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Direct Cremation

What is Direct Cremation?

A direct or basic cremation refers to an immediate cremation without any visitation, funeral, celebration or other type of memorial.  In the instance of a direct cremation, the deceased is transferred from the place of death to the funeral establishment to be placed into a cremation casket and is transported to the crematorium.  Prior to cremation taking place, information must be provided in order to fulfill requirements from the government and coroner.  A funeral director will ensure that all of these forms are filled out correctly, and will obtain approval from all authorities on behalf of the family.

Direct Cremation by Smith's

Many people mistakenly believe that funeral homes do not offer direct or basic cremation. In fact, a funeral home is licensed to provide ALL services, from a direct cremation (what a basic transfer service provides) to celebrations of life, gatherings, receptions, funerals or any other type of commemorative event you can imagine.  Many people also think that funeral homes are all more costly than other cremation providers, and this simply isn’t the case.  We encourage you to contact us to discuss your wishes and find out about all the options available.  You can then make an informed decision about what type of arrangement/plan is best for you and your loved ones.

The Difference Between a Funeral Home and
a Transfer Service

A funeral home can embalm a deceased (if wished) and host celebrations of life, visitations, traditional funerals and other gatherings.  A transfer service can do neither, nor can they participate in a funeral service of any kind. All other basic services provided are the same, with additional options offered by certain businesses.  Contrary to what many people think, funeral homes are not necessarily more expensive than a transfer service.  Every establishment is different and so are its package offerings.  It is important to understand all of your options and then be able to compare ‘apples to apples’.  We encourage you to speak candidly about cremation costs with your funeral professional.

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