We recently loss a family member to a car accident so it was very devastating for all of us. However, we are very thankful to have worked with the National Cremation & Burial Center in Oviedo. Mr. Chris Rhodes who is the director here was very patience in listening to our family's wishes and accommodating them (even the unusual wishes due to our cultural beliefs). We also worked with Mr. Steven who was just as compassionate and helpful. Both Chris and Steven have went out of their way to make this event as painless for our family as possible. Thank... Read More
This funeral home was phenomenal. From the moment we arrived, they welcomed us and joined us in our pain. We were able to ease the pain smoothly with easy service planning. The day of them was VERY attentive. Stephen especially was a great gentleman always making sure if we needed anything. Constantly offering us water or napkins. I HIGHLY recommend this location to everyone. They touch everything with generous love and care and that is the best in such a difficult moment. They share the pain with you and help you along the way with both economic prices and create... Read More
look at him, and talk to him.  I told him all of the time that he had to call me on the phone when he got home and tell me everything he was doing.  I always said to Adie, "you know what he'll probably say to me first??? "  Probably, "hey Jeanne, you kissed me too much".  That's how I imagine him.. all boy all the time, I wouldn't want it any other way - for sure..   
           But that did not defeat her.  In May of 2003, Molly, Meghan and Colter traveled to Cozumel together for a week. She was a nervous traveler, but her kids – who had more experience in this arena than she – were able to calm and reassure her. Once in Mexico, they had a glorious vacation together – enjoying each other even more as they realized how precious and tenuous life can be. The three of them snorkeled in the warm turquoise water, visited  the Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza and every night watched the sunset together.
           In this story, figuratively, God is the Master Gardner and each one of us is his special plants.  And those of us that are blessed enough to be called parents are the apprentices.  And similar to this story God perfectly selected Luke’s parents to nurture and love him in Ben and Adie.  Many of us are lucky enough to see the sprouts, buds and blooms of our plants while we are here on earth; however some plants like precious Lucas, the Lord has taken home to see him bloom in his garden.
A phone call to an 800 number on the paperwork led me to Maryann. I can’t say enough about how much I appreciate all that she did for me. She patiently led me to step by step through the process and it could not have been easier. A couple of signatures from me and she took care of the rest. I would give her 10 stars if I could. So based on my experience, I would not hesitate to recommend National Cremation Services to anyone.
Is there such a thing as a good funeral? After all, someone has died. We believe that a good funeral is a meaningful one. A life is commemorated, friends express their condolences, and a grieving family is comforted. The ceremony can take many forms, there is no right or wrong way to do it. There could be music and prayers, tears and laughter. At its conclusion, there is a general feeling that it was a fitting send off.
The National Cremation Society that my dad had prepaid for was a big help when he passed away this month. Stephen Barreto with the Oviedo office contacted us after he died and was so compassionate, patient and kind to me during such a difficult time. He assured me every step of the way and I appreciated how much of a help he was taking care of all the questions that I never thought of. I highly recommend this company to those making arrangements for their family.

When should you hold a funeral?


In Israel, where religious ritual events including free burial and funeral services for all who die in Israel and all citizens including the majority Jewish population including for the secular or non-observant are almost universally facilitated through the Rabinate of Israel which is an Orthodox organization following traditional Jewish law, there were no formal crematories until 2004 when B&L Cremation Systems Inc. became the first crematory manufacturer to sell a retort to Israel. In August 2007, an orthodox youth group in Israel was accused of burning down the country's sole crematorium.[122] The crematorium was rebuilt within weeks by its owner and the retort replaced.
If a friend or loved one is seriously ill and expected to die in a matter of days or weeks, consider making funeral arrangements in advance. Preparing ahead of time puts you in control and allows you to explore all your options. It will make your meeting with a funeral director more productive and is likely to save you money. Our online planning tools and forms can help you make funeral arrangements in advance. You can also try the Wise Planning System.

As all good warriors are, Ralph was strong and gentle. He gave his all to care for his family. Linda says, “He spoiled me rotten.” And his concern extended to those outside of his family as well, willing to help others in any way he could, almost to a fault. “He would talk to everybody and everybody would talk to him, even if he didn’t want them to”, Linda says. He was the kind of guy who, standing in a supermarket line, the person next to him would tell him their whole life story. His mother-in-law Mary, whom he affectionately called Maude, says he was the best son-in-law, and they had a wonderful relationship. She also remembers how mischievous he was – he used to purposefully annoy her by using her expensive Depression glass coasters as an ashtray.
National Cremation and Burial Society is one of the oldest and largest providers of affordable cremation services in the nation. At National Cremation and Burial Society Oviedo we offer arrangements at the time of death, and pre-arrangements in advance. Our staff is comprised of highly trained and compassionate professionals available 24 hours a day. As a full service funeral home, we are able to assist with traditional burial and cremation arrangements. We have a reception area to accommodate gatherings before, during, and after visitations and services. Choose National Cremation & Burial Society, and hand the responsibility for final arrangements over to us. Let us take care of these arrangements so you can take care of your family
Australia also started to establish modern cremation movements and societies. Australians had their first purpose-built modern crematorium and chapel in the West Terrace Cemetery in the South Australian capital of Adelaide in 1901. This small building, resembling the buildings at Woking, remained largely unchanged from its 19th-century style and was in full operation until the late 1950s. The oldest operating crematorium in Australia is at Rookwood Cemetery, in Sydney. It opened in 1925.
With the passing of my mother on January 31, all I really knew was she had pre-paid for her service with National Cremation Society. After making a few calls to various areas, I finally got an answer in their Tampa office who immediately told me that New Smyrna was in the Oviedo area. With one answer of the phone, NCS took over the entire situation with speed and professionalism. Stephen and his entire staff handled everything from pickup to shipment of the remains to Pennsylvania. My wife and I couldn’t be more grateful and are now considering having NCS handle our passing.

Are coffins airtight?


This site is provided as a service of SCI Shared Resources, LLC. The Dignity Memorial brand name is used to identify a network of licensed funeral, cremation and cemetery providers that include affiliates of Service Corporation International, 1929 Allen Parkway, Houston, Texas. With over 2,000 locations, Dignity Memorial providers proudly serve over 375,000 families a year.
However, because our society has become fast-paced, youth-focused and death-denying, the traditional funeral has lost meaning for some. Many experts are concerned that contemporary, simple funerals that do not incorporate meaningful ceremonies fail to provide the comfort loved ones can find in more traditional ceremonies. Successfully planning a meaningful service does not require a religious affiliation or a huge budget. It takes a thoughtful awareness of the practical requirements and emotional needs. See our article on Celebrations of Life.

In Israel, where religious ritual events including free burial and funeral services for all who die in Israel and all citizens including the majority Jewish population including for the secular or non-observant are almost universally facilitated through the Rabinate of Israel which is an Orthodox organization following traditional Jewish law, there were no formal crematories until 2004 when B&L Cremation Systems Inc. became the first crematory manufacturer to sell a retort to Israel. In August 2007, an orthodox youth group in Israel was accused of burning down the country's sole crematorium.[122] The crematorium was rebuilt within weeks by its owner and the retort replaced.
The Holocaust furnaces were supplied by a number of manufacturers, with the best known and most common being Topf and Sons as well as Kori Company of Berlin,[36] whose ovens were elongated to accommodate two bodies, slid inside from the back side. The ashes were taken out from the front side.[37] The furnaces were also unique, in that they were of a "stand alone" type, meaning that there was no visible duct work for the exhaust gases. These furnaces, based around a design commonly used for hospital incinerators, instead vented the gasses down through a series of ducts embedded in the floor, with the help of a draft fan located at the far end of the structure. Once outside, the gasses then rose through a free standing chimney, most notable for the fact that it was not directly attached to the structure of the building itself, nor had a visible duct leading into it.

The idea that cremation might interfere with God's ability to resurrect the body was refuted as early as the 2nd-century Octavius of Minucius Felix, in which he said: "Every body, whether it is dried up into dust, or is dissolved into moisture, or is compressed into ashes, or is attenuated into smoke, is withdrawn from us, but it is reserved for God in the custody of the elements. Nor, as you believe, do we fear any loss from sepulture, but we adopt the ancient and better custom of burying in the earth."[85] And while there was a clear preference for burial, there was no general Church law forbidding cremation until 1866. Even in Medieval Europe, cremation was practiced in situations where there were multitudes of corpses simultaneously present, such as after a battle, after a pestilence or famine, and where there was an imminent fear of diseases spreading from the corpses, since individual burials with digging graves would take too long and body decomposition would begin before all the corpses had been interred.
Cremated remains can be kept in an urn, stored in a special memorial building (columbarium), buried in the ground at many locations or sprinkled on a special field, mountain, or in the sea. In addition, there are several services in which the cremated remains will be scattered in a variety of ways and locations. Some examples are via a helium balloon, through fireworks, shot from shotgun shells, by boat[63] or scattered from an aeroplane. One service sends a lipstick-tube sized sample of the cremated remains into low earth orbit, where they remain for years (but not permanently) before reentering the atmosphere. Some companies[64] offer a service to turn part of the cremated remains into synthetic diamonds which can then be made into jewelry.[65]
Though many people want their cremated remains (or "ashes") to be scattered in a personally meaningful place, and some families keep ashes at home, more and more people are finding that a designated place in a cemetery is a lasting alternative to help bring healing and lasting remembrance. Cremation cemetery options include in-ground urn burial, mausoleum entombment, cremation niches, cremation benches and pedestals, columbaria and scattering gardens.
Scattering ceremonies can be simple or elaborate. The family may release the ashes silently and serenely into the ocean…or incorporate them into a spectacular firework display. The ceremony itself is usually similar to a graveside or committal service. It is an appropriate time to say a few words to honor the departed loved one. Consider reading a favorite quote or Scripture, saying a prayer, or singing a hymn.

After my father's passing from an accidental fall, my sister and I were not only hurting profoundly but were very confused as to what was going to happen in the next few days. The day after his passing we reached out to Ms. Mallory Johnson with the Oviedo, FL branch of National Cremation & Burial Services. After answering a lot of our immediate questions, we scheduled an appointment for the next day. It takes a special person to put you at ease at a moment as difficult as your father's passing. Mallory did just that. My sister, my cousin and... Read More

After the unexpected death of a family member, we were overwhelmed with the process of laying her to rest. Like anyone on a budget, I started calling around to get prices. It felt like an insensitive thing to do but cremation/burials is a competitive business, and believe me, the costs are startling. But then I called Oviedo’s National Cremation & Burial Society and their direct cremation option were surprisingly affordable – literally thousands less than the other local providers. Our family member made it known she wanted her ashes scattered at sea so a direct cremation worked for us. They even had biodegradable urns for sea burials. I had made my decision. Elizabeth Franco was the service manager who held our hands through this distressing time. She was kind, informative, and efficient. She maintained communication with us throughout the process and ensured we knew about all the keepsakes/services that their business provides to help preserve a memory. When we opted in, she offered guidance. When we opted out, she didn’t push. She replaced our stress with a sense of calm and that in itself was priceless. Elizabeth exemplifies what it means to serve during a time of crisis and hardship. I highly recommend Elizabeth and National Cremation & Burial Society.


Some people turn to cremation over burial or entombment because of the convenience, finding it more practical or cheaper to handle ashes instead of a body. Others might be squeamish about the idea of decay and are attracted to the "sanitizing" effect of flames, while some people find it fitting with their spiritual beliefs. Whatever the reason, more and more people are choosing cremation.
Some people turn to cremation over burial or entombment because of the convenience, finding it more practical or cheaper to handle ashes instead of a body. Others might be squeamish about the idea of decay and are attracted to the "sanitizing" effect of flames, while some people find it fitting with their spiritual beliefs. Whatever the reason, more and more people are choosing cremation.
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