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Written by DeadGirl
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Monday, 09 February 2004 |
Feb 7, 2004
Afterlife traditions: As cremation grows in popularity, options expand for placement, scattering of ashes
Near the entrance of Highland Memorial Park and Mausoleum in northeast Ocala, a cement pathway zig-zags around neatly trimmed bushes, dead-ending in a granite wall where the words: IN REMEMBRANCE blare as a protective shadow for the etched names below.
To the left lies a carved mix of earth and grass, where pebbles lean against each other on the bed of soft brush.
This area of the cemetery known as a "scattering garden," is a spot dozens are turning to for parting with a loved one, and retaining a place to cling to their memory.
As cremation, an ancient practice that for economic, simplicity and other reasons, is slowly, but steadily becoming as popular as traditional burials, many churches, cemeteries and companies are expanding their services to accommodate the various wishes of those who've passed away.
The U.S. cremation rate for 2000 was 26 percent, according to statistics from www.cremationassociation.org, the official Web site of the Cremation Association of North America (CANA). Florida had the third highest number of cremations, with 46 percent of deaths resulting in cremation.
This is close to the national estimate for 2025, where 43.57 percent of those deceased would be cremated, according to CANA predictions based on the National Vital Statistics System and State Health Department.
Scattering gardens, popping up at cemeteries such as the one owned by Hiers-Baxley Funeral Services, reflect a morphing of afterlife traditions where more people not only wish to be cremated, but to spread their ashes in memorials, a favorite golf course, the sea, sky or even diamonds.
With at least 27 ash-scattering companies in the United States, according to the International Cremation Society, no request seems far-fetched.
"(When it comes to) scattering services, there are things happening all the time," said Jack Springer, CANA's executive director.
Springer said over the last 10 years, institutions such as churches have been accommodating those who wish to scatter ashes.
While these may resemble more traditional services, there are companies that will zip ashes into space.
"Celestis Inc. has been around for a while, and will take cremated remains, about six grams, and put them into orbit," Springer said. "Among the first ones were (LSD guru) Timothy Leary and "Star Trek" originator Gene Roddenberry."
That might seem a little out of this world.
But it's not too far fetched.
Eternal Ascent Society, Inc., based out of Crystal River, is a company, whose owner's serene voice beckons, "put your loved one's ashes inside a giant balloon and release it to the heavens," on the answering machine.
Celeste Ready of Ocala was the first customer in 1996, when she released her mother Myrna Clemons' ashes in a yellow, five-foot helium balloon at a park on Northeast 11th Avenue and Northeast 10th Street.
"It was really amazing," Ready said of both the service and the circumstances. "I had family come in from all over the place. They drove in a torrential downpour. There were no lights the night before; the power went out.
"The next day was overcast. It was weird. When we got (to the park), the sky went blue, the clouds opened up, and we let her go. And as soon as we let her go, the clouds came back."
Ready described the service as professional. A big "Star Trek" fan, her mother had always wanted to go up into space.
"She was talking to me about this and said, 'If they can cremate horses and put them up in a balloon, they can do it with humans.'
"This was the closest thing I could think of," Ready said of Eternal Ascent.
While it may not be for everybody, admits owner Joan West, many people have enjoyed placing some of their kindred's ashes inside the balloons and letting go.
The latex balloon, biodegradable and hand-tied, according to West, soars nearly six miles. At an altitude of about 30,000 feet, the temperature reaches 40 degrees below zero, and the balloon freezes, then fractures, scattering the ashes into the wind.
West said it took a long time to get a patent and trademark for the roughly $1,000 service, but now offers licenses to funeral directors.
As the remains of a cremated body amount to about eight pounds, only a fraction of the ashes can be placed in the balloon.
Ready buried the remaining ashes underneath a flagpole in her front yard.
Springer said laws for scattering ashes vary from state to state.
"In most states, they are the same laws as littering: You can scatter on your own property, but if you scatter on someone else's property, you need permission. Most states have no laws on forest reserves or parks, but ask them to register."
As with any business, Springer said it's important to talk to people and find out if they're doing what they actual say they are.
"If you accompany them, you will see that," he said.
Some companies, such as one scattering ashes from a plane, won't allow customers up in the air, but offer video tapes as proof.
Springer said he found some people who have scattered their relatives' ashes found they "are a little bit sorry they don't have a place to go back to and identify the person. That's why many people prefer keep-safe jewelry or urns."
Still, scattering remains highly popular, he said, adding the only religion adamant against it is Catholicism.
CANA'S latest figures for the distribution of cremation services come from 1996-97. Those numbers show 17.8 percent - nearly 88,000 - of 492,434 deaths in '96 were scatterings.
Figures are a little misleading, Springer said, because many people take home ashes and scatter them later on.
At Highland Memorial, a bronze plaque is currently the most popular memorialization for cremations, said Cliff Wilson, family services manager.
But scattering has become popular over the last five years.
Wilson said some people don't feel comfortable with funeral directors strewing ashes over the earth, so they offer an ossuarium - a vault resembling an urn where ashes are placed and distributed underground.
While some people may not have a physical place of remembrance for loved ones whose remains they scattered, they take comfort in other thoughts: "To know my husband is up there in the universe is a great comfort to us," wrote a woman to Eternal Ascent after releasing her husband's remains in a balloon.
"No matter where we all are . . . all we have to do is look up at the sky and there he is - looking down at us forever."
Contact Jennifer Miller at
This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it
or 867-4104.
For more information about cremation or the Eternal Ascent Society see these sites:
visit:
www.cremation.org
www.cremationassociation.org
www.eternalascent.com
www.cremationassociation.org or www.cremation.org.
http://www.starbanner.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20040207/NEWS/202070343/1027/FEATURES01&template=printart |
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Taphophilia?
taphophilia (taf′ō-fil′ē-ă)
ORIGIN:
From the Greek words taphos, meaning "tomb" or "sepulcher" and philia, meaning "attraction or affinity to something, in particular the love or obsession with something"
DEFINITION: 1. An excessive interest in graves and cemeteries. 2. A love or fondness for funerals, graves, and cemeteries. 3. In psychiatry, a morbid attraction to graves and cemeteries
Quote Repository
“Of present fame think little, and of future less; the praises that we receive after we are buried, like the flowers that are strewed over our grave, may be gratifying to the living, but they are nothing to the dead.” Charles Caleb Colton
Shirtless and Sculpted
The Men of Mortuaries 2008 Calendar is now available! All sale proceeds benefit KAMMCARES, a breast cancer foundation.
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