Page 18 - M A Connell Funeral Guide
P. 18
What can be done with the cremated purchased or provided by the family, the
remains? cremated remains will be returned in a
While laws vary state by state, for the temporary plastic container.
most part remains can be buried in a
cemetery lot or a cremation garden, Eulogies
interred in a columbarium, kept at home
or scattered. Giving a meaningful, moving eulogy can
be a nerve-wracking situation for even the
How can I be sure I receive the correct most accomplished public speaker, but
remains? it need not be. How can you summarize
All reputable cremation providers have somebody’s life in a few short minutes,
developed rigorous sets of operating while being both somber and funny at
policies and procedures in order to the same time? Writing and delivering
maximize the level of service and a eulogy is a therapeutic tool to help
minimize the potential for human error. deal with your grief, and being chosen to
Since it is illegal to perform more than give a eulogy is an honor and should be
one cremation at a time, and the vast treated that way. Here are some tips for
majority of crematories can only cremate writing and delivering an eloquent and
one body at a time, it is next to impossible memorable eulogy.
to receive the incorrect remains.
Gather information. Talk with family
members, close friends and co- workers
How long does the actual cremation
take? to get important information on the
It all depends on the weight of the deceased. Some important information
to include in the eulogy is the person’s
individual. For an average sized adult, family and other close relationships,
cremation can take two to three hours their education/career, hobbies or
at a normal operating temperature special interests, places the person
of between 1000 and 2000 degrees lived or travelled to, and any special
Fahrenheit.
accomplishments they had.
What do the cremated remains look Organize your thoughts. Jot down your
like? ideas by whatever means are most
Cremated remains resemble coarse sand comfortable and familiar to you. Create
and are whitish to light grey in color. The an outline of your speech, and fill in the
remains of an average sized adult usually information that you gathered about the
weigh between 7 and 8 pounds. person.
Are all the cremated remains returned? Write it down. This is not a toast at a
With the exception of minute and wedding where you can make off the
microscopic particles, which are cuff remarks, and you should not adlib a
impossible to remove from the cremation eulogy. Writing it all down allows you to
chamber and processing machine, all of include and remember every detail you
the cremated remains are given back to wanted to incorporate in your speech.
the family. When you bring a copy of your eulogy to
the podium make sure it is easy to read,
Do I need an urn? print it out in a large font, or if hand-
An urn is not required by law. However, written leave a few spaces between the
an urn may be desired if there is to be a lines. Keep in mind your time constraints,
memorial service or if the remains are to it’s best to keep things on the short side,
be interred in a cemetery. If an urn is not especially if there are other speakers.
Page 18 - M. A. Connell Funeral Home
