Most of us would collapse under the weight of these challenges. But, Luke was so much more than his fragile body conveyed.  Luke accepted  his challenge of cancer in the same way he accepted everything: with remarkable strength, tremendous courage and with an indominatable spirit.  His smile was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud, warming all that it touches. Luke conveyed more joy, contentment and hope than anything we could have imagined possible.  He came to this earth to teach each of us different lessons.   Learn from him, strive to be like him.  Do not let his legacy end. Talk about how his life was short, but touched many.
Christians preferred to bury the dead rather than to cremate the remains, as was common in Roman culture. The Roman catacombs and veneration of relics of saints witness to this preference. For them, the body was not a mere receptacle for a spirit that was the real person, but an integral part of the human person.[81] They looked on the body as sanctified by the sacraments[82] and itself the temple of the Holy Spirit,[83] and thus requiring to be disposed of in a way that honours and reveres it, and they saw many early practices involved with disposal of dead bodies as pagan in origin or an insult to the body.[84]
Neptune Society is the largest provider of affordable cremation services in the nation. Thanks to the loyal support of generations of families, we’ve now grown to 45 locations nationwide with continued expansion in the future. Over the past 47+ years, our experienced team has assisted families, their loved ones, and caregivers in carrying out final wishes more affordably, with dignity and respect. Please contact your local Neptune Society office for cremation prices, and to learn more about our cremation service.
Born January 28, 1950 to Ralph and Jeanne Lorraine King, Ralph grew up on a farm in Flint, Michigan - a very small town where he also attended a 2-room schoolhouse. He had two sisters, Marg and Bonnie, and a brother, Jerry. Ralph was tempered by the hard life he had. It is said that when he went to sleep at night he had a glass of water on his nightstand, and when he woke up, the glass was full of ice. That says a lot about the hardiness, strength and endurance he had to develop. In his youth, he learned how to work hard and demonstrated self-discipline by raising horses all on his own, working jobs and bartering to get them. His love of coffee began at age 9 -- after he’d do his morning chores in the barn, he’d come into the house and his mom would give him a cup. On a farm, there are so many tasks that just have to get done, no questions asked.  Being a farmer, Ralph loved John Deere tractors, the best tractors in the world of course.

Chris with National Cremation in Oviedo made a very difficult time so much easier! Very genuine and caring. Funeral expenses were reasonable compared to others in the area. We were so grateful for Chris's knowledge and assistance with this difficult process. Everything went smoothly and with Chis's assistance, we were able to focus on celebrating our loved one's life instead of being burdened with overwhelming details.
At present there are four crematoria in operation at BIRKENAU, two large ones, I and II, and two smaller ones, III and IV. Those of type I and II consist of 3 parts, i.e.,: (A) the furnace room; (B) the large halls; and (C) the gas chamber. A huge chimney rises from the furnace room around which are grouped nine furnaces, each having four openings. Each opening can take three normal corpses at once and after an hour and a half the bodies are completely burned. This corresponds to a daily capacity of about 2,000 bodies... Crematoria III and IV work on nearly the same principle, but their capacity is only half as large. Thus the total capacity of the four cremating and gassing plants at BIRKENAU amounts to about 6,000 daily.[35]
Not all that remains is bone. There may be melted metal lumps from missed jewellery; casket furniture; dental fillings; and surgical implants, such as hip replacements. Breast implants do not have to be removed before cremation.[62] Some medical devices such as pacemakers may need to be removed before cremation to avoid the risk of explosion. Large items such as titanium hip replacements (which tarnish but do not melt) or casket hinges are usually removed before processing, as they may damage the processor. (If they are missed at first, they must ultimately be removed before processing is complete, as items such as titanium joint replacements are far too durable to be ground.) Implants may be returned to the family, but are more commonly sold as ferrous/non-ferrous scrap metal. After the remains are processed, smaller bits of metal such as tooth fillings, and rings (commonly known as gleanings) are sieved out and may be later interred in common, consecrated ground in a remote area of the cemetery. They may also be sold as precious metal scrap.
Our compassionate experts can walk you through every step of the cremation process, including the care for and preparation of the body (which varies depending on religious requirements and type of service chosen), planning a unique funeral or memorial service that reflects the individual, choosing a burial option and selecting family keepsakes. We offer cremation packages to fit your family tradition, personal wishes and budget.
^ Shimizu, Louise Picon; Maruyama, Meredith Enman; Tsurumaki, Nancy Smith (1998). Japan Health Handbook. Kodansha International. p. 335. ISBN 4-7700-2356-1. Not only is cremation of the body and internment [sic] of the ashes in an urn a long-standing Buddhist practice, it is also a highly practical idea today, given the scarcity of burial space in crowded modern Japan.

In 1885, the first official cremation in the United Kingdom took place in Woking. The deceased was Jeanette Pickersgill, a well-known figure in literary and scientific circles.[25] By the end of the year, the Cremation Society of Great Britain had overseen two more cremations, a total of 3 out of 597,357 deaths in the UK that year.[22] In 1888, 28 cremations took place at the venue. In 1891, Woking Crematorium added a chapel, pioneering the concept of a crematorium being a venue for funerals as well as cremation.[21]


On behalf of the family, we thank everyone for the amazing and overwhelming outpouring of support, prayers and love that has been expresses to us over the past 6 months. A special thank you to everyone at University of Children’s Comer Hospital, The nurses, doctors, Child life department to name a few. Remember Luke, talk about his life, remember our wild little boy.  Lucas will now be with his Grandfather Richard Lanoue.

What do you do after a funeral?


The final disposition depends on the personal preferences of the deceased as well as their cultural and religious beliefs. Some religions will permit the cremated remains to be sprinkled or retained at home. Some religions, such as Roman Catholicism, prefer to either bury or entomb the remains. Hinduism obliges the closest male relative (son, grandson, etc.) of the deceased to immerse the cremated remains in the holy river Ganges, preferably at one of the holy cities Triveni Sangam, Allahabad, Varanasi, or Haridwar in India. The Sikhs immerse the remains in Sutlej, usually at Sri Harkiratpur. In southern India, the ashes are immersed in the river Kaveri at Paschima vahini in Srirangapattana at a stretch where the river flows from east to west, depicting the life of a human being from sunrise to sunset. In Japan and Taiwan, the remaining bone fragments are given to the family and are used in a burial ritual before final interment.

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.
Most of us would collapse under the weight of these challenges. But, Luke was so much more than his fragile body conveyed.  Luke accepted  his challenge of cancer in the same way he accepted everything: with remarkable strength, tremendous courage and with an indominatable spirit.  His smile was like the sun coming out from behind a cloud, warming all that it touches. Luke conveyed more joy, contentment and hope than anything we could have imagined possible.  He came to this earth to teach each of us different lessons.   Learn from him, strive to be like him.  Do not let his legacy end. Talk about how his life was short, but touched many.

What does mortuary science consist of?

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