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Would You Appreciate Cremation Jewelry?

There are a variety of things you can do with remains after cremation services in Mercer Island, WA. One of the most popular things is to spread or scatter the ashes in a special location. Some people bury ashes in a smaller cemetery plot and there are families that also keep the remains in an urn at home. Cremation jewelry has become a popular option over the years and perhaps when a loved one passes away, it’s something you have considered. Here are a few questions to ask yourself to help you recognize whether or not that is the right fit for you.

Do You Wear Jewelry Regularly?

If you never leave the house without the perfect necklace for your outfit, wearing jewelry is second nature to you. You would very likely wear a piece of cremation jewelry to honor your loved one. If, on the other hand, you feel very awkward when you have any jewelry on and you very rarely even bother to put any on, it might not be a good fit for your personality.

Do You Want To Remain As Close To Your Loved One As Possible?

If you don’t like the idea of leaving your loved one behind in a cemetery or even scattered in a park, you might opt to keep them in an urn in your home. But if you want to keep them even closer to your heart, you can do so with cremation jewelry. This jewelry comes in many shapes and styles. The most common are pendants, hearts, and crosses that hold a little bit of ash. It’s likely that no one will know what you are wearing and you can wear something that looks nice and also holds a bit of your loved one close to you at all times.

Do Many Family Members Want Your Loved One?

If you are one of several sisters, let’s say, perhaps all of your siblings want some of your loved one for themselves. That’s certainly possible when you go with cremation. You can each choose a piece of cremation jewelry and your loved one can be split between all of you. Everyone gets something in their style and everyone gets to keep your loved one near them in a unique way.

These are just a few questions to ask yourself if you are considering jewelry for your loved one after cremation services in Mercer Island, WA. There are many different options and the professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory can show you some of them. Of course, you don’t have to make that purchase from us. You can get your jewelry anywhere and we would be happy to use it to split your loved one’s ashes among your family members. We’re here to help you honor your loved one in whatever way you see fit. If you want advice as to where to look for cremation jewelry in a certain style, we can help you with that as well. We’re by your side through this hard time.

Funeral Homes Work For You

When you hire someone to paint your house, would they simply paint a color based on their own choosing? Of course not. As the homeowner, you get to choose the color. When you work with funeral homes in Mercer Island, WA, the relationship is similar. You are the client and they are working for you. They want you to be pleased with the end result and they will do what they can to make sure you are.

Of course, the funeral industry is much more serious than house painting. You are dealing with the loss of a life and you want to honor that loved one. It’s important that you know they are in good hands with the funeral home you choose. You want to make sure they are well cared for and are given the dignity and respect they deserve. The funeral home can assure you of that based on the services they provide, the facilities they allow you to tour, and the way they treat you and your family.

When you start to go through packages and other items with the funeral home, you will see that they are there to satisfy your needs. They have basic packages put together to make getting everything you need easy. Some people just choose a package and that’s all they do. Everything they have to have is already included and it’s a simple way to take care of a loved one and understand prices without question.

While that’s always a valid way to go, there are others who want to change things, customize details, and put more into the services they are organizing for their loved ones. Funeral homes will certainly allow and even support that. As you make decisions, you will notice that the funeral home is there with options, ideas, suggestions, and even unique choices. But they will not make the decisions for you. They will help you by giving you information and ideas and then, once you make the choices, they will support those decisions and implement them for you.

The funeral home will take as many of the burdens for you as possible. They will set up the room, get everything prepared, and tear down at the end. They will care for your loved one, dress them, and prepare them for the services. They will give you the compassion you need and support you along the way. They are there to be at your service in any way you need it during a hard time.

You know you can get final services from funeral homes in Mercer Island, WA, but the professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory are truly there to work for you. It’s nice to know that whatever you need, they’ll help you with it. You are going through a hard time when you are organizing final services for a loved one and the funeral home professionals are going to be by your side through it all, helping you every step of the way for as long as you need them.

Funeral Home Locations Matter

When you are looking through funeral homes in Renton, WA, your first concern may not be where the facilities are located. While it might not be the biggest priority on your list, you should definitely consider it within the grand scheme of things. Here are a few reasons why the location of the facilities matter.

Convenience For You

When you are working on final services, either for yourself or for a loved one who has passed away, it will probably mean several trips to the funeral home’s facilities. You will visit there to check things out initially, but you will also visit to look over packages, choose a room for services, and make other arrangements. It’s nice to have facilities that aren’t terribly out of your way. To get what you need, you are likely willing to drive a bit. But you also don’t have to want to go way out of your way every time to get things taken care of.

Ease For Guests

When you invite people to a funeral from out of town, or even those from the area, you want them to be able to attend without too many problems. For out of town guests, having facilities more centrally located so they are near hotels, restaurants, and other such things, is very nice. For those in the area, not having to go way too far out of the way is nice as well. You want your guests to be able to come and go and honor your loved one without issues.

Parking Concerns

You will want to keep an eye on the parking elements wherever you visit. Sometimes, based on location, parking is limited or restricted. You don’t want guests to have trouble finding a place to park or to have to walk a long ways because of parking issues. The facilities should have plenty of parking on-site to satisfy your needs. When you are talking to the professionals, ask them if they have services that run concurrently so you can think about parking for your guests among others that might be attending other things.

Resting Place Proximity

If you are having a traditional service, you will want to think about where the funeral home is in proximity to the cemetery so you can process there without too much hassle. If you are having cremation and a memorial service, perhaps some of the guests will move on to an ash scattering that same day. Have a funeral home that is located close to the cemetery or other location is handy for you and guests.

When you are looking over options for funeral homes in Renton, WA, there are many things to consider, such as prices, the professionals in the building, the services offered, and, of course, the location. The experts at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory are here to help you with all of those details from start to finish. We want you to have just what you need for final services, whatever that might include for your loved one or yourself.

When You Have Decided On Cremation Services

It’s a nice idea to plan out your final services. Not only will it give you peace of mind about what’s going to happen when you pass on, but it will relieve your family members of the burden of guessing as to what you wanted. When you decide on cremation services in Renton, WA as your final disposition method, that’s a great start in the process. Here are some other things you will likely want to add to that decision.

The Type Of Cremation

Cremation can take place at two different times, basically. The timing of the cremation determines the type. With full cremation, you have a funeral first and then you are cremated. With direct cremation, you go directly into cremation after the paperwork is in order without any services beforehand. You can still have a memorial service or an ash scattering or something else after the cremation. It really just depends on whether you want the tradition of a full funeral first or not.

Memorial Service Details

If you decide on direct cremation, you may also want to think about what type of memorial service you want, if any. You can ask family to have a small, intimate service with just family and a few friends. You can have something opened to the public. You can just have an ash scattering. Or you can even have a celebration of life. While it’s a relief for family to know you want to be cremated, you can take things further and plan the memorial service to give them even more relief from planning.

Setting Plans Up With A Cremation Provider

While telling your family you want to be cremated is enough to let them in on your wishes, you can actually get things in writing and figured out with a cremation provider. That way, all your family has to do is contact the funeral home and things are set into motion, just as you have them planned. You can plan out as much of the process as you want, even down to an urn of your choice, if you’d like.

Choose A Final Resting Place

After you have been cremated, your family will then have to figure out what to do with your remains. You can also leave those wishes behind and ask to be buried, spread in a certain place, or even kept in an urn on a mantel. It’s nice for family not to have to make that decision for you, either.

Making the decision for cremation services in Renton, WA is a great start to putting your plans in order. Once you contact Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory and start to put things into writing, we can help you figure out what options suit you and what you want to include in the process. We’re here to make sure you don’t leave anything important out. We can even give you advice about talking to your family and letting your plans be known to those you love.

Funeral Homes Are There For You Through It All

When a loved one passes away, you will likely have to enlist help from funeral homes in Seattle, WA. While you may understand that the professionals in these businesses take on final services and implement plans on your behalf, you might not understand just how there for you they will be. You know you have family members and friends to support you, but it never hurts to have extra people on your side. And the experts at funeral homes know just what kind of support you need during this hard time. Here are some of the ways the funeral home is there for you through it all.

They Are There At Any Time

Your loved one isn’t going to check the clock for a convenient, business hours time to pass on. Instead, it happens when it happens. And you shouldn’t have to wait for a weekday during those business hours to get help. The funeral home will be there for you any time you need them, day or night, weekend or weekday. It doesn’t even matter if it’s a holiday. When your loved one passes on, the professionals are there to help you with transportation and care so you know your loved one is in good hands and can move ahead with plans. That’s the first way you’ll know that they’re really there for you.

They Patiently Walk You Through Plans

If you’re in shock and you aren’t sure what your loved one wanted for their final service, it can be hard to figure that out at a moment’s notice. The funeral home will go over packages and options with you, but they will not pressure you into deciding anything. You will understand just how there for you they are when you feel their patience and support during the difficult times in the planning process.

They Support Your Decisions

Once you make decisions for your loved one and your family, the funeral home will support them. They want to help you honor your loved one in whatever way you see fit. When you feel that kind of support, you can move confidently ahead with the plans you have chosen.

They Offer Grief Resources

Even after the services are behind you, the funeral home representatives are still there, available to you when you need them. You can call them a week or even longer after the final services are complete and get help with grief resources, whether you want a grief group to attend or a counselor recommendation.

The professionals in funeral homes in Seattle, WA often say that they feel called into the industry. They are there to genuinely help people through some of the hardest times in their life. When you call Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory, you get help with final services, and you get people who are there for you from start to finish, and even beyond that. We want you to honor your loved one, but we want to support you during the process.

Cremation Services Allow For More Honoring Options

Some people choose cremation services in Mercer Island, WA because it can be very direct, to the point, and straightforward. With direct cremation, the process takes place within a day or two without any services happening before. That can be very nice for some families. However, just because your loved one is cared for and cremated quickly doesn’t mean there can’t be honoring memorial services later. In fact, when you choose cremation, there are more allowances for honor after the process is complete. You can do whatever you want with the cremation services. Here are a few options to consider and you can also combine anything you want, too.

Memorial Services

The most popular thing to do is have a memorial service for your loved one. These services are varied and you can do whatever you want. Some people have something somber that feels like a funeral while others have something more personalized, like a picnic in the park. There are even celebrations of life to consider. Memorial services aren’t limited to one event, either. You can have one service nice, another on the anniversary of the death, or one around your loved one’s birthday and so on.

Ash Scattering Ceremonies

If your family wants to scatter your loved one’s ashes, there are ceremonies that can go along with that to make things feel final and special. You can gather a small, intimate group on location and everyone can share a memory before your loved one is scattered at the chosen place. These ceremonies can mean a great deal to everyone involved and can make you feel as if you are honoring your loved one in a big way.

Memorial Dedications

If you decide to have some kind of memorial placed for your loved one, whether it’s planting a tree, placing a brick in the pavement, or something else, you can have another service that gathers close loved ones and dedicates that memorial to your loved one. You can share memories again, talk about why you chose the particular memorial you put into place, and have a nice time remembering the good times you had with that person.

These are just a few of the options you have for cremation services in Mercer Island, WA after the actual cremation is processed and complete. Just because the disposition method is quick and to the point doesn’t mean you can’t have one or more services for your loved one. It’s important to honor them in whatever way you see fit and the professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory can help you every step of the way. Give us a call and tell us about your family and your loved one. We want to get to know you so we can offer customized suggestions for your love one’s final services. Once you make the choices, we’ll implement them for you and support you in your decisions. Your loved one was unique and you deserve to honor them in all the right ways.

Comforting Yourself Around Funeral Home Services

When you have to visit funeral homes in Mercer Island, WA for a loved one’s final service, it can be heart-wrenching. It’s never going to be easy to say a final goodbye to someone, but going to the services can help you get the closure you need to move forward. It’s good to know that grief is different for everyone. You may experience different emotions on a varied timeline in comparison to other family members. You can only move at your own pace. It’s important for you to take steps in comforting yourself around the services so you can make it through the process with as much ease as possible. Here are a few ways to comfort yourself during the grieving process.

Look At Pictures

When you lose a loved one, all you want to do is think about them and remember the times you had with them. Allow yourself those memories and that time to talk about them and go over the good times. Looking at old pictures of your loved one and some of the times you had together can be hard. But it can also be comforting. It will make you glad that you had the quality time with them that you were allowed.

Find A Hug

You might know that nothing anyone says to you at the funeral is going to make you feel better. But something that can help, even in a small way, is a nice, tight hug. When you get a hug from a friend or family member, it will help to remind you that you don’t have to go through this alone. If you aren’t getting a hug and you feel the need for support, ask someone for one or open your arms and dive in. Your friends and family members are there for you and they are usually very willing to give that part of themselves to your grief.

Write It Down

There might be no words to express how you are feeling or you might not have the perfect person to talk to at just the right time. Get out a journal, or start one, and write down what you are feeling and thinking. If you still aren’t sure what to say, draw a picture or color something. It’s an expression of what’s going on inside and it’s important to get that out, in whatever form possible.

When you are grieving around services at funeral homes in Mercer Island, WA, you can find comfort in a number of things. It’s important to know how to comfort yourself and what you like and don’t like when you are going through the process so you can find what you need, when you need it. If you need to organize services for a loved one, the professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory are here for you. Not only can we take the burdens from you and implement the services you want, but we can also give you grief resources you might need later.

Urn Options To Consider For Certain Cremation Services

Planning cremation services in Seattle, WA can be hard when you aren’t sure exactly what your loved one wanted. Even if you know they wanted to be cremated, what type of urn did they like? That’s going to be up to you to decide if you don’t have any other information. There are lots of different urn styles and types on the market and one good way to figure out what direction to take is to consider the services you are having and the overall function of the urns. That can help guide you toward certain urns and away from others.

Memorial Services Open To The Public

You don’t have to have the urn present at the memorial service, but if you’d like to, you will want to think about the type and style with care since you know lots of people will be seeing it. You’ll want something that looks nice and perhaps has a more custom appeal to it. That might mean getting a certain type of wood that suits your loved one or maybe even getting metal with an engraving on it. The urn will be at the center of the service and everyone will see it. You want it to be just right.

Family Only Services

If you are having a service for your loved one that is smaller and includes only family members, you might use an urn that is more cost-efficient. Your family will be the only ones to see it and while you still want it to be nice, it doesn’t have to be fancy.

Scattering Ceremonies

If you are foregoing memorial services and moving to a scattering service instead, you might want an urn that helps you with that process. Scattering tubes, for example, are a big help with this process. You can get one of those for the ashes to help streamline the scattering in an effective and efficient manner.

Burials, Earth And Water

If you have decided to bury your loved one’s urn in the ground, or you want to give them a burial at sea, you might consider a biodegradable urn so the urn will break down in the ground or water and disperse the ashes that way. If your loved one was at all eco-conscious, this is a nice way to go.

There are many urns in many styles and varieties. You could look for a year and not see them all. It’s best to break down the options based around the cremation services in Seattle, WA you are going to have, the functions you need from the urn, and the budget you have to consider. Those elements will help you narrow things down a good deal. The professionals at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory can help you with the process as well. We can show you urns in person and in pictures. You don’t have to buy from us, but we can help point you toward things that will work well for your purposes.

Five Steps to Perfect Renton, WA Cremation Services

Cremation is gaining in popularity fast as an alternative to earth burial, but many of our clients aren’t sure what to expect when they walk in our door. If you’re choosing Renton, WA cremation services, our staff is ready to walk you through the process as soon as we get your call. Here are the five essential steps you’ll need to take for an ideal tribute to your loved one at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory.

Cremation Method

The first and most critical choice you’ll have to make when choosing cremation is how you want the process to be performed. The traditional cremation is done using a cremator, which is a powerful oven that burns up to 1,400 degrees fahrenheit and reduces the remains to bone ash in under three hours. But for those who want a more eco-friendly option, we offer Aquamation, also known as Alkaline Hydrolysis. This method uses a heated alkaline solution that speeds up the body’s natural decay process with the same result in only eight hours.

Basic Cremation or Full Package?

When you choose cremation services with us, you’ll get access to our full facility and all the amenities of our burial packages. We offer a variety of packages suitable for every budget, including amenities like visitation before cremation and a memorial service held in our facilities. But if you prefer to host your own memorial off-site, we offer a basic cremation package ideal for speedy and professional service.

What’s Your Timeline?

One of the benefits of cremation is that we operate on your clock, not anyone else’s. As soon as we get everything in order, we can perform the cremation and return the ashes to you in a basic cremation container or the urn of your choice. You can then return with the ashes to our facilities at a later date for a full memorial service, once you’ve arranged the guest list and all the amenities. With cremation, there’s no rush to bury a body, but we can also do faster ceremonies if you would like to have viewing of the body at the service before the cremation.

A Final Resting Place

One of the most critical decisions you’ll make when choosing cremation is what vessel you want to take home for the ashes. We offer a selection of hundreds of classic urns, each with their own unique design and equipped with anti-spill technology. We also offer cremation vaults if you want to have the ashes interred in a burial plot or mausoleum, and a selection of scattering urns if you plan to distribute the ashes.

Service Details

Finally, if you’ve chosen one of our full memorial packages, we’ll work with you to create an on-site memorial with speakers, music, and decorations. This can be customized to reflect the life your loved one lived and to allow guests to share their memories. We also have an extensive digital memorial program, so loved ones and friends who weren’t able to pay tribute in person can pay their respects online.

The path to the best Renton, WA cremation services begins with a call and a first consultation. Contact Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory to get started today.

Frequently Asked Questions About Working With Renton, WA Funeral Homes

Life and death come when you least expect it, and planning a final farewell to a loved one is always stressful. At Renton, WA funeral homes, we see people when they need our guidance and it’s common for them to have a lot of questions. In this article, we’ll look at some of the most frequently asked questions we get at Columbia Funeral Home & Cremation.

What Is the Ideal Timeline for Planning a Funeral?

That depends on you and your family, along with your plans for the memorial service. As soon as we get your call, we’ll step in and take custody of the body along with taking care of all outstanding legal issues. From there, you’ll come in for a consultation to look at packages. Many of our families choose to have a funeral within three days of contacting us, usually for a small group of friends or family. Larger ceremonies can be arranged over longer periods, up to several weeks later.

Can I Have a Full Memorial Service with Cremation?

Yes! If you’re choosing cremation services as an alternative to earth burial, you have full access to our facilities and services if you choose. We do offer a basic cremation package for families that want to arrange their own memorial service privately at a later date, but otherwise all the amenities of our funeral packages are available. One advantage is that the timeframe is a lot more flexible, as you can take the ashes home and return weeks or even months later for the memorial.

Can I Pre-Plan Services at Your Funeral Home?

Pre-planning services for your own memorial is becoming increasingly popular as a way to take the stress off your family. That’s why we offer a program that is ideal for planning years or even decades in advance. You can lay out as many major or minor details as you want for your service, ensure any essential documents are in stock so there’s no hunt for them, and arrange an upfront or installment payment plan to take the financial pressure off your loved ones.

Can I Arrange Veteran’s Services at Your Funeral Home?

There are few responsibilities more sacred to a funeral home than ensuring veterans who choose to be laid to rest here get the proper honors. That’s why we have a close relationship with representatives from the US military, and are well versed in arranging details such as the military honor guard. Any member of the US military who served honorably in war or peace is entitled to honors including complimentary headstones, markers, or burial flags.

What Are Your Facilities Like?

Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory is a full-service funeral home ideal for hosting small and large memorial services. Our facilities include room for private visitations and viewings, along with a large meeting hall that can be decorated for a personalized memorial service for your loved one. Our crematorium is large and fully equipped with facilities for both traditional cremation and Aquamation.

If you have any more questions about funeral homes in Renton, WA, contact Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory today. Our staff is standing by to set up a consultation.

Call now: 1-206-722-1100