Monthly Archives: February 2021

cremation services in Monroeville, PA

More About Cremation Services

Cremations have been around for thousands of years but have changed a lot in recent times due to technological advancements. You’ve probably heard about cremation services in Monroeville, PA, but how much do you really know about them? How does cremation work? What happens after a cremation? Keep reading for more cremation details.

  • Body Preparation – There are a lot of steps that must take place before a body is cremated. First, a funeral director or crematory manager needs to obtain a cremation authorization document signed by closest surviving family members. The funeral director then goes through a series of checks to ensure proper body identification to make sure the remains are returned to the proper family. The body is then checked and processed to remove any items that cannot be cremated with the body. These items include jewelry and medical devices, especially pacemakers. Once prepared, the body is put inside a cremation casket and checked again for identification. A metal identification tag that won’t burn or melt is also placed inside the cremation casket as a final check for identification.
  • The Cremation – A cremation chamber, sometimes called a retort, is built from fire resistant bricks and special masonry compounds designed to stand up to extremely high temperatures. The body, inside its cremation casket, is placed inside the chamber. Cremation chambers generally get to at least 1800 degrees Fahrenheit with burners fueled by propane or natural gas. It usually takes 2 hours for a body to be reduced to bone fragments and ash, but the time can vary depending on factors such as the size of the body, type of cremation casket, or even the percentage of body fat to lean muscle.
  • Ash Processing – After the cremation is completed, the remains are left to cool for about 30 minutes after the incineration. They are then processed and checked again for any remaining medical debris and for proper identification. Then, the remaining bone fragments go through a processor that grinds the fragments down into fine ash. This ash is what is returned to the family for funeral services, interment, and other post-cremation options.
  • After Cremation – There are lots of different things loved one’s can do with the deceased’s ashes after the cremation. Some ideas include casting or tossing the cremated remains into the wind; raking, a process in which the ashes are poured over loose earth and raked into the soil; trenching or burying the ashes in a shallow grave; water scattering; or simply scattering the ashes into a body of water. The bereaved are free to choose whatever process is best for them and their grief process.

cremation services in Monroeville, PA

Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is here to help if you want to learn more about Monroeville, PA cremation services or other post-death body disposition options. We have years of industry experience ready to put at your disposal. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call for more information on what we can do to help you in your time of loss or of preplanning.

funeral home in Monroeville, PA

Meaningful Funerals

Funerals, whether they’re held at a funeral home in Monroeville, PA or some other location or venue, are very important. Mental health professionals and grief specialists alike agree that meaningful funeral services help people cope, accept, and eventually move past the loss of a family member or loved one. Furthermore, properly planned and executed meaningful funeral services provide an opportunity for families and friends to express feelings, connect with one another, and move towards healing as a unit.

However, not every funeral is created equal. In order for a funeral to have all the above benefits it needs to be meaningful. Funerals help honor the deceased’s life and aid the living in recognizing and celebrating that life. But what makes a meaningful funeral? Meaningful funerals usually have things like:

  1. Tribute Videos – Modern technology offers a unique way to remember the deceased. Take your home videos, photographs and memoires and create an especially unique tribute video. Put in graphics and music for even more personalization.
  2. Customized Prints – Order customized prints for the funeral. These prints range from photo collages and blown-up portraits to bookmarks, programs, boards and even books. Put special quotes, Bible verses, poems or artwork on the prints. You can also print out the obituary, or even the deceased’s favorite sayings. The prints serve as decoration for the funeral and can be taken home by hosts and guests as keepsakes.
  3. Memorial Websites – Make the meaningful funeral services accessible to the world with a memorial website. Websites are beautiful and useful. They help connect family, friends and acquaintances online for easy funeral announcements and communication. They also can display the video, obituary, photos and more online so everyone has easy access long after the funeral is over.
  4. A Focus on The Deceased’s Relationships – People always say that relationships are the most important part of life, so the best way to have a meaningful funeral service is to have focus on the relationships the deceased had with friends and family. Take a moment to remember special events, fond memories, or everyday moments that embody what made the deceased’s relationships special. Use these memories to enhance your funeral services so they can best honor the deceased.

funeral home in Monroeville, PA

Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is a Monroeville, PA funeral home. We would love to use our industry experience to help you plan and execute a meaningful funeral for your lost loved one. Please stop by or give us a call to learn more about our services, or what we can do for you in your time of loss. Remember, you knew the deceased, and you know the best ways to honor his or her life through meaningful funeral services. That’s why the above are just ideas to give you inspiration. What is meaningful to you about the deceased might be different than what is meaningful to someone else about their lost loved one. Trust your instincts and allow the funeral to help you heal.

cremation services in Penn Township, PA

Direct Cremation Services

Most funeral homes offer a wide range of services; from body transportation and paperwork help to planning and executing the actual funeral. However, many funeral homes charge a premium for those services even though they’re not always 100% necessary. This is especially true if you’re choosing cremation services in Penn Township, PA, like direct cremation.

Direct cremation is human remains disposition by cremation without a prior ceremony, visitation, or viewing. Meaning, the body is cremated directly after death and before any memorial or funeral service, so the body is not present at any such service. While traditional cremation, a service offered by funeral homes and cremation services, involves embalming the body for viewing during a memorial, funeral or visitation before the cremation.

In a direct cremation, the body is brought directly from the place of death to the crematory and cremated without embalming, makeup application, or hair care. The ashes are placed in an urn provided by the next of kin, or in a simple container furnished by the crematory. The body is usually cremated almost directly after arrival, unless there are delays or issues with the death certificate and cremation permit. Direct cremation is another route you can go when you’re planning for your eventual death or dealing with the recent death of a loved one. Direct cremation offers a smaller service range than a funeral home, but they can also be cheaper, greener, and more flexible. That’s why they are becoming more and more popular over funeral home cremations and services. Direct cremations offer:

  • Pro-Environment – Direct cremations are better for the environment because they do not involve embalming. Embalmed bodies release harmful toxins into the air and ground when they are cremated or buried. Direct cremations also use fewer funeral products in general, and therefore create less waste.
  • Cost – Direct cremations are much more cost effective than traditional funerals, cremations, or burials. Cremations in general save money on vaults, burial plots, transportation and other such costs, and direct cremations also save money on embalming and the cremation casket as standard cremations require nice caskets and embalming for viewing.
  • Flexibility – Direct cremations usually do have a service or memorial but only after the cremation. Since its later, the scheduling, planning and execution have a lot more flexibility. Family and friends can take more time to make the memorial special and personalized or have out of town guests make it in time.

cremation services in Penn Township, PA

It’s important to keep in mind that choosing between direct cremation, funeral home cremation or funeral services is a personal. If you want to take the more traditional route because it feels better or more comfortable, you should. Do you want to learn more about cremation services or direct cremation? Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is here to help with any of your Penn Township, PA cremation service needs. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call today for more information on how we can help you choose what’s best for you in your time of loss.

funeral home in Penn Township, PA

Do You Need A Burial Vault?

Did you know that if you are hoping to bury your loved one’s remains after services at a funeral home in Penn Township, PA, you might be required to purchase a burial vault? But what are burial vaults? Read on to learn more about them, what they do, and if you might need one.

Burial vaults are outside containers that hold a coffin or casket for burying full body in the ground. Their primary function is to protect the casket, and to help maintain the gravesite’s integrity so the surface doesn’t sink in. Most active cemeteries do require burial vaults to keep the cemetery ground intact and safe, however, this requirement is not the law in most states. Pennsylvania state law requires that graves using a non-permeable container, like a vault, must be buried at least 24” below the surface. Meaning, if the container is 12 inches high, then the hole is 36” inches deep. Some cemeteries allow a cremation urn to be buried in an existing grave and allow the urn to be place on top of a previously buried vault. Some families prefer this, as it allows them to place loved ones together even in death.

The majority of states to not have laws requiring burial vault containers for buried cremation urns. Rather, it’s the cemeteries that have the requirement. Cemeteries can choose to require burial vaults for both caskets and urns to preserve the safety and beauty of their cemetery grounds, and to make sure their maintenance equipment is protected. Vaults offer more protection to the ground because as caskets and urns naturally break down and decompose over time, the earth on top of them settles and sinks. Although buried cremation urns cause this settling on a much smaller scale than caskets, most cemeteries do still require burial vaults for urns.

Burial vaults for both urns and caskets are made of durable materials that do not decompose, like metal, concrete or plastic. You can even find solid metal burial vaults. Like most things in life, the quality of the burial vault you choose mostly depends on the price. You can find basic, affordable burial vaults on websites like Amazon for less than $200, but the price only goes up for thicker, heavier, higher quality containers. If you want an ornate, decorated burial vault, you need to be prepared to shell out some serious cash. If you desire a cemetery burial for your loved one but don’t have a big budget, you can save money by choosing a simpler urn and less ornate burial vault. As both will be buried, they don’t have to be ornate. If you desire, you can also buy a decorative urn to memorialize the deceased above ground.

funeral home in Penn Township, PA

If you have more questions on burial, burial vaults, and Penn Township, PA funeral homes, Patrick T. Lanigan Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc. is here to help. Please stop by and visit us or give us a call today to learn more.