Burial Services

Whether to be buried or cremated is one of the first decisions to make. It is a choice dependent upon many factors, such as family precedent, values, religion, and intuitive preference. This may be a clear choice or one that needs to be considered further. We hope that the following information helps you to understand what each involves.

There are actually two parts to burial, as there are two parts to cremation:

  • how the body is cared for in death
  • how the person is memorialized by the living.

Burial

How is the body cared for if burial is chosen? Most people are familiar with the concept of burial, or “interment.” A body in a casket is buried under the earth in a cemetery marked with a monument.  What considerations come to mind?

Before burial, a person’s body is usually embalmed, but not always. They are dressed and their face, hands, and hair arranged. They are laid in a casket that can be closed or opened, or opened for a private time. Why do this? For some, one's physical presence is a continued way of being part of the family. Psychologically for the living, seeing a loved one in death may help to understand what has happened.

The choice of casket depends on taste, religion, budget, and values. We like that many of our caskets are made in Ontario. We have a variety of woods, some metals, some cloths. They are displayed on the second floor of our funeral home. Many others can be ordered. 

Other considerations, such as the burial plot, will be taken care of directly with the cemetery. Some cemeteries require a vault, sometimes called “outer burial container,” but not all do. Would you like to protect your loved one’s casket with a concrete vault? We carry vaults along with caskets if you decide in favour of a vault. 

“Green Burial” is available in designated cemeteries. Biodegradable caskets are used and monuments are not used, to keep the landscape as natural as possible. We carry environmentally friendly caskets and use environmentally friendly embalming fluids when requested. 

Memorialization with burial can be as simple as a private graveside service or a Celebration of Life in our Celebration Centre. Traditionally, a burial service involves a visitation, followed by a funeral service in our chapel or a church.  The casket is typically present at both these events. Burial, as a way to care for the body in death, is amenable to non-traditional services as well. Burial is a time-honoured way of caring for the body in death, as many religions testify. Please Contact Us with your thoughts, and consider your Funeral Options here.