Funerals are expensive, broken and exploitative. They have to change

[pittpa]

I think cremation is OK. Nobody in my family has done it. But I take it that the Catholic Church is OK as long as you don’t go spreading the ashes all over the place.
A while back I went to the local funeral home and picked out a wooden casket, the least expensive option. I like Wood. I figure they won’t be guilted into getting something nicer. Caskets are overrated.
Girlfriend wants us to take her ashes to Slovenia where her parents are from. Sheesh.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[Historian]

8 hours ago, pittpa said:

 But I take it that the Catholic Church is OK as long as you don’t go spreading the ashes all over the place.

Ayep.  They do allow for it. 

[railfancwb]

20 hours ago, Cheygriz said:

Seems to me that in a free enterprise system you should get whatever funeral you want, and can afford.

 

I like the idea of direct burial, i.e., no casket. But family would never allow that.

 

Second choice is burial upside down so the world can kiss my........never mind!?

Cemeteries want the bodies in vaults, so the ground doesn’t keep settling. Wooden caskets also in vaults for same reason. Governments want embalmed bodies in vaults so chemicals don’t leach and pollute ground water. 

[Cheygriz]

The rest of the world has no problems with direct burials. Bodies are often not embalmed and return to nature as they should.

[railfancwb]

When my wife died suddenly I bought a double wide plot and stone, with everything engraved but my death date for me. 

Wandering through cemeteries from time to time I see double wide stones with all but the death date for one person, and that person’s birth date so far back they couldn’t possibly still be alive. And I wonder about the rest of the story...

[janice6]

18 hours ago, holyjohnson said:

are you saying they Prostitute Ashes?

 

 

The possibilities are endless.

[Cheygriz]

The solution to dead bodies is obvious.

Eat them!

 

All gone. Nice and tidy. No "residue" left over.?

[Silentpoet]

I want my remains spread over disney land and disney world.  I don't want to be cremated.

[railfancwb]

On 5/27/2020 at 11:13 PM, pittpa said:

I think cremation is OK. Nobody in my family has done it. But I take it that the Catholic Church is OK as long as you don’t go spreading the ashes all over the place.
A while back I went to the local funeral home and picked out a wooden casket, the least expensive option. I like Wood. I figure they won’t be guilted into getting something nicer. Caskets are overrated.
Girlfriend wants us to take her ashes to Slovenia where her parents are from. Sheesh.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

If there is someone there who would spread them, shipping/mailing is probably inexpensive. 

Use bad addresses for the sender and the receiver and the package will end up in a dead letter office somewhere. 

[pizza_pablo]

The wife died in January.
Cremation and 5 death certificates cost $2143.00.
The memorial service, held at our church cost me about $400 for fried chicken and carrot cupcakes.
The boat ride out to the Atlantic Ocean, to spread ashes cost $450.
Total under $3000.

[gwalchmai]

Sorry for your loss, PP.

[Andy P]

On 5/27/2020 at 6:55 AM, railfancwb said:

Actually I think “natural burials” which is what you describe are allowed some places. Maybe California. No embalming or other chemicals for preservation. Only natural fiber shroud (wrapping) - cotton, wool, linen, etc. no casket or other container. Usually no marker or monument, but maybe a cemetery map showing your plot. 

Luke Perry was buried in a eco-friendly mushroom suit in Tennessee. The suit is made up of "mushrooms and other microorganisms that together do three things; aid in decomposition, work to neutralize toxins found in the body and transfer nutrients to plant life,"

[Andy P]

On 5/28/2020 at 4:52 PM, railfancwb said:

Cemeteries want the bodies in vaults, so the ground doesn’t keep settling. Wooden caskets also in vaults for same reason. Governments want embalmed bodies in vaults so chemicals don’t leach and pollute ground water. 

Yes I have never heard of this and I do not get it. Well I understand it is because it will ease the maintenance for the cemeteries, but what happened with the thought of being one with nature? That is not gone a happen in a vault of concrete any time soon.

Quote

For a burial with a cement vault -- as required by most cemeteries, notes the NFDA -- the cost jumps to around $8,700.