Cremation vs. burial

[kitkatz]

My husband and I were talking about cremation vs burial.  I want to be burned and either made into a diamond or put in a pretty box.  His religion says burial.  I say let this body go, it has been put through the mill already. Torch it and let it go.  I can tell my spirit what will happen to the body so it does not hang around here to watch it disintegrate.  Besides, this body I do NOT want back!

What do you all think?

[Chris]

Never gave it much thought, but  I always think of the scene in one of the early James Bond films where the cremation process is started while he is still alive. Put a fork in me and call me dead before I am cooked! Even though I might be dead, I still have a fear about cremation. Nowdays, you can be cremated and your butt be shot into space. Great, become a road hazzard for the aging space Pinto shuttle.

[Sluff]

I struggle greatly with this also. I have thought to get cremated so my son can spread my ashes from my motorcycle on the highway near Crazy Horse in the black hills. Although this sounds cool, I do already have a hole in the ground side by side with the wife that we recieved as a wedding gift. I'm not sure my religious beliefs will matter but it is something I should probably investigate.

[angela515]

I don't really care either way as long as I am by my mom and dad, and my kids are by me. As for my mom... she says she will come back and haunt anyone who cremates her, so I think we will be burying her.

[okarol]

Make me into cat food, I really don't care. I think your spirit endures when the body is done, so I don't need it anymore when I die. 

[Duane]

My faith says i get a new body. In my faith we are told our bodies go back to where they originated from, the dust of the earth, like every living being on this earth. cremated or buried it doesn't matter to me, i won't be there (my spirit) goes to be with God. Judgement time. 

Absent from the body is to be present with God. In my faith. This is a good thing.
duane

[orphans_mom]

Do you know in some states you can't be cremated unless you have a written directive to do so.  I was told this when my Mother passed away by the funeral director. (Or was this just a ploy to charge more dollars?) Has anyone heard of this? I am catholic and we can now be cremated. I want to be cremated but my husband has not decided yet. I just figure its easier to be cremated for my family since I live about 600 miles from where I will be buried. I have a brother who wants me to spread his ashes at Camp 50 in Sturgis during bike week.

[thegrammalady]

funerals are for the living. i just don't want my kids to argue over all of it. a disgusting amount can be spent, like $10,000 for a casket!!!!!! whatever my kids do i want it to be done the cheapest way possible, then use the remaining money for something useful like maybe college educations for my grandkids. other than that i haven't given it any thought.

[boxman55]

I want to be cremated and spread over my favorite lake up north. I now I will improve the fishing for everyone...Boxman

[vandie]

I will be cremated.  I never want my children to go through what I went through when my parents passed away.  The funeral homes prey on that emotional time and charge ridiculous amounts of money.  My mother was cremated and they wanted me to purchase a $7000 casket in which to cremate her.  Puhleeze.
I want my children to celebrate my life because it is fabulous.  I want them to sing and dance and have some of my favorite wine.

 

[paris]

Cremation for me.  My husband's family spent way too much money on their mother's funeral 3 years ago. They had to have the finest casket, enough flowers to start a floral shop and a catered dinner afterward. Custom made programs and thank you notes were a must.  Funeral service lastest over 2 hours, and then the burial wasn't for two more days and it was another grand event.  I loved the lady, but she was 86 when she died, had only been ill for only few months and was never in pain.   She had a good life and was loved by many.

I don't want anyone looking at my body, saying how good I look.  I will look dead--I don't look good now, why would I look good dead?  Have a fun gathering with lots of music and food.  If someone says I am a was a good mother--then that is all the eulogy I need. Cremate me and throw me in the ocean.  If I can't own beachfront property, I might as well just end up in the ocean

[AlohaBeth]

Cremate me.  I have always known I wanted to be cremated and my ashes scattered all over the place - Raleigh, NYC, Hawaii, Vegas, Paris, London, the ocean -- all the places I love...  or just throw me away...  really, I don't care. 

Working at a florist - I see families spend 2 or 3 thousand dollars on flowers.  FLOWERS.  I mean what is the purpose - the amount people spend on funerals is really obscene.

Anyways -- I just finished this book called Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral -- really really great, all about a woman who dies, is cremated and requests her four best friends to scatter her ashes all over the country -- definitely a good (and sad) read.

[Jannie]

When MIL died, one of her daughters of took photos of her in the coffin at the wake. She sent the photos to relatives who live out of town and couldn't come for the funeral. I thought it was disgusting. I'm having a closed coffin and cremation. I want to be remembered for the way I looked alive, not dead, thank you.

[Romona]

I remember a line in the first Walton's movie. Patricia O'Neill's character said "Remember me with smiles and laughter or don't remember me at all.  I want to be remembered that way. I want a happy send off. Bury me, cremate me, use my body for research it really doesn't matter to me.I want Queensryche's "Silent Lucidity" played at my funeral.  I know this sounds crazy, but the funeral I actually enjoyed was my Great Aunt's. She was a nun and it was such a joyous event. The music was happy and uplifting. She had finally gotten what she prepared for, her life with God. 

[kellyt]

I want cremation!  Can't risk this body being recycled and making someone else totally miserable! lol

Also, I've told my hubby 100 times - If you do bury me and I'm in the sun I'll haunt you for the rest of your life!

When I go to the cometary to visit my Mom and Dad I see the grave sites that are directly in the sun (no shade at all) and I just think "They must be miserable"!   

I guess you have to live in Texas to understand my thoughts on this.....

[paris]

I already posted, but, I have been to one funeral that was actually fun.  Uncle Bob was dressed in his favorite golf shirt, knickers and had a putter in his hands.  His wife sang their favorite song and at the end, they played "When the Saints Go Marching In" and the family literally danced down the aisle. We were all clapping and laughing.  Uncle Bob would have loved it. 

[Patton]

I want to be buried in our National Cemetery, Arlington National Cemetery, along with so many other recognized American soldiers, who fought for our country. If I knew for sure this were to happen I could live my life so happy. The thought of my name on one of those white crosses next to fellow comrades, makes me feel so happy. I live my days as patriotic as patriotic can get, and to know I will be recognized for this, and to spend eternal death patriotic.....I tell ya I don't even have words for how that would make me feel.      

[goofynina]

I am all for cremation here    I want to be spread all over my bed so no other woman sleeps in it  Muaahaaahaahaaaa 

[Deanne]

I won't be around to watch, so I really don't care what happens to my body. Funerals are for the living, so they can do whatever they want with my remains (within reason -- nothing "weird" now, ok!?)

[paddbear0000]

Bake me baby! Whatever is cheapest for my husband. I don't care!   

[Hawkeye]

Both my wife and I want to be cremated, but the one things that bothers me about this is the verification of the ashes.  There have been numerous articles written about people being given ashes and later the body is found in a body freezer untouched.  Who or what's ashes did those people get?  As sick/morbid as it may seem I want to watch the process just to provide that piece of mind that I am infact getting my wifes ashes.  Not sure of the legality on that one, but we are trying to find out more info.

[Aldente]

Both my wife and I want to be cremated, but the one things that bothers me about this is the verification of the ashes.  There have been numerous articles written about people being given ashes and later the body is found in a body freezer untouched.  Who or what's ashes did those people get?  As sick/morbid as it may seem I want to watch the process just to provide that piece of mind that I am infact getting my wifes ashes.  Not sure of the legality on that one, but we are trying to find out more info.

Hawkeye, I appreciate your your very valid concern.  I know of no laws that would prohibit your request to watch the process but restrictions can change from state to state.  I think that pre-planning funeral arrangements is the best route to go to make sure you get what you want.  If your community has more than one funeral provider you can comparison shop and ask questions.  In some smaller communities funeral providers may not have the equipment to do cremations locally and must send the remains to another location. It is much easier to deal with these issues before the death of a loved one than after and you have much more time to make informed decisions.  Make sure that all of your wishes are in writing and that you specify that you want to monitor the cremation process. I would also give copies of the contract or agreement to other family members who might share in the responsibility of making arrangements.

[JBLadyB]

For me, it is going to be burial, beside my two sons, and someday my husband.  I have already picked out what I am going to wear, sweatshirt with bears on it, sweatpants to match, Black fuzzy slipper, and a yellow turtleneck, I am going to be warm! The casket will be wood, and one song I want played "Amazing Grace".  Oh, and family only, close family. From there on I don't care.  When my son died, he wore his favorite baseball cap, Harley sweatshirt, and they took him from the funeral home with Motley Crue's "Home Sweet Home".  Here, you can have it anyway you want it.   \\\
"The most dangerous person is the one not afraid to die.'

[kitkatz]

I want to be cremated, then my ashes sent to lifegem.com to be made into a diamond. I want to diamond put into a pretty box and then put on a fireplace or somewhere in a loved ones home.  That way I can sparkle up their lives!

[skyedogrocks]

I want to be cremated.  I hate bugs and the thought of being in the ground and having my body rot in there grosses me out.  I told Rob that I want him to put some of my ashes in a tube and keep it on his key chain so that I am always with him,  .  Seriously though, both of us want to be cremated.

I'm Italian and have seen my share of morbid, over the top funerals.  I don't want any part of that!