This section of our web site answers many of the questions you may have regarding interment and inurnment at our cemetery. Click on one of the main topics below, or start at the top and scroll though until you find the answers you need.
Question Topics:
General Questions
Why are cemeteries necessary? In our modern society, it is our responsibility to treat human remains (including cremated remains) with dignity and respect, and to place them on property dedicated for that purpose. Today’s burial grounds, or cemeteries/memorial gardens, serve as a central location for survivors to visit, to reflect, to remember and to heal. Today’s standards ensure that reputable cemeteries are continuously maintained and preserved through the years.
Cemeteries also provide a link with history. Many people visit pioneer or veterans' cemeteries to remember, and be inspired by ancestors who developed our communities and served our country.
How do modern cemeteries differ from historical burial grounds? Most cemeteries still in operation today, including West Lawn Memorial Park provide the following services:
Earth burial, often with the choice of single or double occupancy of the grave
Above-ground burial in a garden or indoor mausoleum
Earth burial for cremated remains, often in specially-designed gardens
Above-ground placement of cremated remains in a garden or indoor columbarium
When selecting a cemetery, what should I look for? Most importantly, select a cemetery with well-maintained property, and a friendly, compassionate and knowledgeable staff. At West Lawn Memorial Park, we take great pride in our grounds. And you’ll find the qualities you’re looking for in every member of our staff. We will be happy to discuss our wide range of affordable options and can provide referrals from the families we serve.
What memorialization options are available at your cemetery, and how do they differ? Here we provide a list of each of our services/options and a definition of each. You may also wish to view our general price list for information on associated costs. Inurnment – If your loved one has been cremated, you may wish to entomb or display the urn in a columbarium or garden niche. You may also choose to bury inurned remains, or scatter them in our garden. Interment – Interment includes above ground entombment, or ground burial of human remains. For both inurnment and interment, we handle all labor involved in completing a ground burial, urn placement, or crypt entombment in a mausoleum.
Markers & Monuments Markers & Monuments – Most families choose to acknowledge the unique life of a loved one with some type of permanent memorial. We can help you choose an attractive memorial that meets your needs and budget.
What is a mausoleum? A mausoleum is a durable, clean, dry, ventilated, permanent above ground structure designed for the entombment of human remains. Some mausoleums are built for the general community, while others are commissioned by, and designed for a specific family. In past centuries, mausoleum entombment was limited to royalty or the very wealthy. Famous mausoleums include the Taj Mahal, the Tomb of Unknown soldier in Washington D.C., and the Egyptian Pyramids. Today, entombment or inurnment in a mausoleum is available to most anyone, and more affordable than ever.
What is a lawn crypt? Lawn crypts, also known as “underground mausoleums,” are pre-installed vaults that allow for single or double-depth interment in a lawn space. Some crypts may hold multiple caskets so spouses or family members can be entombed together.
What is a columbarium, or cremation niche? A columbarium is similar to a “wall” of niches that store or display the urns of cremated remains. We offer a wide selection of niches with marble or glass fronts; some niches are designed for one urn, others have space for multiple urns.
How can I learn more about a private family estate? Family property is available at West Lawn Memorial Park. When you work with us to plan your own private estate, you determine how you want to allocate your space. We invite you to contact us for a private consultation, or stop by our facilities, and we can discuss the type of estate you may be interested in.
What do funeral/cremation directors do? They are caregivers, advisors, and administrators who carry out the wishes of the family. They make the arrangements for the transportation of the body, arrange memorial services, write obituaries, prepare memorial folders, obtain certified copies of the death certificate, arrange cemetery services, order and deliver urns and other merchandise, notify the Social Security office and file for the Veteran's Allowance. They also have experience assisting the bereaved in coping with death, are trained to answer questions about grief, and can recommend sources of professional help. We are happy to recommend a reputable funeral home or crematory/cremation society at your request. Simply call us as 1-541-342-8281.
Should I plan a chapel or graveside service at the cemetery? Holding a memorial service is a customary way to recognize death and its finality. Services are generally held for the living to show respect for the dead and to help survivors begin the grief process. They also give mourners a chance to share stories, create memories, fulfill religious beliefs & customs, participate in a support system, and gather at a peaceful place during a time of confusion and uncertainty. You may wish to choose a traditional funeral service, complete with a graveside service, or chapel service. Funeral or cremation directors can arrange many of these services for you, or you can contact us at 1-541-342-8281.
Who should be included in gatherings or ceremonies? Family, close friends, co-workers, fellow worshippers, neighbors & acquaintances, and in some cases, the greater community—it’s up to you how private or public you want a memorial event to be.
What is cremation? Cremation is a method for preparing the deceased for memorialization. The process has been practiced throughout human history, and is considered an alternative to traditional earth burial or entombment. Scientifically speaking, it is a process of reducing a deceased human body to bone fragments using high heat and flame.
Why do people select cremation? The reasons for choosing cremation are as varied and unique as the individuals selecting it. Some choose cremation based on their feelings toward environmental issues and land usage. For many, it is a choice that reflects the individual’s philosophical or religious beliefs. Others choose cremation to simplify the experience and save money.
Does cremation replace a funeral? Cremation does not replace a funeral; rather it allows for more choices when it comes to choosing a loved one’s final resting place(s), selecting a permanent memorial, and bringing the bereaved together to pay tribute to the deceased.
What can I do with the cremated remains? You have many choices. Cremated remains can be buried at one of our cemetery ground sites, scattered in a cremation garden, or inurned and placed in a columbarium. They can also be kept at home, or scattered over land or water. Our staff will be happy to discuss placement options with you in more detail.
Do all religions permit cremation? Religious positions vary widely regarding cremation. Some require it, others disallow or advise against it, and others take no position at all. Most, however, will allow you to decide. If you are uncertain as to the position your religion embraces, speak directly with your clergy.
Specifically, what does the Catholic Church believe? The 1983 Code of Canon Law (canon 1176) states, “The Church earnestly recommends that the pious custom of burying the bodies of the dead be observed; it does not however, forbid cremation unless it has been chosen for reasons which are contrary to Christian teaching.” If cremation is chosen, the Church prefers that the body of the deceased be present during funeral rites, with cremation taking place later. However, if this is impossible, a funeral may take place in a church with the cremated remains present. The remains are then to be buried with full reverence in a cemetery or entombed in a mausoleum or columbarium, and whenever possible a plaque or stone bearing the name of the deceased should mark the site. The Catholic Church does not approve of scattering remains, as it does not believe that scattering meets the requirements of reverent disposition.
Can I hold a graveside service if I choose cremation?
If you choose to bury, scatter or place the cremated remains somewhere at our cemetery, then a “graveside” service can be held prior to disposition. You may choose to bury the remains on a family plot. We also have memorial gardens for scattering the remains, and a columbarium for storing and displaying urns.
How can I create a special memorial service? Services range from simple to formal, religious to secular. We can offer many creative ideas for personalizing your service. By remembering the qualities that made your loved one who they were—their unique characteristics and personality—you commemorate their life. By sharing these memories during a service, you personalize the ceremony. Your family, friends, clergy, funeral/cremation director, and a member of our staff can help.
Some people cannot afford basic memorialization services. Is financial aid available to the poor? Other than the family, there are veteran, union, and other organizational benefits to pay for funerals, cremation and final disposition, including, in certain instances, a lump sum death payment from Social Security. In most states, some forms of public aid allowances are available from the state, county, city, or a combination. Our staff can explain the various benefits and help obtain them for those who qualify.
What should I do first when a death occurs? If you decide to use a funeral or cremation director, they are generally available to walk you carefully through all the necessary tasks, including securing the services of our cemetery.
Or, you may call us at 1-541-343-1684 during our business hours for specific information on the services we provide during your time of need. You may choose to fill out our At-need form through our secure, online form submission. We will coordinate everything from that point on.
What do I need to know about a death certificate? The funeral home will assist you in determining the number of copies of the death certificate that you will need.
Can you provide a checklist of all the tasks I’ll personally need to take care of? Although your funeral/cremation director can help you coordinate many of the details, some tasks will need to be the responsibility of the family. To assist you, we’ve provided a convenient checklist.
Make a list of family, friends and business colleagues, and notify each by phone. You may wish to use a phone tree system: make a few phone calls to other relatives or friends and ask each of them to make a phone call or two to specific people
Decide on an appropriate charity to which gifts may be made (church, hospice, library, organization, school)
Gather obituary information, including a photo, age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, college degrees, memberships held, military service, outstanding work and a list of survivors in the immediate family. Include the time and place of the funeral services. The funeral home will usually write the obituary and submit it to the newspaper(s)
Arrange for family members and/or close friends to take turns answering the door or phone. Keep a careful record of visitors and flower deliveries so that it will be easier to thank people at a later date
If Social Security checks are deposited automatically, notify the bank of the death
Coordinate the food supply in your home for the next several days
Delegate special needs of the household, such as cleaning, food preparation, etc., to friends and family who offer their help
Arrange for childcare, if necessary
Arrange hospitality for visiting relatives and friends.
Select pallbearers and notify the funeral home. (People with heart or back difficulties may be named honorary pallbearers)
Plan for the disposition of flowers after the funeral (to a church, hospital or rest home)
Prepare a list of distant friends and relatives to be notified by letter and/or printed notice
Prepare a list of people to receive acknowledgments of flowers, calls, etc. Send appropriate acknowledgments, which may be a written note, printed acknowledgments
Notify insurance companies of the death
Locate the will and notify the lawyer and executor
Carefully check all life and casualty insurance and death benefits, including Social Security, credit union, trade union, fraternal, and military. Check on possible income for survivors from these sources
Check promptly on all debts and installment payments, including credit cards. Some may carry insurance clauses that will cancel them. If there is to be a delay in meeting payments, consult with creditors and ask for more time before the payments are due
If the deceased was living alone, notify the utility companies and landlord and tell the post office where to send the mail
If I choose to complete the At-Need/Immediate Arrangement online form, what information will I need to provide? This easy-to-use form should take only a few minutes to complete. It will require contact information, as well as your site/property and memorialization preferences. You’ll have the option to select services, based on your preferences and the associated costs. View or complete the At-need form now.
If I have lost a loved one, whom can I rely on for emotional support? Grief support groups and counseling can help almost anyone who has suffered loss through death. Friends and family members are often your greatest support network, but perhaps you need to share your emotions with others who, like you, have experienced a similar loss. Your needs may vary through each phase of the grieving process. Your funeral director or a member of our staff can offer advice on the type of grief support that may be most beneficial to you.
What resources are available to me? Your funeral director or a member of our staff can provide information regarding local resources available to assist you.
