Memorial jewelry is a creative and personalized way to memorialize a deceased loved one after a cremation service in Penn Township, PA.

Losing a loved one is always hard, but sometimes the hardest part is not being able to keep your loved one close to you. Memorial jewelry can help you feel like your loved one is close, easing that pain. But what is memorial jewelry? Memorial jewelry can come in many forms, from necklaces and rings to lockets, pendants and bracelets, but every form is a special reminder of the deceased.

Most memorial jewelry is made through a similar process. Once a body is cremated, the family sends the remains to a jeweler. The remains, consisting of minerals like calcium phosphates, are combined with molten glass gold, silver, platinum or other materials using special encasement methods to mold the remains and the metals together. The goal is this molding is to display and protect the cremated remains. Since every person’s chemical makeup is slightly different, every piece of memorial jewelry will have a slightly different chemical reaction, resulting in different colors, shapes, and patterns. In other words, every piece of memorial jewelry will be just as unique as the person it’s made from. Families can also choose to include items like hair or dried flowers in the jewelry piece for even more uniqueness.

If you’re considering memorial jewelry for your lost loved one, there are a few things you should keep in mind:

1. Material – Though you can have memorial jewelry in almost any material, you should think about how and how often you’re going to wear it, as some materials are more durable than others. For example, if you’re making a ring that you’re only going to wear on special occasions, resin is fine. However, if you want to wear the ring on a daily basis, you need a stronger material like silver.
2. The Deceased – Also keep in mind how the deceased would want to be memorialized. Think about his or her styles, preferences, and even interests for inspiration. How do you think you could best memorialize your lost loved one?
3. Style – You should choose memorial jewelry in a style that you will actually wear. If you don’t like big pendants, maybe choose a small bracelet or locket. Be sure that you choose a style that fits your comfort level or consider a piece that is simple and timeless for the coming generations.

Memorial jewelry is just one of the many options you have to memorialize a lost loved one after a cremation. If memorial jewelry isn’t for you, you can always choose a more traditional method like a displaying the remains in a cremation urn, scattering them, burying them, or putting up a headstone.

Do you want to learn more about memorial jewelry, or have questions about Penn Township, PA cremation services? Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is here to help. You can pay us a visit or give us a call for more information about what we can do for you in your time of loss.

Whether you’re planning for your eventual passing or dealing with the recent death of a loved one, death is never easy. The loss itself is hard, not to mention the added stress of planning for body preparation, memorial services, and funeral options to burials and more. One thing that can ease the stress is having all the necessary information, especially about cremation services in North Versailles, PA.

What is cremation? In the most technical sense, cremation is when a body is broken down to mineral fragments, gases and ashes by combustion, vaporization, and oxidization. This process has been used for thousands of years but has become much more advanced in recent times.

Breaking down a body via cremation requires intense heat, oftentimes up to 18000 degrees Fahrenheit. The body is placed into a cremation chamber, and the chamber is heated by natural gas, oil or propane. The heat dries out the body until the bones are calcified into fragments, and all the gases are fully secreted. The gas is released into a filtration system while the bone fragments cool. After the fragments are cooled, they are ground into a fine ash inside a machine called a cremulator. The ash is put inside an urn or receptacle and returned to the family. On average, it takes about two full hours to cremate a body, and the average human body produces anywhere from three to seven pounds of ash.

A lot of people are wary of cremation because of potential religious concerns. However, there are lots of different beliefs when it comes to cremation. In fact, some religions encourage or even require it. It’s also important to remember that cremation doesn’t have to mean you can’t have a funeral or memorial service. Cremation is usually used in addition to other services to remember and honor the deceased.

Cost is oftentimes one of the foremost concerns for any burial, preparation or cremation, even though most people would prefer not to have to think about money when it comes to their lost loved one. Cremation is becoming more and more popular because it’s generally less expensive than other body disposition choices. Cremation costs usually include:

• Cremation equipment such as cremation caskets for burning or urns for ash holding.
• Funeral home services like body transportation, funeral home services and facilities, staff, and cremation fuel charges.
• Final resting place costs like burial plot or columbarium purchases. Be aware, there are also fees grave opening and closing, headstone installation and endowment care.

Deciding if cremation is the right choice for our and your family, friends and loved ones is ultimately very personal, and depends on what values you deem most important. Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is here to help if you want to learn more about North Versailles, PA cremation services, or would like to further discuss their potential benefits. We have many years of cremation experience and would love to use that experience to help you choose what’s best for your family. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call today.