I also admire him because of the KIND of father he was to us (my brother and me).  Yes, he loved us… very much.  But he also instilled in us a core value system that defined who HE was.  And that, was a man who kept promises.  Honored commitment.  He was a man of integrity.  Whenever we stumbled, he could have accepted our bitching & moaning and advised us to take the easy way out and quit.  But he’d have none of THAT.  He fully expected us to see things through, all the way to the end without drama.  “Do it.  It just needs to be done.” he’d always say to me.

Do they take your organs out when you die?


My dad had a contract with National Cremation and when he passed away, we called them. We spoke with Mallory and she answered all our questions. She was super nice about everything, knowledgeable and put us at ease with the process. She made the whole thing a lot better than it would have been had she been not as accommodating to our questions. Nobody was prepared for a tough time such as this and she made a difference as well as the receptionist who already knew my name every time I called. It takes a special person to do the... Read More
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?


Cremated remains are returned to the next of kin in different manners according to custom and country. In the United States, the cremated remains are almost always contained in a thick watertight polyethylene plastic bag contained within a hard snap-top rectangular plastic container, which is labeled with a printed paper label. The basic sealed plastic container bag may be contained within a further cardboard box or velvet sack, or they may be contained within an urn if the family had already purchased one. An official certificate of cremation prepared under the authority of the crematorium accompanies the remains, and if required by law, the permit for disposition of human remains, which must remain with the cremated remains.
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.
When you arrived you received a stone, these are called blessing stone’s, Luke loved ‘rocks’, he often gave them to his parents for gifts. Since we desire so much for this family, I ask that you think about a wish or a blessing that you have for Ben, Adrienne and Joshua and at the end of the ceremony please place your stone in the vase in the hallway, they will display the vase in their home and think of all your warm thoughts.
In 1917, Volume 6 of the American Lutheran Survey stated that "The Lutheran clergy as a rule refuse" and that "Episcopal pastors often take a stand against it."[93] Indeed, in the 1870s, the Anglican Bishop of London stated that the practice of cremation would "undermine the faith of mankind in the doctrine of the resurrection of the body, and so bring about a most disastrous social revolution."[94] In The Lutheran Pastor, George Henry Gerberding stated:

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?


Adrienne’s sister Annette said, “I love Lukey Luke as if he was my own son.  He is my daughter's best friend. I was talking to Elise about Luke dying and she said “its ok mom he still is going to be ok”. “I know that we have a strong family and that we will get through this trying time.  However, I know that it will never be over; the grief will change over time and be about Luke’s life not death.  I know that Luke is now with my father enjoying his new life, and I'm sure that my father is enjoying Luke.  Luke was such a beautiful boy.  Even in the 4 years he was here he was able to teach me that he was never predictable (nor is life), you never knew what he was going to do next “Love Aunty Annette
Linda S____  Luke’s daycare provider writes , Dear Adrienne, Ben and Josh, “Our hearts are heavy with sadness. I loved taking care of Luke, even when he was naughty, I would look at his beautiful eyes and still loved him. He loved to run to the table at lunch to get his spot at the head of the table. I loved kissing his cheeks, but I don’t think he liked it because he would wipe it off. Luke would never leave unless he had his sucker. When there were no sucks left he would tell papa. I wanted to come and see him but I waited to long. I know someday I will see Luke in heaven, because I know Jesus in my heart.” Jesus said I am the truth and the life no one comes to the father but through me.” Love Dave and Linda.

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.


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... Read More
Other people view cremation as a way of simplifying their funeral process. These people view a traditional ground burial as an unneeded complication of their funeral process, and thus choose cremation to make their services as simple as possible. Cremation is a more simple disposition method to plan than a burial funeral. This is because with a burial funeral one would have to plan for more transportation services for the body as well as embalming and other body preservation methods. With a burial funeral one will also have to purchase a casket, headstone, grave plot, opening and closing of the grave fee, and mortician fees. Cremation funerals only require planning the transportation of the body to a crematorium, cremation of the body, and a cremation urn.[71]
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.
When you have experienced the loss of a loved one, you can trust us to guide you through the arrangements necessary to create a meaningful ceremony that celebrates the unique life being honored. Our staff is committed to providing the highest quality care and service in your time of need, and we take pride in our responsibility to lighten your burden as you take the first steps toward healing.

How long do funeral services take?


Ralph played football in Goodrich High School; and after graduating in 1968, he worked at GM for a little while, a job he hated. He then joined the Marines -- against his Dad’s wishes. He served one tour of duty, and when he returned, the job market was poor. It was August 1974. He went to the Marines recruitment office in Detroit to re-enlist, and it just so happens Linda was there, enlisting herself. Afterwards both walked to the bus station, and he started talking to Linda. She was wary of him, being that they were in Detroit. Then she found out they were taking the same bus to Flint, and they chatted the whole way home. Their courtship continued and in February of 1975, Ralph proposed while on leave. They were married that September. Their first married year together, they lived in Camp Pendleton in California, and then he was stationed for a while in Alaska. Ralph fell in love with Alaska, where he enjoyed salmon fishing with his buddies. It became his dream to live there permanently one day and work in the Juno police force.

We mourn our loss of a good husband, father, grandfather, father-in-law, son-in-law, and friend. There is a sense of unfairness that Ralph’s life would end just a couple of years before retirement, which he had many plans for. We mourn his dreams that will never be fulfilled. An old proverb says that: “Life is short, but wide”. Ralph’s life may have been shorter than we hoped it would be, but it was crafted meticulously with his own hands and filled wide with many, many happy moments spent with his family, whom he deeply loved.
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.
Ralph was transferred to the U.S. Mint at West Point in NY, on November 3, 2002, and moved to here in New Jersey. In recent years, Ralph became deeply interested in his genealogy. He was fiercely proud of his Scottish heritage, says Ellen. He was also a proud member of the Sons of the American Revolution, and The Mayflower Society, being one of 26 male descendents from the Mayflower. Ralph and Linda traveled often, and their road trips usually included a stop at the National Archives, or stopping in to visit a distant relative he had discovered through his research.

Can you have a funeral without a body?


Contrary to popular belief, the cremated remains are not ashes in the usual sense. After the incineration is completed, the dry bone fragments are swept out of the retort and pulverised by a machine called a Cremulator—essentially a high-capacity, high-speed blender—to process them into "ashes" or "cremated remains",[56][57] although pulverisation may also be performed by hand. This leaves the bone with a fine sand like texture and color, able to be scattered without need for mixing with any foreign matter,[58] though the size of the grain varies depending on the Cremulator used. The mean weight of an adult's remains is 2.4 kg; the mean weight for adult males is about 1 kg higher than that for adult females.[59] There are various types of Cremulators, including rotating devices, grinders, and older models using heavy metal balls.[60] The grinding process typically takes about 20 seconds.

How do I choose a funeral home?

×