Cremation Frequently Asked Questions

Following are answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about cremation.

What Is Cremation?
To begin with, it is probably easier to describe what cremation isn't. Cremation is not a final disposition, nor is it a type of funeral service. Rather, it is a process of reducing the human body to cremated remains.

Is cremation a substitute for a funeral?

As more people are choosing cremation, funeral service professionals are striving to give consumers a true sense of what their many options are for a funeral service. Often funeral directors find that people have a preconception that they have fewer choices for a ceremony when selecting cremation for themselves or a loved one. Therefore, they request direct cremation and deny the surviving friends and family an opportunity to honor them with a memorial service. In actuality, cremation is only part of the commemorative experience. In fact, cremation can actually increase your options when planning a funeral. Cremation gives people the flexibility to search for types of tributes that reflect the life being honored. But this doesn't mean that aspects of traditional funeral services have to be discarded. Even with cremation, a meaningful memorial that is personalized to reflect the life of the deceased could include:

• A visitation prior to the service
• An open or closed casket
• Special music
• A ceremony at the funeral chapel, your place of worship or other special location
• Participation by friends and family

Commonly, cremated remains are placed in an urn and committed to an indoor or outdoor mausoleum or columbarium; interred in a family burial plot; or included in a special urn garden.

Cremation also gives families the option to scatter the remains. This can be done in a designated cemetery garden or at a place that was special to the person. Today, cremated remains can even become part of an ocean reef or made into diamonds.

Is A Casket Needed For Cremation?
No, a casket is not required for cremation; although a minimum cremation container is required to facilitate the starting of the cremation process.  It also aids in identification and most importantly the protection of dignity.  A minimum cremation container is a casket like container made of cardboard and plywood.  A selection of minimum cremation containers is available.

Is Embalming Required Prior To Cremation?
Absolutely not, and it is against the law to tell you otherwise. Most embalming prior to cremation is for a visitation, service or viewing.

Can I Have Visitation Prior To Cremation?
Yes, you may spend time with your loved one here at our funeral home prior to cremation.  Embalming is not required by law, but may be needed practically in certain circumstances.  - SEE MORE INFORMATION

Who Can Authorize Cremation Cremation?
Washington State Law is very specific about who has the right to make decisions at the time of passing.  RCW 68.50.160 tells us that a person can make their own arrangements with out pre or post consent of another person.  Should no pre-arrangements exist then the order of rights is as follows: 1) Designated Agent    2) Surviving Spouse    3) Majority of surviving children    4) Surviving Parents    5) Majority of Surviving Siblings    6) Court appointed Guardian. – SEE MORE INFORMATION

I am the Power of Attorney; Can I Make the Funeral Arrangements?
The power of attorney is not valid after someone passes away.  If the power of attorney is used before death, the document needs to give the power to make funeral arrangements.  We would be glad review your power attorney to make sure it will allow you to make funeral arrangements.

Can The Family Witness The Cremation?
Yes, in many cases, we will allow family members to be present when the body is placed into the cremation chamber. In fact, some religious groups include this as part of their funeral custom.

Is Cremation Accepted By All Religions?
Today most religions allow cremation except for Orthodox Judaism, Islam, Eastern Orthodox and a few Fundamentalist Christian faiths.

Can An Urn Be Brought Into Church?
Nearly all churches allow for the urn to be present during the memorial service. Most Catholic Churches also allow the cremated remains to be present during the Memorial Mass. In fact, if the family is planning on a memorial service, we encourage the ashes be present as it provides a focal point for the service.

What Can Be Done With The Cremated Remains?
Remains can be buried in a cemetery lot or cremation garden, inurned in a columbarium, kept at home, or scattered.

Is Scattering Legal?
The State of Washington says that you may scatter remains on:

National Parks, after receiving permission from the Chief Park Ranger.

State trust uplands, after receiving permission from the regional manager for each scattering.  However, scattering by commercial scattering services is not permitted.

Public navigable waters under state control, including Puget Sound, the Pacific Ocean within the 3-mile limit, rivers, streams, and lakes.

The Pacific Ocean beyond the 3-mile limit.  These scatterings must be reported within 30 days to the Regional Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 10, 1200 Sixth Avenue, WA 98101.

Private Land, with permission of the land owner.

Do People Choose Cremation Only To Save Money?
While some people select cremation for economic reasons, many choose this option for other reasons. The simplicity and dignity of cremation, environmental concerns, and the flexibility cremation affords in ceremony planning and final disposition all add to its increasing popularity.

Don't Most Funeral Homes Have A Crematory?
Most funeral homes subcontract this delicate procedure out to a third party provider in another town where the funeral home has little or no control over the crematory's operating procedures. Often, the family incurs additional transportation expenses and needless delay. By contrast, we own and operate our own crematory.

How Can I Be Sure I Receive The Correct Remains?
Flintoft’s Funeral Home and Crematory have developed rigorous sets of operating policies and procedures in order to maximize the level of service and minimize the potential for human error. SEE MORE INFORMATION

Can Two Cremations Be Performed At Once?
Never. Not only is it illegal to do so without express consent of the next of kin, most modern cremation chambers are not of sufficient size to accommodate more than one adult. Thus it would be a practical impossibility to conduct multiple cremations simultaneously. The ashes, however, may be intermixed post cremation or kept in a dual urn.

How Long Does the Actual Cremation Take?
It depends on the weight of the individual.  For an average size adult, cremation takes two to three hours at normal operating temperature; between 1600 to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit.

What Do The Cremated Remains Look Like?
Cremated remains resemble coarse sand and are whitish to light gray in color. The remains of an average size adult usually weigh between four and six pounds.

Are All The Ashes Returned?
With the exception of minute and microscopic particles, which are impossible to remove from the cremation chamber and processing machine, all of the cremated remains are given back to the family.  As a standard level of practice after each cremation we sweep the chamber and use a specialized vacuum.  All the remains are then processed to less than five millimeters per state law.  All remains that can be physically removed are.

Does Social Security Pay for Cremation?
Social Security has a one time payment of $255 to a spouse or dependent child.  We will notify Social Security of the passing but Social Security would like you to contact them for benefit co-ordination.  They can be reached at 1-800-772-1213. SEE MORE INFORMATION

I am a Veteran; what benefits am I entitled to?
Some veterans are entitled to: reimbursement of some expenses, a burial flag, interment in a national cemetery, military honors, a headstone or marker, and presidential certificate - SEE MORE INFORMATION