2028 Highway 35
Wall, NJ 07719
Phone: (732) 449-6900 Fax: (732) 449-6905

505 Burnt Tavern Road
Brick, NJ 08724
Phone: (732) 899-8600 Fax: (732) 899-8607

CREMATION

Cremation, on the other hand, provides rapid oxidation.

No casket is legally required for cremation, just a simple container, which is strong enough to hold the body. This could be a box of rough boards, pressboard, or heavy cardboard.

Some crematories accept metal caskets; most require the container to be combustible.

Cremation Choices

If the body is cremated:

  1. The remains can be stored by the family
  2. You may take the remains in the simple cardboard box supplied by the crematory and distribute ("scatter") them over the land or water.
  3. The remains can be placed in a niche within a columbarium.
  4. The remains can be buried in the ground in a regular plot or in a smaller cremation plot.
  5. The remains can be entombed in a crypt within a mausoleum.

Here are some reasons you might choose cremation:

  • Cremation is traditional in your family, religious group, or geographical area
  • You want to keep the costs down
    • You might still choose a viewing, and decide to have the cremated remains buried in the ground or placed in a columbarium. These choices allow for can bring your costs up to those of a traditional funeral.

Decisions You Must Make If You Choose Cremation

  • Who will do the cremation (which funeral home will you trust?)
  • Whether to use an urn or container
  • What to do with the remains
If you are distributing the remains:

Some jurisdictions have laws prohibiting the scattering of remains; others require a permit. Ask your funeral director.

Also ask if there are any firms in your area that specialize in unique ways of distributing the remains, such as a plane to spread them over a mountain, or a ship to scatter them at sea.

Think of places that were especially loved by the deceased, close to home or far away. You can walk in the woods, by a favorite lake, or on the old family farm.

Be sure to ask permission if you want to use private property.

What about using the remains to create new life, by planting a tree? Some survivors choose to mix the remains with the soil in flowerbeds and rose gardens at home. Every time the roses bloom, you will be reminded of your loved one.

If you decide to do this, however, consider what will happen if, some day, you move away.