Choosing A Cemetery During Your Funeral Pre-Planning

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Finding the right cemetery is a big part of your funeral re-planning. It can take some time because cemeteries can be owned and managed by private businesses, municipalities, churches and other non-profit organizations. The funeral home you're working with will have a list of cemeteries to get you started. Here are some things to consider as you work through that list to find the cemetery that fits your needs.

Different Owners Mean Various Rules

Each city and state may have a set of regulations that the cemeteries must follow. On top of that, each facility will have its own set of rules to which you'll have to abide. You'll want to visit each facility that you're considering and review the rules carefully. Since your family will be dealing with the cemetery after you have passed, you'll want to be sure that they are easy to deal with and that your family won't have any surprises. Some of the items that are covered by the individual cemetery policies include:

• restrictions as to the types and sizes of memorial markers allowed in the cemetery
• when a memorial stone must be installed and the requirements for how it's placed on the grave
• who is responsible for the maintenance of the grave site and memorial
• how the facility handles vandalism to the memorial and grave site

Finding a Spot in a Cemetery

If you're looking for a scenic view from your grave site, you may find that the best spots have been taken in a cemetery. Pricing is affected by the location with the best spots being the most expensive. A grave site by a service road may be the most affordable. You may prefer a spot closer to a road, though, for ease of access by your family.

Pricing Is Also Different Between Cemeteries

When looking at the pricing in a cemetery, have some idea of what you will want from them. The prices depend on the number and types of services you'll need. For example, having a grave-side burial service with a casket will require more from the cemetery than a cremation urn placed in a columbarium vault by your immediate family.

Pricing structures can be different between cemeteries. Some offer a number of services in a package while others price each service separately. The types of services you'll encounter include:

• preparing the grave for the casket or cremation urn
• setting up of tents, awnings, tables and chairs for a grave-side service
• filling in the grave and covering it with sod to match the surroundings
• the use of equipment to lower the casket into the grave
• grave site preparations to receive the memorial

Visit each cemetery and meet with some of the staff to get to know what type of facility your family will be dealing with. Contact Sturtevant Funeral Home for more information.

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14 May 2015