Page 6 - 4270 Fall 15

6
Planning the celebration of
Dr. Anna Saylor (left) and her mother Lou Ann Sutphin.
Dr. Anna Saylor and her mother Lou Ann Sutphin decided to throw a family barbeque where, instead of presenting a dish to pass, guests brought their funeral plans. That’s right; family members attend a funeral planning party, with final arrangements in hand, to engage in a hearty discussion over dinner.
The Oakland county resident got the idea after noticing how some of her chiropractic clients were dealing with the death of a loved one. “I’d hear about the
aftermath and the stress brought on by not knowing what their spouse wanted,” Dr. Saylor said.
Dinner + planning + discussion = peace of mind
Lou Ann, age 62, works at her daughter’s chiropractic office and admitted, “I didn’t have any plans in place before this event.” She explained that as their family expanded to include partners, spouses and kids, the death of a loved one might become needlessly complicated if final arrangements were not on paper or talked about.
So Lou Ann and her daughter downloaded documents from the internet that included a funeral planning questionnaire, and forms for a medical power of attorney and a living will. They made copies for each guest and asked everyone to bring their completed paperwork, secured in a binder, along with any other additional forms or information. Lou Ann’s husband David included a Rolling Stones CD in his binder. “We laughed so hard, but that’s what he wants played at his funeral,” noted Lou Ann. Good thing he openly shared this wish with the family or they’d never realize this was important to him.
Lou Ann added, “My daughter was surprised that I want to be cremated and I was surprised that she wants to have a funeral with an open casket and doesn’t want to be cremated. I don’t believe in these huge funerals and putting people through that.”
Burial versus cremation
Apparently, Lou Ann is not alone. The National Funeral Directors Association (NFDA) forecasts that while the percentage of burials versus cremations are currently almost 50/50; cremations are expected to reach 71% by 2030, compared with a drop in burials at 23%.
This could be due, in part, to the price tag. According to the NFDA, in 2014 the median price
of a funeral with casket was $7,205, not including expenses for a cemetery plot or vault, grave stone, flowers and other incidentals. Cremations are divided into traditional and direct cremations. A traditional cremation involves a viewing and customary service held prior to cremation making it more expensive, at a median cost of $6,160. The price escalates when
you add embalming and other preparations, as well as the cost of the casket for viewing, whereas direct cremation happens after death and is followed by a memorial service. The median cost of a direct cremation is $2,300.
The rise of environmentally friendly funerals
According to the Green Burial Council, a national non-profit organization that sets standards for green burial in the U.S., infused in our soil each year is...
• 827,000 gallons of formaldehyde found within 4.3 million gallons of embalming fluid
• 64,500 tons of steel from metal caskets
• 20 million board feet of hardwood used in caskets • 1.6 million tons of concrete used for vaults
Such environmental concerns have led to an increase in green funerals. For some, a green funeral can equate to no embalming, the body buried in a biodegradable casket within a natural setting, and a tree used in place of a grave marker.
For those who chose cremation, Urna Bios is a biodegradable urn designed to transform human or pet ashes into a tree. You select the type of tree seed from the Bios website and for $145 plus shipping, the urn with seed is delivered to your door. Ashes are placed in the upper capsule of the urn with the very top portion built to facilitate the tree seed as it germinates. The urn must be planted about two inches from the soil surface in a spot best suited for the desired tree’s development. As the urn biodegrades, seed roots extend down into the ashes and beyond, utilizing the minerals and grounding itself into the
soil. The urn has no expiration date, so you can order in advance and store it in a dry place prior to use. Visit online at www.urnabios.com.
Another idea for cremation is Eternal Reefs, a permanent living legacy that combines a person’s ashes with environmentally safe cast concrete to create an ocean reef formation memorializing the passing of a loved one while preserving the marine
environment for future generations. Reefs are placed off the shores of the east and south coast of the U.S. establishing a new habitat for fish and other sea life.
The top of the reef has a 6 inch bronze plaque with an inscription. The reef can also be personalized with handprints, etched messages, and small mementos. The Mariner Eternal Reef at four feet high by five feet wide costs $6,995 and can include the ashes of up to four people, while the Nautilus Eternal Reef at three feet high by four feet wide costs $4,995 and can accommodate two people. The Aquarius Eternal Reef is the most compact at two feet high by three feet wide and costs $3,995. The ashes of a pet can also be included in any reef free of charge.
The boat ride to attend the Eternal Reef dedication at sea is $75/per person. If you’d like more information, call 888-423-7333 or visit online at www.eternalreefs.com.