Vol. 1,     No. 4     October 2001     http://the-ddic.com

The Cost Of A Funeral

The economy of the area, religious and ethnic customs, family preferences and community practices and traditions have an effect on cost. Four separate and distinct categories of charges make up the cost of a funeral.

Those which specifically involve the funeral director, including their professional services and those of his/her staff; the use of the facility and equipment he/she has available; the casket or interment receptacle and other items of merchandise.

Those dealing with the disposition of the body. If earth-interred, there is the cost of the grave space (cemetery plot) and charges for opening and closing the grave. If cremated, there is a charge for actual cremation, plus the cost of an urn (if one is desired). For the above ground disposition, there is the cost of the crypt.

Those for memorialization or remembrance such as a monument or marker for the grave or a niche for cremated remains.

Those miscellaneous expenses, also known as "cash advances", paid by the family directly or through the funeral director. Includes such thing as clergy honorarium and other religious related costs, flowers, music, newspaper death notices, limos and transportation of the body.

Regarding The Web Site...

The Web site offers news stories, articles, advice columns, speakers’ schedule and a resource page. A small site now, it will grow and become an excellent place for information on death and dying and accompanying issues presented in easy to read formats in an objective interesting way. Feel free to make suggestions.

People, Places & Things

Vocabulary

Here are some terms one might need to know when arranging for a funeral or body disposition.

PLOT

A space in the ground for the burial of human remains.

CRYPT

A space above ground for the burial of human remains. Usually a drawer-shaped space.

MAUSOLEUM/COLUMBARIUM

The building housing crypts or niches, found in cemeteries.

NICHE

A comparatively small space in a wall, above ground for urns that hold cremated remains.

URN

Container for cremated remains that is a purchased by consumer.

Q&A COLUMN

- by Judith Lee

Finding A Good Mortuary

If you have no experience with a funeral provider here are some suggestions:

Word-of-mouth - talk to others that have had funeral arranging experience. Visit those funeral providers and discuss what your wishes are and see how they respond.

Shop around - pick several from the phone book or in your geographic area. Go visit each one and look for:

The staff to whom you speak - are they accommodating? Informative? Well groomed? Caring? Ask questions.

On-site inspection - is the place neat and clean? Old flowers lying about? Sloppy and cluttered? Check their licensure, community involvement and attitude. This is a professional business, therefore does the staff act professional and businesslike?

Discuss all options. If you have particular wishes see if they are willing and able to accommodate.

Discuss the cost. Get the general price list. This is legally mandated. Every item of service and merchandise must be listed. Make sure you and the funeral director have a clear understanding of when and how your funeral (or someone you are responsible for) is to be paid.


Helpful Hints...

Try not to visit a mortuary when emotional or stressed, if possible.

Embalming is not mandatory all of the time.

Cremation may be arranged directly with a crematorium.

There are excellent mortuary personnel and they can be a big help.

Know the terminology used in this situation.

Funerals are like weddings, try not to spend more than you can afford.

Under Or Over: That Is The Question

There are different options available in most cemeteries today. Let’s look at those options.

A plot is a space in the ground. The most used and best known of cemetery products, the most traditional in the U.S. is the plot, and involves the burial of human remains. There are single, double and triple plots available at some cemeteries. These multi-plots can be one-on-top-of-the-other or side-by-side. No, they are not just one big space but partitioned. They could be used all at the same time or one at a time.

A crypt is a space above ground and these spaces are built, usually of concrete with granite or marble facings, into specially constructed crypt walls or crypt rooms. Think of built-in dresser drawers. The wall has to be extra deep. Buildings housing crypt rooms are called mausoleums. Modern mausoleums are building "extra-large" crypts for the extra-large person and these mausoleums may be several stories high.

At grave-side services the casket is sitting atop the plot. For crypt-side services the crypt is closed.

A niche is a comparatively small space in a wall, above ground, for urns that hold cremated remains. This too, is a wall, either free standing or a room. Instead of full size crypts there are small (about two feet by two feet) spaces. Like crypts, niches can be in free standing walls or a room with all four walls niched.

At the turn of the 19th-20th century Japanese immigrants brought their custom of cremation. Using traditional cemeteries small free standing niches were built upon burial plots. Today these cemeteries are still used.

A word to the wise...if you plan to buy your own plot/crypt/niche without going through a broker or funeral professional, know that except in default, the cemetery will not buy it back. So if you buy ahead of time make sure that is where you want to be and whomever you ask to be responsible will honor your wishes.

Another tradition is the buying of multiple plots for whole families. Problems arise when the children are grown. They want to be with their family or have other wishes.