Deciding Between Funeral Care and Cremation Services in Renton, WA

Expert Funeral Home and Cremations Support in Renton, WA

Since 1907 Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory has been helping the families of our area to lay their loved ones to rest. Our greatest desire is to help bring a measure of comfort to those who grieve the death of someone they love. When you need funeral home and cremations care in Renton, WA, stop by our office and facility at 4567 Rainier Ave S Seattle, WA 98118. You can call for an immediate conversation at (206) 722-1100.

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When at-need services are required for a fallen loved one, the decision to bury or cremate can be difficult. Both of these disposition styles have their advantages and drawbacks. Your family’s needs and preferences will influence which choice is best. The good news is there is no wrong answer to funeral and cremations planning in Renton, WA. What matters is that the funeral or cremation service is one that helps those who grieve to begin their healing journey and adjustment to life without the person who has died.

So, what are the benefits of the different disposition styles? And are either of them better to choose in certain circumstances? Ultimately, these questions are best left for the family to decide, but the details of each service type can help. Here is what you need to know:

Benefits of Funeral and Casket Burial

The traditional funeral service has a long-standing history as the default means of caring for the deceased. Until recent decades, the service was largely one of tradition, with little by way of personalization. However, that has changed for the better. Families who choose this service appreciate that funerals can be planned with a personalized focus on their deceased loved one.

Modern funerals are held in a variety of ways, incorporating elements of tradition and current styles of bidding farewell. Many people choose to make the funeral a celebration of life, rather than a gathering of grief. While all funerals are emotionally difficult, making a funeral and cremations service in Renton, WA an experience of happiness for a life well lived can make a profound difference in the feeling of the services. Funeral services generally include some or all elements of the following:

• Viewing: Family and friends can gather together to spend time with each other in the presence of the body of their loved one. The deceased will have been embalmed, dressed, and groomed for the reception. This informal occasion is one of love and outpouring of support for the family of the deceased. It also gives visitors a chance to come and pay their last respects. Individuals that are struggling to accept the reality that death has happened will be able to see the person in a casket. This opportunity is helpful in beginning the healing process.

• Funeral: The funeral is a formal gathering, where family and friends gather in memory of the person now deceased. There are usually readings, music, a life sketch, and other details given about the person. The act of holding a commemorative occasion to mark the passing of a loved one is beneficial to family and community alike. Attendees share in their pain and grief and are not alone in their loss. They comfort and carry each other through the experience.

• Graveside Service: After the funeral service, the deceased is taken to their gravesite. There, the casket is ported to their burial plot and a small service is held. In this final act of goodbye, family and friends who gather at the graveside can participate in laying their loved one to rest. Brief readings, prayer, and words are often spoken. For those who loved this person in life, the experience at the graveside often becomes a memory etched in mind for a lifetime.

Benefits of Cremation Service

Cremation is another great option to care for a loved one’s remains. The act of cremation is the disposition of the body but is not the final place of rest. That important detail must also be decided upon by the family. Cremations and aquamation (alkaline hydrolysis) provide similar benefits to families.

• Cost: Cremation is less expensive than a funeral burial. There is no need to purchase a casket, grave plot, or to pay for embalmment. Today’s families appreciate keeping things simple and cost-friendly, without sacrificing on the quality of caring for their loved one in death.

• Earth Gentle: Cremations and aquamation do not burden the earth as much as casket burials can. Because there is no need to use embalming chemicals, fewer pollutions are leaching into the earth. Natural resources of woods, metals, and cement are also reserved for other uses.

• Memorials: A memorial service is similar to a funeral in form and purpose. The body of the deceased does not need to be present at the occasion. This difference provides increased flexibility when planning the date and time of the tribute.

Funeral & Cremation FAQs

What are the options for keeping cremated ashes?
The most common place to keep cremated ashes is cremation urns. Some splits the ashes per close family members and put it into vials. Learn more.
How is cremation performed?
The body is placed in a cremator, a powerful oven that heats up to 1800 degrees Fahrenheit and reduces the body down to sterile bone ash for easy storage in an urn or for scattering. Learn more about cremation arrangements.
How long should I stay when visiting a wake?
The suggested time to visit a wake is anywhere between 20- 60 minutes. However this depends on how close you are to the deceased and how close you are to the family of the deceased. We always suggest to use your own discretion upon deciding when to leave.