Cremation
I graduated from mortuary school in 1980 and in June of that year entered the funeral profession. Life was pretty simple, families were of the nuclear type, services only differed dependent on what religion the deceased belonged to, and there was no cremation in my little area of Minnesota. I tell this story often —…
Read MoreAs I’ve said before on these pages — I retired from full-time funeral directing about four years ago and continue as a part-time minority owner of the firm I was affiliated with for over 33 years. A lot of things have changed over that time but – as many of you will agree – probably…
Read MoreAbout five or six years ago I was at the Minnesota Funeral Director’s Convention when I first heard about alkaline hydrolysis – the process of an acid bath like process to decomposs the body. I was wandering around the exhibit floor and there was a small booth promoting a machine for such. Being inquisitive, I…
Read MoreAn article that appeared in the Green County Daily World of Linton, Indiana, caught my attention the other day. It was entitled “Walton’s install crematory at Welch & Cornet Funeral Home in Worthington”. I read the article and then did a little research. The article states that the crematory will be the first in Greene…
Read MoreThe Carl J. Mowell & Son Funeral Home of Fayetteville, Georgia, has been granted a Special Exception from the Fayettevill City council to allow for a crematory on the site of their existing Fayettville funeral home. According to an article in the Fayette County News, a Special Exception was needed because under current zoning laws a…
Read MoreOwners of the Heafey Hoffmann Dworak & Cutler Funeral Home in Omaha, Nebraska, and their insurers, Cincinnati Casualty Company and Cincinnati Indemnity Company filed a lawsuit on March 20, 2017, against Mathews International concerning a fire at the mortuary that happened over a year ago. The Omaha World Herald has reported that on January 26,…
Read MoreA Charlottesville, Virginia resident has complained to local and state authorities about the residue that comes out of the stack at the Hill and Wood Funeral Service Crematory on Stewart Street. According to a report from NBC 29, resident Renee Leake filed a complaint with the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality concerning smoke and fumes…
Read MoreIt should not surprise anyone that in a state of approximately 75% cremation services that a State Assemblyman is pushing forward a bill introducing Alkaline Hydrolysis as a legal form of cremation. According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal Assemblyman Nelson Araujo of Las Vegas has introduced Assembly Bill 205 which would legalize the process. The process is…
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