At a time in my life when it felt like everything was falling apart, Elizabeth Franco and her staff made me feel welcomed and helped me with a bunch of questions I had that I didn't feel comfortable speaking about with others quite yet. I never hesitated to listen and steer me in a positive direction. My grandfather is going to the National Cemetery in Bushnell and I was filled with useful information on how the process will go. She and her staff are greatly appreciated more than these words can express. Thank you again.
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.

           With her children  on their own, Molly had more time for herself and was able to focus on activities such as redecorating, listening to her favorite music on CDs and growing roses.  The gardening was a further extension of her green thumb. She had always had lots of house plants and many people commented that her home resembled a jungle inside. Molly also loved the natural environment and hated to see the desecration of the desert.

Who works in a morgue?


If you choose a direct cremation for your loved one, the funeral home or crematory will most likely return the remains to you in a very basic container. But you may choose to have the remains transferred into a permanent urn (the facility serving you will be happy to do this for you). If you are searching for the perfect urn, you may want to browse through our beautiful collection of funeral urns.

^ Gassmann, Günther; Larson, Duane H.; Oldenburg, Mark W. (4 April 2001). Historical Dictionary of Lutheranism. Scarecrow Press. p. 48. ISBN 9780810866201. Retrieved 22 April 2014. Cremation was unheard of from the time Charlemagne outlawed it (784) until the 17th century. At that point, the practice was urged primarily by those opposed to the church, and for a long time cremation was forbidden by Roman Catholicism and practiced only reluctantly by Protestants. Recently, these strictures have eased, and more and more churches have established columbaria or memorial gardens within their precincts for the reception of the ashes by the faithful.
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.
My mother death was a sudden  shock  to us .She passed away on June 14, 2017 .It was a very difficult moment for all of us in the family! Chris was with us every step of the way even after regular business hours, he did such a fantastic job  from the initial of my 1st call he help  us  to pick up the right  casket till the end of the process On behalf of my family .I would like to thank the entire staff of Oviedo National Cremation & particularly Chris for his professionalism, kindness support .I  would  highly recommend them to others for funeral arrangements
My father passed away April 2017. He had prepaid his cremation services through National Cremation in Oviedo, Florida many years prior. I met with Stephen Barreto at an appointed time. He had the file in hand, and all of the paperwork ready to start the information gathering process. He kept in constant communication through out the process, and every little special request and detail was in order when I went to pick up my father's remains. He assisted with the death certificate process, ensured the certificates were sent to me in New Jersey, and provided an overall sense of reassurance... Read More
Because loved ones are committing the deceased back to the earth, this intimate service is also called a committal service. A graveside service often follows a traditional funeral, but sometimes may be the only service a family chooses. Often a pastor will speak a few words of comfort (think “ashes to ashes and dust to dust”) or the funeral director may share a few remarks at the wishes of the family, but otherwise this service is usually fairly short and simple.
Now hot sauce in his coffee was another matter entirely - Ralph loved spicy food. Yes, he would put hot sauce in his coffee, and salt in his soy sauce. Suzie and her husband Michael remember the time they made fresh hot pepper powder for Ralph – they baked and ground the pepper, it was so strong they had to come back an hour later wearing masks to finish the job. In the end, Ralph tasted the powder and said: “It’s a little warm.” Dennis remembers with delight that he broke the record and finally found a hot sauce that was too hot for Ralph. He had given it to Ralph who tried it, brought it back the next day, and humbly grumbled, “I can’t eat this.” 

You will likely need a funeral director to help you make arrangements for handling the body, but in many states, this is not required. If you are in an area that permits home funerals and burials, you may be able to handle most of the preparation yourself. See our page on home funerals and burials. As far as arranging the ceremony, you may find that you would like to work with a funeral celebrant. A funeral celebrant is a trained professional whose job is to help you plan the type of ceremony you would like.


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.
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. 

What is a service for a funeral?


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.
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.
Cremated remains can be scattered or buried. Cremation plots or columbarium niches are usually cheaper than a traditional burial plot or mausoleum crypt, and require less space. Some religions, such as Roman Catholicism, require the burial or entombment of cremated remains, but burial of cremated remains may often be accomplished in the burial plot of another person, such as a family member, without any additional cost. This option is charged for in England in an Anglican church where the fee is set by the Table of Parochial Fees (£36 to incumbent and £78 to church council) a total of £114 in 2010 with a marker charged as extra. It is also very common to scatter the remains in a place the deceased liked—such as the sea, a river, a beach, a park, or mountains, following their last will. This is generally forbidden in public places but easy to do. Some persons choose to have a small part of their ashes (usually less than 1 part in 1000, because of cost constraints) scattered in space (known as space burial and offered by companies such as Elysium Space, Celestis and Ascending Memories). Cremated remains can now also be converted to diamonds.
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?


Ralph eventually grew tired of living in the suburbs and so in 1985, they moved to Goodrich, where he had purchased 5 acres of land. Linda says that Ralph was in his glory there. He had a huge vegetable garden, and as usual his goal to remodel one room turned into remodeling the entire house. Ralph loved to build, and was very handy. Then his shoulder was badly hurt on the job during a fight with prisoners; and he had to quite his job, so as not to risk hurting his shoulder again.

After the sudden passing of my wife, Caren, I contacted National Cremation. They met me at the hospital and set up an appointment with Mr. Stephen Barreto. He was very professional, knowledgeable, caring and while treating me with the utmost respect, he very patiently explained all my options. Within a very short period, all the arrangements were made and only five days later I received the urn in preparation for a Memorial Service at their location. Although we had a larger than expected turnout, Mr. Barreto went out of his way to accommodate everyone. His assistance and that of the staff was simply outstanding and very much appreciated. Altogether, Mr. Barreto while very compassionate made the whole experience as painless as possible.


Our mission at Baldwin-Fairchild Oviedo Funeral Home is to help families create personalized funerals and memorials. This approach keeps us open to traditional religious rites as well as contemporary gatherings that deeply reflect a person's life. That means that whether you want a basic cremation with cremated remains scattered in a personally meaningful place, a funeral in our cozy chapel with cemetery burial nearby, or a modern celebration of life with live music, favorite foods and a send-off that expresses the passions of yourself or your loved one, we are happy to deliver.
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.
We use a variety of flowers in our funeral arrangements, like:●       Daisies●       Lilies●       Orchids●       Roses●       HydrangeasThese are popular funeral flowers because they have symbolic meaning pertaining to loss. However, any arrangement of flowers may be appropriate at a funeral. Although white flowers are most commonly associated with loss, colorful flowers may be helpful in brightening up the atmosphere. Flowers with springtime colors are optimal because spring is often associated with rebirth and hopefulness.

           When it was time for college, Molly came to the University of Arizona and majored in English. She transferred to UC Davis for just a semester, then came back to the U of A. Molly had a beautiful soprano voice and in these years she frequently played the guitar, accompanying herself. She had a gift for music – by just hearing a piece of music she was able to reproduce it on the guitar. Because of her lovely voice, she was enlisted to sing at many of the family weddings.  In later years, when Molly went to a  class reunion, taking Megan along as her date, many of her former classmates came up and recounted their memories of her singing and playing. 
^ Schulweis, Harold M. "SHAILOS & TSUVAS: QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS". Archived from the original on 23 February 2007. Retrieved 21 February 2007. Judaism is a tradition which affirms life. It has struggled from its inception against concentration on death and the deification of the human being as exemplified in the Egyptian concern with mummification and the preservation of the body after death.
In the United States federal law does not dictate any container requirements for cremation. Certain states, however, may require an opaque or non-transparent container of all cremations. This can be a simple corrugated-cardboard box or a wooden casket (coffin). Most casket manufacturers provide lines of caskets that are specially built for cremation.[citation needed] Another option is a cardboard box that fits inside a wooden shell, which is designed to look like a traditional casket. After the funeral service, the box is removed from the shell before cremation, permitting the shell to be re-used.[47] Funeral homes may also offer rental caskets, which are traditional caskets used only during the services, after which the bodies are transferred to other containers for cremation.[citation needed] Rental caskets are sometimes designed with removable beds and liners, which are replaced after each use.[citation needed]
I called National Cremation from the hospital when my wife unexpectantly passed away. A representative met me at the hospital within an hour to get the process started. A day later I met with Stephen ** who was extremely helpful in guiding me through the cremation process. He was very professional, knowledgeable, caring, and friendly which made the task so much easier. His help and that of the staff at the Memorial Service was simply outstanding.
The magnitude 9.0–9.3 2004 Indian Ocean earthquake triggered a series of lethal tsunamis on 26 December 2004 that killed almost 300,000 people, making them the deadliest tsunamis in recorded history. The tsunamis killed people over an area ranging from the immediate vicinity of the quake in Southeast Asia (Indonesia, Thailand, and the northwestern coast of Malaysia), to thousands of kilometers away in the Indian subcontinent (Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, the Maldives), the Horn of Africa (Somalia), and the African Great Lakes (Kenya and Tanzania).
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 you Chris and Steven for the great work that you do!!!

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?


However, more recent LDS publications have provided instructions for how to dress the deceased when they have received their temple endowments (and thus wear temple garments) prior to cremation for those wishing to do so, or in countries where the law requires cremation. Except where required by law, the family of the deceased may decide whether the body should be cremated, though the Church "does not normally encourage cremation."[104]
           Molly grew up in  northern California town, but spent her middle school and early high school years in Connecticut. Early on she showed evidence of the lively spirit that was her signature throughout her life. She was a tomboy, climbing trees, hiking in the woods and running around – once ending up on crutches for six months. She adored horses and always chose to go to ranch-style summer camps. During the summers when the family lived in the East, she and Bridget had a farm stand, selling corn and tomatoes from the family garden. By her senior year, the family moved back to California and Molly finished up at Saint Vincent High School  in Petaluma. 

A dead adult Hindu is mourned with a cremation, while a dead child is typically buried.[106][107] The rite of passage is performed in harmony with the Hindu religious view that the microcosm of all living beings is a reflection of a macrocosm of the universe.[108] The soul (Atman, Brahman) is the essence and immortal that is released at the Antyeshti ritual, but both the body and the universe are vehicles and transitory in various schools of Hinduism. They consist of five elements – air, water, fire, earth and space.[108] The last rite of passage returns the body to the five elements and origins.[106][108][109] The roots of this belief are found in the Vedas, for example in the hymns of Rigveda in section 10.16, as follows:
In 1869, the idea was presented to the Medical International Congress of Florence by Professors Coletti and Castiglioni "in the name of public health and civilization". In 1873, Professor Paolo Gorini of Lodi and Professor Ludovico Brunetti of Padua published reports of practical work they had conducted.[17] A model of Brunetti's cremating apparatus, together with the resulting ashes, was exhibited at the Vienna Exposition in 1873 and attracted great attention[18] Meanwhile, Sir Charles William Siemens had developed his regenerative furnace in the 1850s. His furnace operated at a high temperature by using regenerative preheating of fuel and air for combustion. In regenerative preheating, the exhaust gases from the furnace are pumped into a chamber containing bricks, where heat is transferred from the gases to the bricks. The flow of the furnace is then reversed so that fuel and air pass through the chamber and are heated by the bricks. Through this method, an open-hearth furnace can reach temperatures high enough to melt steel, and this process made cremation an efficient and practical proposal. Charles's nephew, Carl Friedrich von Siemens perfected the use of this furnace for the incineration of organic material at his factory in Dresden. The radical politician, Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, took the corpse of his dead wife there to be cremated in 1874. The efficient and cheap process brought about the quick and complete incineration of the body and was a fundamental technical breakthrough that finally made industrial cremation a practical possibility.[19]
After the unexpected death of our daughter, Funeral Director Stephen ** guided us and assisted us with all of our needs. He coordinated with another funeral home to assist in the process due to the distance between our home and hers. He guarded and respected our privacy when we met in his office to discuss the details and make sensible decisions. He explained every detail. We didn't have to worry about a thing as he took care of everything. He continues to be available to assist us, answer questions and provide support.
Our affordable plans have helped 100,000’s of Americans during one of life’s most challenging moments. We are proud to serve in Florida and to offer our families options to pre arrange with us. Florida residents can now make arrangements from the privacy of their home. Our simple 4 step process makes it easy to plan ahead. If at any point you have questions or would like to speak with one of our licensed funeral directors, just call our local office. We are here to help.
Elizabeth has been in the industry for about 20 years, attended mortuary school at Antilles College of Health of San Juan, Puerto Rico, and graduated in January 2000. She worked at Funeraria Viner in Bayamon, PR (1999-2003). In 2003, she relocated to Kentucky, and was unable to transfer her college credits. Elizabeth returned to college and got her Associate of Arts Degree in Funeral Service at John A. Gupton College of Nashville, TN, and graduated in December of 2006. Elizabeth moved to Florida in the summer of 2007 with her three children and completed her internship at Lakeland Funeral Home and Memorial Gardens (2007-2010). She received her Florida Funeral Director and Embalmers License in 2008. Elizabeth was promoted and was transferred to Harvey-Engelhardt Funeral and Cremation Services in Fort Myers (2010-2011). She then returned to Central Florida and worked at Funeraria y Crematorio Porta Coeli, Kissimmee (2011-2017) and Lanier Funeral and Cremation Services (2017-2018). She joined our Team in November of 2018.
My father passed away April 2017. He had prepaid his cremation services through National Cremation in Oviedo, Florida many years prior. I met with Stephen Barreto at an appointed time. He had the file in hand, and all of the paperwork ready to start the information gathering process. He kept in constant communication through out the process, and every little special request and detail was in order when I went to pick up my father’s remains. He assisted with the death certificate process, ensured the certificates were sent to me in New Jersey, and provided an overall sense of reassurance that everything would be, and was, taken care of. I highly recommend National Cremation be it Oviedo, or any other location, as the staff was courteous, well trained, and a pleasure to interact with. Thank you so much to Steven Barreto for your kindness, patience, and attention to detail. You made everything perfect.
In 1869, the idea was presented to the Medical International Congress of Florence by Professors Coletti and Castiglioni "in the name of public health and civilization". In 1873, Professor Paolo Gorini of Lodi and Professor Ludovico Brunetti of Padua published reports of practical work they had conducted.[17] A model of Brunetti's cremating apparatus, together with the resulting ashes, was exhibited at the Vienna Exposition in 1873 and attracted great attention[18] Meanwhile, Sir Charles William Siemens had developed his regenerative furnace in the 1850s. His furnace operated at a high temperature by using regenerative preheating of fuel and air for combustion. In regenerative preheating, the exhaust gases from the furnace are pumped into a chamber containing bricks, where heat is transferred from the gases to the bricks. The flow of the furnace is then reversed so that fuel and air pass through the chamber and are heated by the bricks. Through this method, an open-hearth furnace can reach temperatures high enough to melt steel, and this process made cremation an efficient and practical proposal. Charles's nephew, Carl Friedrich von Siemens perfected the use of this furnace for the incineration of organic material at his factory in Dresden. The radical politician, Sir Charles Wentworth Dilke, took the corpse of his dead wife there to be cremated in 1874. The efficient and cheap process brought about the quick and complete incineration of the body and was a fundamental technical breakthrough that finally made industrial cremation a practical possibility.[19]
Our mission at Baldwin-Fairchild Oviedo Funeral Home is to help families create personalized funerals and memorials. This approach keeps us open to traditional religious rites as well as contemporary gatherings that deeply reflect a person's life. That means that whether you want a basic cremation with cremated remains scattered in a personally meaningful place, a funeral in our cozy chapel with cemetery burial nearby, or a modern celebration of life with live music, favorite foods and a send-off that expresses the passions of yourself or your loved one, we are happy to deliver.
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..   

What happens if no one pays for your funeral?

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