mean very much to you. After all, who picks cremation just because everyone else is doing so?

We are caring cremation experts who promise each family we serve the highest level of:

• Courteous, professional service. Our dedicated staff will take care of all details, including prompt filing of required permits and notifications. Accurate completion of these essential documents not only ensures their acceptance by local or state agencies; it guarantees your loved one's cremation will not be delayed.
   
• Respectful care of the deceased and timely completion of cremation process. Your loved one will be attended to by certified crematory operators; each of whom has been trained to provide both compassionate care for the deceased, and conscientious attention to detail throughout the cremation process.
   
• Safekeeping and prompt return of cremated remains. We know it's important for the families we serve to know their loved one will be coming home as soon as possible. That's why we promise to notify you as soon as their ashes become available, and safeguard their urn until the time you are ready to receive them.
   
• A memorial service to celebrate the life of the deceased. There are many advantages to taking some time to remember the life lived, share stories and laugh about all of the memories. Our team can help you plan a fitting memorial service with or without the cremation urn present, at our facility or in a place of your choosing.

When people are choosing cremation because they believe it to be the right choice for them, it’s as deeply personal of a decision as that of selecting burial. The decision could be based on:

• Financial Challenges. The cost of direct cremation with no funeral or memorial service is often ¼ that of a traditional burial. This simple fact is often all it takes for a family to make the cremation decision; however we firmly believe that there is great value in bringing family and friends together for a remembrance service – value which exceed mere cost.
   
• The Desire for Simplicity. There is nothing simpler than a direct cremation, where the body is transferred straight to the crematory and everything is done within hours of completing the necessary paperwork.
   
• The Need for Flexibility. A memorial service after a direct cremation can be arranged at a time that's convenient for family members. There is no rush to put together a ceremony which many in the circle can’t attend due to time or financial constraints.
   
• The Intention to More Fully Honor a Loved One. A service can be planned for weeks, even months, after the cremation. This means more people can get involved and there’s plenty of time to gather meaningful scriptural passages, poetry, literary quotes, music, photos and videos.

Given the religious, ethnic, and regional diversity among us, there are many other reasons for the dramatic rise in the number of cremations performed each year. According to Tyler Mathisen of NBC, one of those reasons "is the softening of the Catholic church's views of the practice. For centuries – until 1963, in fact – the church outlawed it. The church's laws still express a preference for burial. But the outright ban is a thing of the past."   

He goes on to tell readers that the decline in nuclear families is another reason. "As more Americans live far from hometowns and parents, and as family burial plots have waned in popularity and accessibility, millions have turned to cremation as a practical and cost-effective way to care for a loved one's remains."

You can also be sure that concern for the environment ranks high among many who choose cremation. Casketed and embalmed remains take up cemetery space and can pollute the ground water but many still question the amount of atmospheric pollution created by the cremation process.

Arranging Cremation in Toms River, NJ

By choosing cremation, this also allows a family the flexibility they may need in planning and preparing for a memorial service, celebration-of-life, or an ash scattering ceremony. While the cremation process can occur almost immediately (once all the proper paperwork is complete), the decisions required in planning a meaningful memorial for a loved one can be made in a relaxed, rational way.

Once all authorization documents are signed, and service charges are paid; the body can be transported from the place of death to the crematory and the cremation process can take place. However, there are some additional things you may wish to consider, such as:

You may wish to keep the remains at your home for a time, until you feel ready to let go of them, or when all family members can be present for a scattering ceremony.

Our professional Funeral Directors can advise you on unique ways to memorialize a loved one using the cremated remains, including the creation of art glass objects. We also offer a wide selection of cremation keepsake jewelry.

We can also recommend firms in the area that specialize in scattering the cremated remains at sea, or in the air.

Our Cremation Options

We offer three cremation options; each can be modified to meet your needs:

Alternative Cremation Options

The latest innovation in cremation is a process of alkaline hydrolysis, sometimes called resomation. The process was developed in the United States in the late 1990s. The Cremation Association of North America describes the process as "a water-based cissolution process for human remains that uses alkaline chemicals, heat, and sometimes agitation and-or pressure, to accelerate natural decomposition". 

Compared with traditional cremation, this process uses less energy and releases no carbon and no matter into the atmosphere. Not all regions have made the legislative changes required for funeral homes to offer this service to families and the equipment costs are more than a conventional retort. Both factors currently reduce the availability of resomation cremation services.

Are You Considering Choosing Cremation?

We want you to know that no matter your reasons for choosing cremation in Toms River, NJ, we're here to help you explore your cremation options. When you're ready, call us at (732) 505-1900 to set an appointment or simply drop by our office. You can also send us an email via our online contact us form.

Online Sources:

Mathisen, Tyler, "Cremation is the Hottest Trend in the Funeral Industry"