Cremation Only
When you opt for cremation only funeral arrangements your loved one will be taken to the crematorium after a short service at the funeral home. The coffin will be hidden from view for mourners to pay their respects before it’s withdrawn and moved behind curtains, glass or removed entirely for the cremation to take place.
The crematorium will prepare the body by removing any jewelry, prostheses or implants which you requested to be left on or in some cases medical devices (i.e. pacemakers) which must be switched off before the cremation only can take place. The body will be placed inside a container made from wood or heavy cardboard which is then put into the cremation chamber. The body is reduced to ash at very high temperatures which takes about two or three hours to complete.
Once the body is completely reduced to ashes it’s transferred from the retort into a basic container which can be returned to you or a more personal urn that you choose to keep. The urn can then be placed in a columbarium, buried at a cemetery or scattered.
What Happens at a Cremation Only Funeral?
As with a traditional funeral the service will include hymns and music, floral tributes and eulogies which are spoken by friends and family. You may also wish to arrange a wake which follows the funeral service or a memorial service which is held closer to the date of your loved ones death.
We will arrange a time for the cremation to be completed which is usually about an hour or so after the service. This allows mourners to say their last farewells and pay their respects. It’s quite common for the coffin to be obscured from view at this point. This can be done with a curtain, piece of glass or the coffin being placed on a catafalque.
The urn containing your loved ones ashes will be handed over to you following the service or if you prefer we can help you to arrange permanent placement at a cemetery or a memorial park where they are able to be interred in a grave or above ground niche. If you are choosing to scatter your loved ones ashes we can arrange for them to be scattered in a private area of the grounds of the funeral home or at an appropriate location that you have chosen.
Whether you are arranging a service with a burial or cremation or both, the team at Miller Funeral Home & on-site crematory will guide you through every step of your arrangement. We will work with you to create a beautiful and fitting ceremony to honour your loved one. If you would like more information on what to expect when organising a cremation only funeral please don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today. We are always happy to assist. You can contact us online or call us on 01246 322 888. Our opening hours are 07:00 – 23:00 Mon-Fri and 09:00 – 05:30 Sat-Sun.