Family funeral

[shodan]

This is a piece of news I have never seen before:

"4 years ago I lead a family-directed funeral for my mother. We did not use a licensed funeral director or mortuary. Mom died in Texas, and we made our own “hope chest” in which we placed her body after we washed and anointed it, and using our pick-up truck we took her body in the hope chest to Minnesota. This natural method cost less that $200, plus our travel to Minnesota (which we would have done anyway) plus the cost of the cemetery and pastor and church which we wanted anyway too.) We could express our Christian rituals and family times on our time-line, with no funeral director marshalling us along. It was an extremely meaningful way to give our final gifts in death care, and a way to give memorial gifts rather than wasting the $10,000 it would have cost if I had used the funeral homes at that time. You can reach me or get more information from the national Funeral consumers Alliance, at http://www.funerals.org. Rodger"

Posted as a comment on an article here on cremation:
http://www.firstthings.com/blogs/po...01/15/is-embalming-a-big-anti-christian-deal/

 

[annsni]

The issue is that there are laws in each state regarding the handling of dead bodies. This may not be legal in all areas.

 

[David Lamb]

The issue is that there are laws in each state regarding the handling of dead bodies. This may not be legal in all areas.

And although we are in a minority, some of us on the Baptist Board don't even live in the same country, never mind the same state.

 

[annsni]

And although we are in a minority, some of us on the Baptist Board don't even live in the same country, never mind the same state.

Very true!! So everyone would need to find out what their local laws and regulations are.

 

[sag38]

In Alabama a body must be embalmed thanks to the caring efforts of the undertakers lobby which is very powerful here. Also, a body must be buried in a vault; thanks again to that lobby. Nor, can you bury the body in your own cemetery. It must be an approved site for burial. However, you can carry your loved ones body to the cemetery.

 

[annsni]

In Alabama a body must be embalmed thanks to the caring efforts of the undertakers lobby which is very powerful here. Also, a body must be buried in a vault; thanks again to that lobby. Nor, can you bury the body in your own cemetery. It must be an approved site for burial. However, you can carry your loved ones body to the cemetery.

Fortunately, we don't need to embalm here in NY. We didn't have my mom embalmed. I thought it was a huge waste of money because we're going to decompose anyway - why worry about saving the body for as long as possible? She died on Tuesday and we had the funeral on Thursday, if I remember correctly. It was no problem with the body or the funeral home.

 

[sag38]

Funeral Director = Show me the Money!!!!

 

[freeatlast]

Texas law does not require embalming at any time
http://www.laureloaksfuneralhome.com/faq.html
No state requires routine embalming
http://www.alsirat.com/silence/consumers/embalming.html