How To Select The Right Cemetery When Pre-Planning A Funeral

Nothing is more difficult than trying to plan a funeral for someone that you love. Learn about choosing an appropriate funeral home. Click here.

How To Select The Right Cemetery When Pre-Planning A Funeral

14 July 2015
 Categories: , Blog


One of the important tasks in your funeral planning is choosing the right cemetery for your remains. Having this in your pre-planning documents takes the burden of that decision from your grieving family, when that time comes. The following information will help guide your search for your final resting place.

Cemetery Ownership

The funeral home that you're working with will have a list of cemeteries in the area with which you can start. Cemeteries can be owned by a number of companies and organizations including:

  • Funeral homes
  • Religious organizations
  • Non-profit organizations
  • Private companies
  • Cities and municipalities

Each cemetery will have a different organizational structure, so you'll want to investigate how they manage their properties. You'll learn a lot about them by reviewing their rules and regulations.

Cemetery Restrictions

Cemeteries have a variety of state and local regulations governing their use. Each cemetery also has their own set of rules that you and your family will have to follow. Get a copy of these policies from each one in which you are interested and make sure you understand them. They will cover such topics as:

  • Allowable grave marker materials, shapes and sizes
  • Who can install a headstone or marker
  • Requirements for how a memorial must be installed
  • Maintenance responsibilities of the family and the facility
  • How the facility handles vandalism of graves and memorials

Cemetery Services and Pricing

Review the different services offered by each cemetery and understand the pricing. Don't let your family be surprised by unexpected charges when it comes time to execute your funeral plans. Some cemeteries bundle services together, while others charge for each one separately.

Some of the services to investigate at each cemetery include:

  • Transportation of the casket from the funeral home to the cemetery
  • Excavating the grave site and inserting the concrete vault
  • Filling the grave after the casket is in place, including any sod work that needs to be done
  • Use of chairs, tents and awnings for graveside services
  • Preparing the site for the memorial stone

Using the Cemetery Columbarium

If you will be cremated and will have your cremains placed in the cemetery, there are some different services you'll look at including:

  • The placement of your cremation urn in a columbarium niche
  • Burial in a smaller memorial plot for urns
  • Maintenance of the niche or burial plot

Make sure the facility is a pleasant place with friendly, helpful staff that will aid your family as they place you in your final resting spot. Doing so will take a load off of your loved ones when they come to pay their respects to you. For more information, visit a funeral home like Pineview Funeral Service.

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Finding The Right Funeral Home

Nothing is more difficult than trying to plan a funeral for someone that you love. In addition to figuring out who to have speak and what to do to honor their memory, you might also be stressed out about choosing an appropriate funeral home. However, you don't have to worry so much about the details if you are willing to shop around for a great funeral home. My blog is dedicated to teaching you different features about funeral homes, so that you aren't left guessing when the big day comes. You never know, this information might help you to honor a loved one.

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