SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Monday, November 7, 2011
Joe Frazier Dead at 67
Former Heavyweight Champion, Smokin' Joe Frazier, succumbed to liver cancer at the age of 67. Winner of 27 out of 32 fights, Friazier only lost 4 times in his career, twice to George Foreman and twice to Muhammad Ali.
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Andrea True Dead at 68
One time p**n actress turned disco singer, Andrea True, died at the age of 68.
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Dying to Be Green
This year, almost a million Americans will be cremated after they pass away. In three hours, a human body is converted to ashes by 1,700-degree natural flames. The environmental implications of cremation are probably the last thing grieving families think of, but it’s an energy-intense process, and releases a lot of carbon dioxide. The Anderson-McQueen funeral home in Florida, for example, handles about 1,700 cremations annually, using enough natural gas to power about 200 homes for a year. “Our monthly gas bill, just to give you an idea, is about $6,000 a month,” said funeral director John McQueen.
So to reduce energy use and emissions, Anderson-McQueen invested in the first biocremation machine in the entire world. It’s a new method of cremation with no flame and reduced emissions. “We still get the body to ash, but we reduce it chemically, using a process called alkaline hydrolysis,” said Sandy Sullivan of biocremation machine manufacturer Resomation Ltd. In biocremation, the body is immersed in a solution of 95 percent water and 5 percent potassium hydroxide, and then heated to 350 degrees, speeding up the natural chemical reactions in decomposition.
The entire process uses just 15 percent of the energy and generates just 25 percent of the emissions of a flame cremation, according to Resomation. By their calculations, traditional cremation emits 400 pounds more CO2 than biocremation, so if one million people choose biocremation it would be like taking 36,000 cars off the road for a year.
Biocremation may reduce the environmental impact of cremation itself, but what about the ashes left over? One company is answering that question by mixing remains into artificial reefs, creating new habitat for marine life. Cremated remains are stirred by loved ones into a concrete mix, placed into a reef ball, and dropped into the ocean. “We’ll get growth on these within six weeks, measurable growth within two months, and meaningful shellfish population out here within a year,” said George Frankel, CEO of Eternal Reefs. More than 700,000 reef balls carrying cremated remains are now off the coast of almost 70 countries.
But the greenest funeral of all may involve nothing more than the ground. That’s the premise at the Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery, spread over 78 acres in central Florida. At Prairie Creek, and other green cemeteries, the rules are simple — no embalmed bodies and no caskets. The goal is for people to give back to the environment by returning their nutrients to nature, literally ashes to ashes and dust to dust. “We’re not robbing the Earth of the natural cycle of life,” said Freddie Johnson, executive director at Prairie Creek. “Mother Nature does a perfect job of taking care of the recycling of life.”
SOURCE
The entire process uses just 15 percent of the energy and generates just 25 percent of the emissions of a flame cremation, according to Resomation. By their calculations, traditional cremation emits 400 pounds more CO2 than biocremation, so if one million people choose biocremation it would be like taking 36,000 cars off the road for a year.
Biocremation may reduce the environmental impact of cremation itself, but what about the ashes left over? One company is answering that question by mixing remains into artificial reefs, creating new habitat for marine life. Cremated remains are stirred by loved ones into a concrete mix, placed into a reef ball, and dropped into the ocean. “We’ll get growth on these within six weeks, measurable growth within two months, and meaningful shellfish population out here within a year,” said George Frankel, CEO of Eternal Reefs. More than 700,000 reef balls carrying cremated remains are now off the coast of almost 70 countries.
But the greenest funeral of all may involve nothing more than the ground. That’s the premise at the Prairie Creek Conservation Cemetery, spread over 78 acres in central Florida. At Prairie Creek, and other green cemeteries, the rules are simple — no embalmed bodies and no caskets. The goal is for people to give back to the environment by returning their nutrients to nature, literally ashes to ashes and dust to dust. “We’re not robbing the Earth of the natural cycle of life,” said Freddie Johnson, executive director at Prairie Creek. “Mother Nature does a perfect job of taking care of the recycling of life.”
SOURCE
Sunday, November 6, 2011
More Opting for Cremation in Tough Times
The recession has forced consumers to cut back on spending in almost every area of life. Now death, it seems, is no exception, as the funeral industry is changing to accommodate budget-conscious families.
The Cremation Association has Oregon ranked as the third-highest state in the nation for the percentage of people cremated, a trend that has been growing as the economy is slowing.
The saying goes: Nothing is certain in life but death and taxes.
But the slump in the economy has even the funeral industry feeling the impact, and more people are choosing a cheaper alternative.
Nearly 70 percent of Oregonians are choosing cremation over a traditional burial.
"There being so few jobs available and so few other alternatives, cremation has become an issue that more traditional families, where they have not considered it in the past, they are considering it now," said Jerome Daniel, owner of Deschutes Memorial Chapel Gardens and Crematorium in Bend.
According to Daniel, the estimated cost of an adult funeral and burial is about $6,000 -- plus the cost of a casket. A typical cremation service costs only one-fourth that amount.
"To actually cremate, as final disposition, is in my opinion a great alternative," Daniel said. "It seems a lot of people look at us as a great resource, but I'm not sure that they're feeling like they really want us involved in the process as much as they used to."
About 1,000 people die each year in Deschutes County. Daniel says of that number, he's cremated 600 to 700 people, and only buried about 200.
And some religions that once banned cremation say that now, it's becoming the norm.
"People can be buried from the Catholic Church who are cremated, provided they are not getting cremated as an insult to god," said Father Joseph Reining, vicar general of the Bend-based Diocese of Baker.
"We even have modified the funeral liturgy to take care of what we call the 'cremated remains,' rather than the body," he added.
Though it's still an $11 billion-a-year industry, the economic crunch is forcing the funeral industry to change with the times.
The rising popularity of cremation has prompted many funeral homes to embrace the service, with colorfully designed urns and other features. It's even become part of their marketing effort.
Brad Baird, the owner of Baird Funeral Homes, said, "We do offer a full line of pendant jewelry, bracelets, bookmarks to 'thumbees,' which are transferring the thumb print onto the jewelry. So cremation does have a lot of options."
"The Baby Boomers are a big factor in this -- cremation really appeals to them," Baird said. "In terms of cost and tradition, the thinking is really changing."
The cremation process takes about three hours, and in the state of Oregon, there are no laws restricting where you are allowed to spread someone's ashes.
By the year 2025, it's estimated more than half of all who die will be cremated.
SOURCE
The saying goes: Nothing is certain in life but death and taxes.
But the slump in the economy has even the funeral industry feeling the impact, and more people are choosing a cheaper alternative.
Nearly 70 percent of Oregonians are choosing cremation over a traditional burial.
"There being so few jobs available and so few other alternatives, cremation has become an issue that more traditional families, where they have not considered it in the past, they are considering it now," said Jerome Daniel, owner of Deschutes Memorial Chapel Gardens and Crematorium in Bend.
According to Daniel, the estimated cost of an adult funeral and burial is about $6,000 -- plus the cost of a casket. A typical cremation service costs only one-fourth that amount.
"To actually cremate, as final disposition, is in my opinion a great alternative," Daniel said. "It seems a lot of people look at us as a great resource, but I'm not sure that they're feeling like they really want us involved in the process as much as they used to."
About 1,000 people die each year in Deschutes County. Daniel says of that number, he's cremated 600 to 700 people, and only buried about 200.
And some religions that once banned cremation say that now, it's becoming the norm.
"People can be buried from the Catholic Church who are cremated, provided they are not getting cremated as an insult to god," said Father Joseph Reining, vicar general of the Bend-based Diocese of Baker.
"We even have modified the funeral liturgy to take care of what we call the 'cremated remains,' rather than the body," he added.
Though it's still an $11 billion-a-year industry, the economic crunch is forcing the funeral industry to change with the times.
The rising popularity of cremation has prompted many funeral homes to embrace the service, with colorfully designed urns and other features. It's even become part of their marketing effort.
Brad Baird, the owner of Baird Funeral Homes, said, "We do offer a full line of pendant jewelry, bracelets, bookmarks to 'thumbees,' which are transferring the thumb print onto the jewelry. So cremation does have a lot of options."
"The Baby Boomers are a big factor in this -- cremation really appeals to them," Baird said. "In terms of cost and tradition, the thinking is really changing."
The cremation process takes about three hours, and in the state of Oregon, there are no laws restricting where you are allowed to spread someone's ashes.
By the year 2025, it's estimated more than half of all who die will be cremated.
SOURCE
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Andy Rooney Dead at 92
Emmy Award winning 60 Minutes commentator Andy Rooney, most famous for his A Few Minutes with Andy Rooney segment, died of complications due to a recent surgery. His final taping was on November 2, 2011 and he died on November 5, 2011.
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Friday, November 4, 2011
Funeral Planning Scams
Planning a funeral is an emotionally difficult process, but pre-planning helps you avoid making rushed decisions and allows you to shop around without time constraints.
However, unfamiliarity with the funeral industry can leave consumers vulnerable to fraudulent schemes that range from overpaying for goods and services to the embezzlement of prepaid funds.
The national average cost of a funeral is $6,600, but some cost thousands more than that. On average, consumers spend $2,295 for the casket alone. Other costs include vaults, embalming, cremation, funeral staff and facilities, transportation for deceased and family. You can even purchase programs and note cards, tribute videos and online memorials from some funeral homes.
A nationwide poll conducted by Angie's List, the nation's premier provider of local consumer reviews including funeral homes, found:
In 1984, the Federal Trade Commission established the Funeral Rule, which is designed to protect consumers by requiring funeral providers to give adequate information about their services:
1. Give an itemized price list over the phone or in person.
2. Let you choose only the goods and services you want (with some exceptions).
3. Disclose on the price list if state or local law requires you to buy any item.
4. Handle without charge a casket or urn you bought elsewhere.
5. Obtain your permission for embalming services and disclose in writing that they're not required by law (except in special cases).
Angie's List tips for pre-planning a funeral:
Talk to your family about your wishes and write down a plan: Do you want a traditional burial or cremation? Do you want a simple or elaborate funeral? Share your ideas with family and put all your wishes in writing.
Know your rights - shop around: According the FTC's "Funeral Rule" you have the right to stop in any funeral home and request a General Price List (GPL). Visit several funeral homes and use the lists to compare prices. If a funeral home says you have to buy a certain kind of casket, urn, etc. ask why and find out the law or regulation that requires it.
Pre-paying for a funeral: Be very cautious if you decide to pre-pay for services with a funeral home - ask what happens to your money if you want to transfer the funds to a different funeral home or if the funeral home you've selected goes out of business. Only nine states have funds that step in to protect consumers when funds are stolen or if the funeral service goes out of business. (FL, IN, Iowa, MO, NC, OR Texas, VT and WV) If you choose to pre-pay now, a better option is to put that money in a checking or savings account and add a POD - payable on death designation. Your bank or credit union will have you fill out a form and have it paid to the person who will be taking care of the arrangements. Talk to a certified financial planner about the best plan for you.
Licensing is mandatory for funeral directors nationwide: You can confirm a funeral director's license by checking with the licensing board in your state. Requirements vary from state to state, but most call for individuals to be at least 21 years old, have two years of education that include mortuary science, serve a one-year apprenticeship and pass an exam.
Schedule a meeting with the funeral director: Take this time to ask the director your questions (including services/costs) to help gauge if they would be a good company for you to use.
Unhappy with a funeral home? If you have a problem, it's best to try to resolve it first with the funeral director. If you are still having issues, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
SOURCE
The national average cost of a funeral is $6,600, but some cost thousands more than that. On average, consumers spend $2,295 for the casket alone. Other costs include vaults, embalming, cremation, funeral staff and facilities, transportation for deceased and family. You can even purchase programs and note cards, tribute videos and online memorials from some funeral homes.
A nationwide poll conducted by Angie's List, the nation's premier provider of local consumer reviews including funeral homes, found:
- 51 percent of Angie's List members in a recent poll have never planned a funeral.
- Of those who have, 19 percent say the experience was a poor one.
- 53 percent consider family tradition and reputation the most important factors in choosing a funeral provider.
In 1984, the Federal Trade Commission established the Funeral Rule, which is designed to protect consumers by requiring funeral providers to give adequate information about their services:
1. Give an itemized price list over the phone or in person.
2. Let you choose only the goods and services you want (with some exceptions).
3. Disclose on the price list if state or local law requires you to buy any item.
4. Handle without charge a casket or urn you bought elsewhere.
5. Obtain your permission for embalming services and disclose in writing that they're not required by law (except in special cases).
Angie's List tips for pre-planning a funeral:
Talk to your family about your wishes and write down a plan: Do you want a traditional burial or cremation? Do you want a simple or elaborate funeral? Share your ideas with family and put all your wishes in writing.
Know your rights - shop around: According the FTC's "Funeral Rule" you have the right to stop in any funeral home and request a General Price List (GPL). Visit several funeral homes and use the lists to compare prices. If a funeral home says you have to buy a certain kind of casket, urn, etc. ask why and find out the law or regulation that requires it.
Pre-paying for a funeral: Be very cautious if you decide to pre-pay for services with a funeral home - ask what happens to your money if you want to transfer the funds to a different funeral home or if the funeral home you've selected goes out of business. Only nine states have funds that step in to protect consumers when funds are stolen or if the funeral service goes out of business. (FL, IN, Iowa, MO, NC, OR Texas, VT and WV) If you choose to pre-pay now, a better option is to put that money in a checking or savings account and add a POD - payable on death designation. Your bank or credit union will have you fill out a form and have it paid to the person who will be taking care of the arrangements. Talk to a certified financial planner about the best plan for you.
Licensing is mandatory for funeral directors nationwide: You can confirm a funeral director's license by checking with the licensing board in your state. Requirements vary from state to state, but most call for individuals to be at least 21 years old, have two years of education that include mortuary science, serve a one-year apprenticeship and pass an exam.
Schedule a meeting with the funeral director: Take this time to ask the director your questions (including services/costs) to help gauge if they would be a good company for you to use.
Unhappy with a funeral home? If you have a problem, it's best to try to resolve it first with the funeral director. If you are still having issues, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
SOURCE
Widow Says Husband's Gold Teeth Lost During San Antonio Cremation
SAN ANTONIO -- A local widow's husband died and was cremated nearly a month ago. Now the woman says she wants to know what happened to her late husband's three gold teeth.
The widow says at first she wanted to sell the gold teeth, but now she just wants closure.
Doris and Joe Gerber shared 35 years together. Doris said they were the best years of her life.
Just two years ago things seriously changed for the couple.
"We came here on a visit. We always come (to Texas) in November or December," said the widow.
But, their visit became permanent after Gerber suffered from a stroke.
"They have really wonderful hospitals here in Texas... and rest homes, so I put him in a home here," she continued.
Then, last September Gerber died from a second stroke. The family chose to make his final arrangements at Schaetter's Funeral Home.
A few days after Gerber's cremation, Doris called the funeral home to ask about his death certificate and his three gold teeth.
"And they said, 'Well, gold teeth is of no value,' and I know they are," she says.
Previously Doris had sold two of her late husband's teeth for nearly $175.
"He had always saved his gold teeth in a little cup, in a little thing. And he said, 'Doris, when I die you get my teeth and you, you know, you sell them,'" she recalled.
Doris said the funeral home told her the teeth were cremated along with her husband and that the teeth dissipate in the process.
" I don't believe that, either," said the widow.
We spoke to the funeral president by phone. He did not want to go on camera but gave us this statement:
"Mr. Gerber was cremated as the family wished. We do not know anything about any gold teeth."
According to officials at the Texas Funeral Service Commission, something gold should not dissipate during the cremation process. However they plan to investigate the matter.
SOURCE
Doris and Joe Gerber shared 35 years together. Doris said they were the best years of her life.
Just two years ago things seriously changed for the couple.
"We came here on a visit. We always come (to Texas) in November or December," said the widow.
But, their visit became permanent after Gerber suffered from a stroke.
"They have really wonderful hospitals here in Texas... and rest homes, so I put him in a home here," she continued.
Then, last September Gerber died from a second stroke. The family chose to make his final arrangements at Schaetter's Funeral Home.
A few days after Gerber's cremation, Doris called the funeral home to ask about his death certificate and his three gold teeth.
"And they said, 'Well, gold teeth is of no value,' and I know they are," she says.
Previously Doris had sold two of her late husband's teeth for nearly $175.
"He had always saved his gold teeth in a little cup, in a little thing. And he said, 'Doris, when I die you get my teeth and you, you know, you sell them,'" she recalled.
Doris said the funeral home told her the teeth were cremated along with her husband and that the teeth dissipate in the process.
" I don't believe that, either," said the widow.
We spoke to the funeral president by phone. He did not want to go on camera but gave us this statement:
"Mr. Gerber was cremated as the family wished. We do not know anything about any gold teeth."
According to officials at the Texas Funeral Service Commission, something gold should not dissipate during the cremation process. However they plan to investigate the matter.
SOURCE
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Wiccan Church Honors Dead in Eco-Friendly Cemetery
Members of the Wisconsin-based Wiccan church Circle Sanctuary celebrated the last day of a pagan festival on Monday that rings in the new year and honors the dead.
Church members, several of whom come from the Chicago area, gather annually at the 200-acre Barneveld, Wis., site to mark Samhain (pronounced SOW-un), which culminates with members placing plates of food and chalices of beverages on an altar in the cemetery while reflecting on loved ones who have passed on.
For nearly 30 years, part of the celebration has taken place in a stone circle and on a nearby 1-acre ridge top, which in 1995 became an eco-friendly cemetery that holds cremated remains, or cremains, of humans and beloved pets.
But this year, the festivities will also take place in a new section of the cemetery that has been expanded to include environmentally friendly full-body human burials.
Although some cemeteries in the Midwest have designated areas for natural burials, the nearly 20-acre Circle Cemetery is believed to be one of the few in the region that handles only green burials, according to the Green Burial Council, based in New Mexico.
In April, the cemetery had its first and, so far, only interment.
The Rev. Ana Blechschmidt, a resident of Sycamore, Ill., and an ordained minister at Circle Sanctuary, said natural burials are important in paganism and other nature-based religions because it's difficult to fully honor a loved one who has passed on when that person is not buried in a way that preserves the land.
"The thought of getting filled up with formaldehyde and being placed in a sealed, laminated casket and put into a cement box in the ground is not in keeping with preserving Mother Earth," said Blechschmidt, a volunteer chaplain at Northern Illinois University.
"We believe the soul is eternal and immortal. So we want to leave as small a physical footprint as possible. If you honor the Earth you live on, how can you desecrate her and still honor the person you're burying?"
In natural burials, the body is not embalmed but refrigerated until the final services, and the casket or covering used is biodegradable. (Think bamboo caskets lined with unbleached cotton or natural-fiber shrouds.) Also, graves don't have liners or vaults, most of which are made of concrete or fiberglass to stabilize the ground.
And rather than being buried 6 feet under, bodies are interred no more than 5 feet — deep enough so that they're not disturbed by animals, yet shallow enough so that the microbes near the top of the soil can make decomposition happen more readily.
The Rev. Selena Fox, senior minister and founder of Circle Sanctuary, said the idea is for the body to decompose and return to the ground in the most efficient and thorough way possible.
"This is about the greening of the end-of-life process," Fox said. "If one is really choosing as part of their way of life to eat whole foods and reduce or eliminate additives and to really live a sustainable life, then when you die, it makes sense to be able to have your body naturally return to the earth without chemical preservatives.
"You want to continue the sustainable living even in death."
She said that a century and a half ago, natural burial was standard operating procedure.
"It was the Civil War that brought about the popularity and practice of embalming because of such mass kill-offs," Fox said. "Families wanted the bodies of their loved ones back, and the most practical way was to embalm."
She said that although cremation has long been considered an eco-friendly option, there has been some concern about its use of fossil fuels to turn the body into ashes.
Blechschmidt, who was part of the church's cemetery expansion team, said there were other concerns about cremation. While members were comfortable with it, some worried that their families wouldn't approve.
"My own father is very weirded out by cremation," said Blechschmidt, whose father is a Southern Baptist. "If something would happen to me before him, he would like a cemetery plot to visit. In some faiths, if you don't have a body, you can't be resurrected. For some of our members whose families are of those kinds of faiths, it's important for them not to be cremated."
Fox said a person needn't be a member of a pagan faith to be interred at Circle Cemetery. The church also doesn't require the use of a funeral home, although it is highly recommended.
"There have been such bad practices at some cemeteries over the last decade," Fox said. "That makes us extra careful. We have 20 acres and we're not looking at having huge numbers of people buried here."
She said the church offers recumbent grave markers made of granite, and gravesites can be positioned near existing trees. While the average funeral runs about $8,000 to $10,000, a green one can cost less than half of that.
"We know from history and our study of archaeology that natural burial has been done from the earliest of times," Fox said. "Having natural burial is not new. What is new is combining nature preservation with natural burial. This works well with our commitment to environmental preservation."
On Friday, the opening day of Samhain, Circle Sanctuary members walked in a procession through a restored prairie to the ridge top where their cat companions have been buried. The area is adjacent to the new natural burial site.
Church members laid to rest the 19-year-old Artemis, whom Fox said was the last of the cats who grew up on the Circle Sanctuary land.
Blechschmidt said all living things are of precious value and to be honored in life and death.
"When we bury Artemis, when we honor our dead, we celebrate our liberty," she said. "Their bodies were tired and old and not functioning properly anymore, and now their souls are liberated. We celebrate life by celebrating the passing of life into the next life. And, we always are aware of the great gift we have of living on this Earth."
SOURCE
For nearly 30 years, part of the celebration has taken place in a stone circle and on a nearby 1-acre ridge top, which in 1995 became an eco-friendly cemetery that holds cremated remains, or cremains, of humans and beloved pets.
But this year, the festivities will also take place in a new section of the cemetery that has been expanded to include environmentally friendly full-body human burials.
Although some cemeteries in the Midwest have designated areas for natural burials, the nearly 20-acre Circle Cemetery is believed to be one of the few in the region that handles only green burials, according to the Green Burial Council, based in New Mexico.
In April, the cemetery had its first and, so far, only interment.
The Rev. Ana Blechschmidt, a resident of Sycamore, Ill., and an ordained minister at Circle Sanctuary, said natural burials are important in paganism and other nature-based religions because it's difficult to fully honor a loved one who has passed on when that person is not buried in a way that preserves the land.
"The thought of getting filled up with formaldehyde and being placed in a sealed, laminated casket and put into a cement box in the ground is not in keeping with preserving Mother Earth," said Blechschmidt, a volunteer chaplain at Northern Illinois University.
"We believe the soul is eternal and immortal. So we want to leave as small a physical footprint as possible. If you honor the Earth you live on, how can you desecrate her and still honor the person you're burying?"
In natural burials, the body is not embalmed but refrigerated until the final services, and the casket or covering used is biodegradable. (Think bamboo caskets lined with unbleached cotton or natural-fiber shrouds.) Also, graves don't have liners or vaults, most of which are made of concrete or fiberglass to stabilize the ground.
And rather than being buried 6 feet under, bodies are interred no more than 5 feet — deep enough so that they're not disturbed by animals, yet shallow enough so that the microbes near the top of the soil can make decomposition happen more readily.
The Rev. Selena Fox, senior minister and founder of Circle Sanctuary, said the idea is for the body to decompose and return to the ground in the most efficient and thorough way possible.
"This is about the greening of the end-of-life process," Fox said. "If one is really choosing as part of their way of life to eat whole foods and reduce or eliminate additives and to really live a sustainable life, then when you die, it makes sense to be able to have your body naturally return to the earth without chemical preservatives.
"You want to continue the sustainable living even in death."
She said that a century and a half ago, natural burial was standard operating procedure.
"It was the Civil War that brought about the popularity and practice of embalming because of such mass kill-offs," Fox said. "Families wanted the bodies of their loved ones back, and the most practical way was to embalm."
She said that although cremation has long been considered an eco-friendly option, there has been some concern about its use of fossil fuels to turn the body into ashes.
Blechschmidt, who was part of the church's cemetery expansion team, said there were other concerns about cremation. While members were comfortable with it, some worried that their families wouldn't approve.
"My own father is very weirded out by cremation," said Blechschmidt, whose father is a Southern Baptist. "If something would happen to me before him, he would like a cemetery plot to visit. In some faiths, if you don't have a body, you can't be resurrected. For some of our members whose families are of those kinds of faiths, it's important for them not to be cremated."
Fox said a person needn't be a member of a pagan faith to be interred at Circle Cemetery. The church also doesn't require the use of a funeral home, although it is highly recommended.
"There have been such bad practices at some cemeteries over the last decade," Fox said. "That makes us extra careful. We have 20 acres and we're not looking at having huge numbers of people buried here."
She said the church offers recumbent grave markers made of granite, and gravesites can be positioned near existing trees. While the average funeral runs about $8,000 to $10,000, a green one can cost less than half of that.
"We know from history and our study of archaeology that natural burial has been done from the earliest of times," Fox said. "Having natural burial is not new. What is new is combining nature preservation with natural burial. This works well with our commitment to environmental preservation."
On Friday, the opening day of Samhain, Circle Sanctuary members walked in a procession through a restored prairie to the ridge top where their cat companions have been buried. The area is adjacent to the new natural burial site.
Church members laid to rest the 19-year-old Artemis, whom Fox said was the last of the cats who grew up on the Circle Sanctuary land.
Blechschmidt said all living things are of precious value and to be honored in life and death.
"When we bury Artemis, when we honor our dead, we celebrate our liberty," she said. "Their bodies were tired and old and not functioning properly anymore, and now their souls are liberated. We celebrate life by celebrating the passing of life into the next life. And, we always are aware of the great gift we have of living on this Earth."
SOURCE
Service Corp. International Reports Operating Results (10-Q)
Service Corp. International (SCI) filed Quarterly Report for the period ended 2011-09-30.
Service Corp. International has a market cap of $2.44 billion; its shares were traded at around $10.31 with a P/E ratio of 16.4 and P/S ratio of 1.1. The dividend yield of Service Corp. International stocks is 2%. Service Corp. International had an annual average earning growth of 7% over the past 10 years.
Highlight of Business Operations:
Proceeds from long-term debt (net of debt issuance costs) were $65.0 million in the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 due to a drawdown under our bank credit facility. Proceeds from long-term debt (net of debt issuance costs) were $238.8 million in the first nine months ended September 30, 2010 due to a $150.0 million issuance of the 8.00% Senior Notes due November 2021 and a $95.0 million drawdown under our bank credit facility.
Cash flows from investing activities used $167.2 million in the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 compared to using $239.9 million in the same period of 2010. This decrease was primarily attributable to a decrease of $184.3 million in cash spent on acquisitions (primarily the Keystone acquisition in 2010), partially offset by a $67.6 million decrease in cash receipts from divestitures and asset sales, a $25.5 million decrease in withdrawals of restricted funds, and an $18.5 million increase in capital expenditures.
Our consolidated funeral services performed increased 3.6% during the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 compared to the same period in 2010 primarily as the result of acquisitions in 2011 and 2010, offset by a 1.3% decrease in comparable funeral services performed. We believe the comparable decrease was somewhat impacted by extreme weather throughout North America, and we believe is consistent with trends experienced by other funeral service providers and industry vendors. Our consolidated cremation rate of 46.5% in the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 increased from 41.7% in 2010, while our comparable cremation rate of 44.3% in the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 increased from 41.7% in 2010. We continue to expand our cremation memorialization products and services, which have resulted in higher average sales for cremation services.
Our consolidated funeral services performed increased 4.2% during the third quarter of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010 primarily as the result of acquisitions in 2011 and 2010, offset by a 2.4% decrease in comparable funeral services performed. We believe the comparable decrease is consistent with trends experienced by other funeral service providers and industry vendors. Our consolidated cremation rate of 50.3% in the third quarter of 2011 increased from 41.9% in 2010, while our comparable cremation rate of 44.6% in the third quarter of 2011 increased from 41.9% in 2010. We continue to expand our cremation memorialization products and services, which have resulted in higher average sales for cremation services.
Financing activities used $166.2 million in the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 compared to using $73.3 million in the same period of 2010. This increase was primarily driven by a $173.8 million decrease in proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt (net of debt issuance costs) and a $59.7 million increase in the repurchases of Company common stock, partially offset by a $129.2 million decrease in debt payments, a $9.2 million increase in bank overdrafts and other, and a $6.2 million increase from proceeds from exercise of stock options.
SOURCE
Service Corp. International has a market cap of $2.44 billion; its shares were traded at around $10.31 with a P/E ratio of 16.4 and P/S ratio of 1.1. The dividend yield of Service Corp. International stocks is 2%. Service Corp. International had an annual average earning growth of 7% over the past 10 years.Highlight of Business Operations:
Proceeds from long-term debt (net of debt issuance costs) were $65.0 million in the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 due to a drawdown under our bank credit facility. Proceeds from long-term debt (net of debt issuance costs) were $238.8 million in the first nine months ended September 30, 2010 due to a $150.0 million issuance of the 8.00% Senior Notes due November 2021 and a $95.0 million drawdown under our bank credit facility.
Cash flows from investing activities used $167.2 million in the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 compared to using $239.9 million in the same period of 2010. This decrease was primarily attributable to a decrease of $184.3 million in cash spent on acquisitions (primarily the Keystone acquisition in 2010), partially offset by a $67.6 million decrease in cash receipts from divestitures and asset sales, a $25.5 million decrease in withdrawals of restricted funds, and an $18.5 million increase in capital expenditures.
Our consolidated funeral services performed increased 3.6% during the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 compared to the same period in 2010 primarily as the result of acquisitions in 2011 and 2010, offset by a 1.3% decrease in comparable funeral services performed. We believe the comparable decrease was somewhat impacted by extreme weather throughout North America, and we believe is consistent with trends experienced by other funeral service providers and industry vendors. Our consolidated cremation rate of 46.5% in the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 increased from 41.7% in 2010, while our comparable cremation rate of 44.3% in the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 increased from 41.7% in 2010. We continue to expand our cremation memorialization products and services, which have resulted in higher average sales for cremation services.
Our consolidated funeral services performed increased 4.2% during the third quarter of 2011 compared to the same period in 2010 primarily as the result of acquisitions in 2011 and 2010, offset by a 2.4% decrease in comparable funeral services performed. We believe the comparable decrease is consistent with trends experienced by other funeral service providers and industry vendors. Our consolidated cremation rate of 50.3% in the third quarter of 2011 increased from 41.9% in 2010, while our comparable cremation rate of 44.6% in the third quarter of 2011 increased from 41.9% in 2010. We continue to expand our cremation memorialization products and services, which have resulted in higher average sales for cremation services.
Financing activities used $166.2 million in the first nine months ended September 30, 2011 compared to using $73.3 million in the same period of 2010. This increase was primarily driven by a $173.8 million decrease in proceeds from the issuance of long-term debt (net of debt issuance costs) and a $59.7 million increase in the repurchases of Company common stock, partially offset by a $129.2 million decrease in debt payments, a $9.2 million increase in bank overdrafts and other, and a $6.2 million increase from proceeds from exercise of stock options.
SOURCE
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
Cremation Mistake Results in Lawsuit
VANDALIA, OHIO - An attorney for the widow of Frank Granato filed a lawsuit against the Montgomery County Coroner's Office on Wednesday.
Suzy Granato blames the coroner's office for a mistake that led to her husband being cremated.
"We do not believe in cremation," she said.
Frank Granato and Arthur Potter were killed in a plane crash in Union County in 2010.
The Union County Coroner told 2 NEWS that the body bags were mislabeled at the scene.
Despite dental records, the Montgomery County Coroner's Office failed to correct the mistake.
"I blame them," Granato's widow said. "They had the dental records."
Granato was cremated and Potter was placed in a mausoleum.
The Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office is representing the coroner's office.
Neither would comment about the lawsuit.
SOURCE
Suzy Granato blames the coroner's office for a mistake that led to her husband being cremated.
"We do not believe in cremation," she said.
Frank Granato and Arthur Potter were killed in a plane crash in Union County in 2010.
The Union County Coroner told 2 NEWS that the body bags were mislabeled at the scene.
Despite dental records, the Montgomery County Coroner's Office failed to correct the mistake.
"I blame them," Granato's widow said. "They had the dental records."
Granato was cremated and Potter was placed in a mausoleum.
The Montgomery County Prosecutor's Office is representing the coroner's office.
Neither would comment about the lawsuit.
SOURCE
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
Dorothy Emma Howell Rodham Dead at 92
Mother of Secretary-of-State and former Senator and First Lady, Hillary Rodham Clinton, Dorothy Rodham died of illness. She was 92.
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Cremation Becoming More Common in Mitchell; Graceland Cemetery Adding Columbarium
Making arrangements for people who choose to be cremated is increasingly part of operating a cemetery, according to the man in charge of Mitchell’s city graveyard.
Golf and Cemetery Department Director Kevin Thurman said more people are choosing to be cremated, and he has to make arrangements to handle their cremains.
“Whether we like it or not, it’s coming,” Thurman said. “Change with it, or you’re going to be lost in the shuffle.”
The city is building a columbarium at Graceland Cemetery and more will follow, he said. A columbarium is an above-ground structure that contains niches for placing urns and other cremains. Thurman said he wants to have about 200 niches in the columbarium.
“With the trend toward cremation … the industry’s changing and I think this will extend the life of so many cemeteries, the useful life,” Thurman said.
Thurman said younger people are more likely to want to be cremated.
“I would have to say yes,” he said. “Our younger generation, they’re not going to be tethered to tradition like the older generation.”
There have been about 15,000 burials in the 60-acre cemetery, which he said is a little over half full.
He said there are about 50 sets of cremains in Mitchell awaiting a proper place to store them. The columbarium will get those cremains out of closets, off mantles and in the cemetery, Thurman said.
There is already one columbarium in Mitchell. It opened in the spring.
It’s located in the Servicemen’s Memorial Cemetery, a private cemetery located next to the Graceland Cemetery. Lyle Sunderland, of the Mitchell American Legion Post’s executive committee, said it’s the first columbarium in the area.
“It’s a huge convenience for those who choose to be cremated,” Sunderland said. “It’s a nice, attractive way of accomplishing it.”
He said there are 44 single and 44 double niches in the reddish granite structure, which is 6 feet tall, 5 to 6 feet wide and about 20 feet long.
Thurman said the city columbarium will have the same basic color as the veterans’ columbarium. The trim will be different in an effort to save money.
Two Minnesota monument companies submitted bids to build the new columbarium, but Thurman felt the bids were too high for the project. Thurman was given permission by the City Council to negotiate with the Cold Spring Granite Company, of Cold Spring, Minn., to make a deal to build the city-owned columbarium.
The structure will be made of South Dakota mahogany, which is a form of granite.
“I would say it would be ready by spring,” Thurman said. “We’re working on the foundation for it now and the sidewalks.”
There are about 150 burials each year at Graceland, Thurman said. A growing number are of cremains, which he said surprised him.
“Yeah, I am surprised,” said Thurman, who has held the job for 29 years. “When I started, you were looking at two, three maybe a year at the most. The most we have had was 38 in a year.”
There is a considerable savings to being cremated as opposed to a traditional burial.
Mitchell charges $500 for a grave plot and also charges a $450.50 interment fee. Burial in the cremation section costs $250 for the space and $212 for the inurnment. The columbarium fee has yet to be established, Thurman said.
The cemetery allows more than one burial per plot. Two coffins or a coffin and one or more urn can be placed in the same plot, Thurman said.
“That’s an option just available to families because of the tightness of the cemetery,” he said. “Some people want to be buried with grandpa, mom or dad or relatives.”
The cemetery installs concrete grave boxes or vaults, which allow the placement of more than one coffin or urn, Thurman said.
The columbarium will also offer an opportunity to spend eternity with a loved one.
It will be octagon-shaped, while the veterans’ columbarium is a rectangle.
Thurman said the city has budgeted $45,000 for the project, including sidewalks, seeding and drainage.
The granite that will be used is a reddish-colored stone that appears to be various colors, including gold or brown, at different times of the day as the sun strikes it. While it’s a different form of burial, Thurman said, the goal is still to provide the maximum comfort to people who are grieving.
Cremations are increasingly common with veterans, Sunderland said. The space used to bury people is also getting short.
“It’s becoming quite a problem,” Sunderland said. “They’re running out of available space in the Legion section of the Graceland Cemetery.”
Thurman said more veterans’ columbariums will be built.
“I’m sure they will,” he said. “They’re planning ahead for four or five of them.”
Veterans and a spouse are offered one free burial space in the cemetery, Sunderland said, but must pay $200 per person for perpetual care.
Inurnment at the veterans’ columbarium costs $750 plus tax for a person, or $1,500 for a couple, plus tax. A person must have been, at any time, a Davison County resident who served honorably in the armed forces, or the spouse of such a person, to qualify for that rate.
Current members of a Mitchell veterans’ organization who have never been a Davison County resident can be inured in the columbarium for the same cost plus an additional fee. Local veterans associations can be contacted for more information.
SOURCE
Golf and Cemetery Department Director Kevin Thurman said more people are choosing to be cremated, and he has to make arrangements to handle their cremains.
“Whether we like it or not, it’s coming,” Thurman said. “Change with it, or you’re going to be lost in the shuffle.”The city is building a columbarium at Graceland Cemetery and more will follow, he said. A columbarium is an above-ground structure that contains niches for placing urns and other cremains. Thurman said he wants to have about 200 niches in the columbarium.
“With the trend toward cremation … the industry’s changing and I think this will extend the life of so many cemeteries, the useful life,” Thurman said.
Thurman said younger people are more likely to want to be cremated.
“I would have to say yes,” he said. “Our younger generation, they’re not going to be tethered to tradition like the older generation.”
There have been about 15,000 burials in the 60-acre cemetery, which he said is a little over half full.
He said there are about 50 sets of cremains in Mitchell awaiting a proper place to store them. The columbarium will get those cremains out of closets, off mantles and in the cemetery, Thurman said.
There is already one columbarium in Mitchell. It opened in the spring.
It’s located in the Servicemen’s Memorial Cemetery, a private cemetery located next to the Graceland Cemetery. Lyle Sunderland, of the Mitchell American Legion Post’s executive committee, said it’s the first columbarium in the area.
“It’s a huge convenience for those who choose to be cremated,” Sunderland said. “It’s a nice, attractive way of accomplishing it.”
He said there are 44 single and 44 double niches in the reddish granite structure, which is 6 feet tall, 5 to 6 feet wide and about 20 feet long.
Thurman said the city columbarium will have the same basic color as the veterans’ columbarium. The trim will be different in an effort to save money.
Two Minnesota monument companies submitted bids to build the new columbarium, but Thurman felt the bids were too high for the project. Thurman was given permission by the City Council to negotiate with the Cold Spring Granite Company, of Cold Spring, Minn., to make a deal to build the city-owned columbarium.
The structure will be made of South Dakota mahogany, which is a form of granite.
“I would say it would be ready by spring,” Thurman said. “We’re working on the foundation for it now and the sidewalks.”
There are about 150 burials each year at Graceland, Thurman said. A growing number are of cremains, which he said surprised him.
“Yeah, I am surprised,” said Thurman, who has held the job for 29 years. “When I started, you were looking at two, three maybe a year at the most. The most we have had was 38 in a year.”
There is a considerable savings to being cremated as opposed to a traditional burial.
Mitchell charges $500 for a grave plot and also charges a $450.50 interment fee. Burial in the cremation section costs $250 for the space and $212 for the inurnment. The columbarium fee has yet to be established, Thurman said.
The cemetery allows more than one burial per plot. Two coffins or a coffin and one or more urn can be placed in the same plot, Thurman said.
“That’s an option just available to families because of the tightness of the cemetery,” he said. “Some people want to be buried with grandpa, mom or dad or relatives.”
The cemetery installs concrete grave boxes or vaults, which allow the placement of more than one coffin or urn, Thurman said.
The columbarium will also offer an opportunity to spend eternity with a loved one.
It will be octagon-shaped, while the veterans’ columbarium is a rectangle.
Thurman said the city has budgeted $45,000 for the project, including sidewalks, seeding and drainage.
The granite that will be used is a reddish-colored stone that appears to be various colors, including gold or brown, at different times of the day as the sun strikes it. While it’s a different form of burial, Thurman said, the goal is still to provide the maximum comfort to people who are grieving.
Cremations are increasingly common with veterans, Sunderland said. The space used to bury people is also getting short.
“It’s becoming quite a problem,” Sunderland said. “They’re running out of available space in the Legion section of the Graceland Cemetery.”
Thurman said more veterans’ columbariums will be built.
“I’m sure they will,” he said. “They’re planning ahead for four or five of them.”
Veterans and a spouse are offered one free burial space in the cemetery, Sunderland said, but must pay $200 per person for perpetual care.
Inurnment at the veterans’ columbarium costs $750 plus tax for a person, or $1,500 for a couple, plus tax. A person must have been, at any time, a Davison County resident who served honorably in the armed forces, or the spouse of such a person, to qualify for that rate.
Current members of a Mitchell veterans’ organization who have never been a Davison County resident can be inured in the columbarium for the same cost plus an additional fee. Local veterans associations can be contacted for more information.
SOURCE
Monday, October 31, 2011
Eternal Image Launches STAR TREK Cremation Caskets
Eternal Image, Inc., a public company engaged in the design, manufacturing and marketing of officially licensed, Brand-name memorial products, today announced that it has launched its line of STAR TREK(TM) cremation caskets.
"Our Star Trek cremation caskets provide customers with a complete package for their loved one's cremation service," said Nick Popravsky, VP of Sales & Marketing for the Company. "We will soon be announcing the availability of a new Star Trek cremation urn that will provide the perfect complement to this cremation casket line."
Crafted from fiberboard and cloth, the official STAR TREK cremation caskets offer a new and previously unavailable option for families of STAR TREK fans that have arranged a traditional viewing.
The Company has three cremation casket models to choose from: Star Fleet Delta, Federation of Planets and Klingon. Consumers can view photos of these caskets as well as obtain ordering information by visiting the following link: http://www.eternalimage.net/product/star-trek/
SOURCE
"Our Star Trek cremation caskets provide customers with a complete package for their loved one's cremation service," said Nick Popravsky, VP of Sales & Marketing for the Company. "We will soon be announcing the availability of a new Star Trek cremation urn that will provide the perfect complement to this cremation casket line."Crafted from fiberboard and cloth, the official STAR TREK cremation caskets offer a new and previously unavailable option for families of STAR TREK fans that have arranged a traditional viewing.
The Company has three cremation casket models to choose from: Star Fleet Delta, Federation of Planets and Klingon. Consumers can view photos of these caskets as well as obtain ordering information by visiting the following link: http://www.eternalimage.net/product/star-trek/
SOURCE
Sunday, October 30, 2011
Perfect Memorials Unveils New Adoration Pet Cremation Urn Series
Perfect Memorials, the largest provider of memorial products in the world, today introduced a new line of pet urns handcrafted in timeless designs in warm natural wood.
"We are proud to launch our line of Adoration Pet Cremation Urns, providing our customers with even more affordable choices when looking for pet urns. Every urn is hand crafted in wood with several different styles available. Our new line of pet urns will complement any home environment," says Ryan Graf, President of Perfect Memorials.
The Adoration Pet Cremation Urn Series are crafted from a green composite wood that provides greater resistance to warping and cracking over time, and also feature a felt lined interior and bottom. Unlike many competing products, each pet urn uses real glass as opposed to acrylic for the photo frame.
Perfect Memorials has positioned itself as the leader of affordable memorial products. Both the Heart or Oval Adoration Pet Cremation Urn and Best Friends Adoration Companion Pet Cremation Urn can be ordered for only $54.95 each including free shipping and no sales tax.
Other pet urns include the Protecting Paws Adoration Cremation Urn and the Heart Adoration Pet Cremation Urn.
The majority of pet urns provided by Perfect Memorials can be engraved directly on the front, further helping commemorate the memory of a loved one with a poem or sentiment.
To help families that are not sure what cremation urn to use, Perfect Memorials has implemented the Urn Finder. This tool assists families in browsing through thousands of cremation urns to identify an urn that meets specific characteristics such as price, materials or color.
SOURCE
The Adoration Pet Cremation Urn Series are crafted from a green composite wood that provides greater resistance to warping and cracking over time, and also feature a felt lined interior and bottom. Unlike many competing products, each pet urn uses real glass as opposed to acrylic for the photo frame.
Perfect Memorials has positioned itself as the leader of affordable memorial products. Both the Heart or Oval Adoration Pet Cremation Urn and Best Friends Adoration Companion Pet Cremation Urn can be ordered for only $54.95 each including free shipping and no sales tax.
Other pet urns include the Protecting Paws Adoration Cremation Urn and the Heart Adoration Pet Cremation Urn.
The majority of pet urns provided by Perfect Memorials can be engraved directly on the front, further helping commemorate the memory of a loved one with a poem or sentiment.
To help families that are not sure what cremation urn to use, Perfect Memorials has implemented the Urn Finder. This tool assists families in browsing through thousands of cremation urns to identify an urn that meets specific characteristics such as price, materials or color.
SOURCE
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Thief Steals Cremation Ashes From Parked Car
Police were searching for a thief who stole cremated remains from a parked SUV just hours before the victim could transport her mother's ashes to the East Coast.
The burglar broke into the sport utility vehicle in the parking lot of the Westfield Promenade shopping center in Woodland Hills early Monday evening and took two bags of luggage and a black canvas carry-on, Los Angeles Police Department officials said in a statement.
The ashes were in the black bag.
The two pieces of luggage were recovered Tuesday afternoon, but some items that had been inside were missing, police said. The black bag was nowhere to be found.
An LAPD spokesman said detectives were seeking tips and did not have any suspects.
The victim told police she was going to take the ashes to the East Coast for spreading.
SOURCE
The burglar broke into the sport utility vehicle in the parking lot of the Westfield Promenade shopping center in Woodland Hills early Monday evening and took two bags of luggage and a black canvas carry-on, Los Angeles Police Department officials said in a statement.
The ashes were in the black bag.
The two pieces of luggage were recovered Tuesday afternoon, but some items that had been inside were missing, police said. The black bag was nowhere to be found.
An LAPD spokesman said detectives were seeking tips and did not have any suspects.
The victim told police she was going to take the ashes to the East Coast for spreading.
SOURCE
Friday, October 28, 2011
Funeral Director Loses License, But Not for Leaving Decomposing Body in Hearse for 9 Days
A North Carolina judge declined to discipline a funeral director who left a Carrboro woman's decomposing body in the back of a parked hearse for nine days because the man had exhausted all his legal options for properly dealing with the body.
But the judge suspended David B. Lawson's license to operate as of 5 p.m. today because of other issues that arose during the investigation of his handling of Linda Walton's body.
"You're out of business," administrative law judge Don Overby told Lawson after a four-hour hearing.
Walton was a 37-year-old woman who lived alone in a Carrboro apartment when she died in early August 2010. When she was found in the uncooled apartment, officials estimated that she had been dead for about a week, most likely the result of illness.
Carrboro police called Lawson, one of the funeral directors in their rotation, to come pick her up. He told the judge Wednesday that he tried repeatedly to treat Walton's body while he tried to locate her next of kin, but that it was too late for the embalming process when he got the body and that he could do little to suppress the putrid odor.
Neither Lawson nor police could find any relatives of Walton's, and an out-of-state friend Lawson finally reached would not accept responsibility for the body.
Lawson couldn't have Walton cremated or buried without authorization from next of kind or an official with the Orange County Department of Social Services, who he said would not return his calls. The state medical examiner's office refused to take the body because no autopsy was required, and no medical school in the state will take a body more than 10 days after death.
Lawson had sent Walton's body to a crematory for cold storage, but the odor was overwhelming and they brought her back the next day. Lawson said a worker from the crematory left Walton's body in the back of an older-model hearse parked on Lawson's property while Lawson was out on a call.
There she remained until police, responding to complaints from neighbors about the smell, found her on Aug. 20. Each day while her body lay in the hearse, the temperature outside topped 90 degrees.
"I had nowhere else to take it," Lawson told the judge. "I had no choice."
The state Board of Funeral Service launched an investigation into the incident. After that began, the board received a number of complaints from people who said Lawson owed them money. They said they had pre-paid for funeral services, but changed their minds about letting Lawson handle the services, and asked for their money back. In several cases, Lawson still has not returned the money.
Lawson was not licensed to sell so-called "pre-need" services, which are regulated by state law and audited by the Board of Funeral Service.
The board found that Lawson had sold the contracts when he wasn't licensed to do so; had not used the required contract forms or filed copies of the contracts with the board as required by law, and had misappropriated the money for the services, which the law says must be set aside in a trust account or insurance policy.
The board also found that Lawson had kept overpayments from insurance policies that he should have refunded after funeral costs had been paid.
The board's executive director, William Paul Harris, said those actions amounted to fraud. While the handling of Walton's body was disrespectful, the board found the fraud charges more egregious and wanted Lawson's licenses revoked over those.
In his ruling, Judge Overby agreed that what happened to Walton's body was unfortunate, but said the board itself was not helpful. When Lawson called the board for advice, Harris suggested Lawson ice the body down to slow the decomposition, and told Lawson he needed to apply more pressure to the Carrboro Police Department or the medical examiner's office.
"Have you ever tried that?" Overby asked Harris during the hearing.
Harris also told the judge that Lawson could have put the body in a sealed container at his own expense, or tried to find another crematory that would take it among the 100 or so in the state.
In announcing his ruling, Overby said, "I agree that leaving her in the back of the hearse was not a good thing to do but he had not other options.
"It was a problem without an answer," the judge said.
However, the judge found, the state had proved that Lawson was illegally selling pre-need services and that when customers asked for their money back, he couldn't give it to them.
Overby's suspension of Lawson's license is binding but temporary, pending a decision by the board after its Nov. 9 meeting. At that time, the board can decide whether to revoke Lawson's licenses or take some other action.
If the board revokes his license, Lawson could apply to have it reinstated.
SOURCE: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/26/1597348/funeral-director-loses-license.html
"You're out of business," administrative law judge Don Overby told Lawson after a four-hour hearing.
Walton was a 37-year-old woman who lived alone in a Carrboro apartment when she died in early August 2010. When she was found in the uncooled apartment, officials estimated that she had been dead for about a week, most likely the result of illness.
Carrboro police called Lawson, one of the funeral directors in their rotation, to come pick her up. He told the judge Wednesday that he tried repeatedly to treat Walton's body while he tried to locate her next of kin, but that it was too late for the embalming process when he got the body and that he could do little to suppress the putrid odor.
Neither Lawson nor police could find any relatives of Walton's, and an out-of-state friend Lawson finally reached would not accept responsibility for the body.
Lawson couldn't have Walton cremated or buried without authorization from next of kind or an official with the Orange County Department of Social Services, who he said would not return his calls. The state medical examiner's office refused to take the body because no autopsy was required, and no medical school in the state will take a body more than 10 days after death.
Lawson had sent Walton's body to a crematory for cold storage, but the odor was overwhelming and they brought her back the next day. Lawson said a worker from the crematory left Walton's body in the back of an older-model hearse parked on Lawson's property while Lawson was out on a call.
There she remained until police, responding to complaints from neighbors about the smell, found her on Aug. 20. Each day while her body lay in the hearse, the temperature outside topped 90 degrees.
"I had nowhere else to take it," Lawson told the judge. "I had no choice."
The state Board of Funeral Service launched an investigation into the incident. After that began, the board received a number of complaints from people who said Lawson owed them money. They said they had pre-paid for funeral services, but changed their minds about letting Lawson handle the services, and asked for their money back. In several cases, Lawson still has not returned the money.
Lawson was not licensed to sell so-called "pre-need" services, which are regulated by state law and audited by the Board of Funeral Service.
The board found that Lawson had sold the contracts when he wasn't licensed to do so; had not used the required contract forms or filed copies of the contracts with the board as required by law, and had misappropriated the money for the services, which the law says must be set aside in a trust account or insurance policy.
The board also found that Lawson had kept overpayments from insurance policies that he should have refunded after funeral costs had been paid.
The board's executive director, William Paul Harris, said those actions amounted to fraud. While the handling of Walton's body was disrespectful, the board found the fraud charges more egregious and wanted Lawson's licenses revoked over those.
In his ruling, Judge Overby agreed that what happened to Walton's body was unfortunate, but said the board itself was not helpful. When Lawson called the board for advice, Harris suggested Lawson ice the body down to slow the decomposition, and told Lawson he needed to apply more pressure to the Carrboro Police Department or the medical examiner's office.
"Have you ever tried that?" Overby asked Harris during the hearing.
Harris also told the judge that Lawson could have put the body in a sealed container at his own expense, or tried to find another crematory that would take it among the 100 or so in the state.
In announcing his ruling, Overby said, "I agree that leaving her in the back of the hearse was not a good thing to do but he had not other options.
"It was a problem without an answer," the judge said.
However, the judge found, the state had proved that Lawson was illegally selling pre-need services and that when customers asked for their money back, he couldn't give it to them.
Overby's suspension of Lawson's license is binding but temporary, pending a decision by the board after its Nov. 9 meeting. At that time, the board can decide whether to revoke Lawson's licenses or take some other action.
If the board revokes his license, Lawson could apply to have it reinstated.
SOURCE: http://www.newsobserver.com/2011/10/26/1597348/funeral-director-loses-license.html
Fiducial Acquires the Nation’s Leading Funeral Home Business Services Provider, Federated Funeral Directors of America
Two successful family owned businesses join forces. Fiducial, a family owned accounting firm with over 70 offices in the U.S., acquires the family owned Federated Funeral Directors of America of Springfield, Illinois, a leading funeral home business services provider.
Mr. Christian Latouche, Founder and Chairman of Fiducial, is proud to announce the acquisition of Federated Funeral Directors of America of Springfield, Illinois; and its subsidiaries, Southeastern Funeral Directors Service and Funeral Management Service. Federated is currently the business services expert to the funeral home industry with over 1,300 funeral home clients. This acquisition joins two successful family owned businesses to form a strong, comprehensive source of services for small businesses.
Yves Morard-Lacroix, Executive Vice President of Fiducial and John Rodenburg, President of Federated Funeral Directors of America, signed an agreement Thursday, October 20th, formalizing the acquisition of Federated Funeral Directors of America by Fiducial.
The acquisition of Federated Funeral Directors of America of Springfield, Illinois is a natural fit for Fiducial. Federated serves the funeral services community on a national level and Fiducial serves the small business community with nationally connected local points of service. Both companies share a specialized focus on serving small and independent businesses.
John Rodenburg, President of Federated says, “This acquisition will allow me to devote more time to help our clients rather than focusing on management. We are a very client centered organization with close client relationships. We believe that Fiducial will continue this tradition.” Federated was started in 1925 by Rodenburg’s grandfather and has grown into the country’s premier funeral services business provider. Federated Funeral Directors of America handles everything from comprehensive accounting services and funeral business consulting to succession planning and collection services.
The focus on small businesses and the all encompassing nature of Federated’s business model is a natural fit for Fiducial’s full-service, local business model. Fiducial’s success is due to their belief that for small, independent business to remain competitive, they should have access to the same comprehensive services and expert advice that big businesses have. Fiducial strives to provide those services.
Yves Morard-Lacroix, Executive Vice President of Fiducial Inc. says, “We have a great respect for what Federated has built. John Rodenburg, along with 200 caring, dedicated and extremely knowledgeable staff members, built something unique. They built an organization with great heart, which provides excellent service, and helps build, sustain, and support funeral homes all across the U.S. These are just some of the qualities and characteristics we respect and admire about Federated. These are also qualities that are very important to us at Fiducial.”
Morard-Lacroix continues, “Fiducial is built upon the idea that small and independent businesses do best when they are served by local experts in their industry. Giving local experts the resources of a national firm is at Fiducial’s foundation. This is one reason the joining of Fiducial and Federated makes such good sense. It’s going to be a great combination that will continue Federated’s legacy and add new services to over 1,300 clients.”
Fiducial is a provider of services to small businesses and their owners throughout the United States. Fiducial established operations in the U.S. in 1999 and has grown to approximately 70 locations around the country comprised of both company stores and franchise offices.
SOURCE: http://www.prweb.com/releases/Fiducial/FederatedFuneralDirectors/prweb8908837.htm
Mr. Christian Latouche, Founder and Chairman of Fiducial, is proud to announce the acquisition of Federated Funeral Directors of America of Springfield, Illinois; and its subsidiaries, Southeastern Funeral Directors Service and Funeral Management Service. Federated is currently the business services expert to the funeral home industry with over 1,300 funeral home clients. This acquisition joins two successful family owned businesses to form a strong, comprehensive source of services for small businesses.
The acquisition of Federated Funeral Directors of America of Springfield, Illinois is a natural fit for Fiducial. Federated serves the funeral services community on a national level and Fiducial serves the small business community with nationally connected local points of service. Both companies share a specialized focus on serving small and independent businesses.
John Rodenburg, President of Federated says, “This acquisition will allow me to devote more time to help our clients rather than focusing on management. We are a very client centered organization with close client relationships. We believe that Fiducial will continue this tradition.” Federated was started in 1925 by Rodenburg’s grandfather and has grown into the country’s premier funeral services business provider. Federated Funeral Directors of America handles everything from comprehensive accounting services and funeral business consulting to succession planning and collection services.
The focus on small businesses and the all encompassing nature of Federated’s business model is a natural fit for Fiducial’s full-service, local business model. Fiducial’s success is due to their belief that for small, independent business to remain competitive, they should have access to the same comprehensive services and expert advice that big businesses have. Fiducial strives to provide those services.
Yves Morard-Lacroix, Executive Vice President of Fiducial Inc. says, “We have a great respect for what Federated has built. John Rodenburg, along with 200 caring, dedicated and extremely knowledgeable staff members, built something unique. They built an organization with great heart, which provides excellent service, and helps build, sustain, and support funeral homes all across the U.S. These are just some of the qualities and characteristics we respect and admire about Federated. These are also qualities that are very important to us at Fiducial.”
Morard-Lacroix continues, “Fiducial is built upon the idea that small and independent businesses do best when they are served by local experts in their industry. Giving local experts the resources of a national firm is at Fiducial’s foundation. This is one reason the joining of Fiducial and Federated makes such good sense. It’s going to be a great combination that will continue Federated’s legacy and add new services to over 1,300 clients.”
Fiducial is a provider of services to small businesses and their owners throughout the United States. Fiducial established operations in the U.S. in 1999 and has grown to approximately 70 locations around the country comprised of both company stores and franchise offices.
SOURCE: http://www.prweb.com/releases/Fiducial/FederatedFuneralDirectors/prweb8908837.htm
Thursday, October 27, 2011
Families Forgoing Funerals, Putting Cemeteries in Bind
They're choosing cremations over burials to cut costs
After a decade of hospitalizations from diabetes and heart disease, Debra Franzel had a frank talk with her niece, Deanna Franzel. A Medicaid patient, she wanted cremation and no fanfare over her passing.
"We had discussed very openly what her wishes were," said Deanna Franzel, 30, of Caro. "She said, 'I don't want anybody to pay for a funeral. No funeral, no showing, no viewing.' "
When Debra Franzel, 53, died in April, the Cremation Society of Michigan picked up her body and took it to a crematorium.
The cost, Deanna Franzel said, was around $250.
If her aunt hadn't been ill for so long or had more money, her choice about her funeral arrangements might have been different, Deanna Franzel said.
"She did it because she didn't want to be a burden to anybody," Franzel said. "People don't want to burden a family with headstones and funeral costs. There are also spiritual and cultural diversities. People have to do what's comfortable for them."
Driven in part by tight finances, more families are choosing cremation over traditional funerals, forcing operators to rethink how they do business. Falling burial rates and rising cremations are putting the pinch on cemeteries.
Blame the high cost of dying.
A full funeral and burial can top $10,000. A no-frills cremation can be less than $1,000. It's a vicious cycle for cemeteries as the economy remains sluggish and stigmas against cremation ease.
Some cemeteries have raised prices more than 15 percent this summer alone, said Phil Douma, executive director of the Michigan Funeral Directors Association.
"There's no question in the minds of funeral directors that these escalating burial fees certainly play a factor in the rising cremation rates," Douma said. "It's a major, major issue with the cemetery industry, both private and municipal. Opening and closing the graves are an integral part of the business plan, and it's really affecting the industry."
Canton Township, for example, had to hike rates at its three cemeteries last year from $300 a burial to $1,200.
"We tried to keep costs down but we did the analysis," said township engineer Tom Casari. The township only handles about seven services a year but has to do the same cemetery maintenance it did when burial rates were higher.
In 1990, nearly 80 percent of people who died in Michigan were buried. In 2010, about 50 percent received a burial. The cremation rate during that period more than doubled, from 17 percent to more than 40 percent.
"The cemeteries that are municipal owned don't have the extra funds any more to do the maintenance, and they depend on the burial fees," said Tony Benhart, manager of the Crystal Springs Cemetery in Benton Harbor. The fee for a cremation ceremony can be a quarter of that for a burial, he said.
Michigan has about 4,200 cemeteries, including about 125 privately owned burial grounds, according to the state cemetery commission.
Almost 600 are owned by religious organizations. Another 350 are abandoned or obliterated, and there are five Native American and five national cemeteries in the state. The rest are owned by municipalities.
Michigan is in the upper middle of the pack of states when it comes to cremation rates; 19 have higher rates than Michigan. Nevada is the highest at 65 percent and Alabama is the lowest at fewer than 10 percent.
Patrick Lynch of Lynch and Sons Funeral Directors in Clawson said cost is a factor in the growing popularity of cremation. But a bigger factor is the way we perceive the concept of "home," Lynch said.
"People are not as grounded to a place as they were a generation ago," said Lynch, who is president of the National Funeral Directors Association. "Today, people move around like it's nothing. Someone doesn't necessarily call Detroit home just because they're born there. Because of that, people are disinclined to buy cemetery property."
Cremation, he said, allows people to be as mobile in death as they were in life.
Another option that's gaining market share is a "green" funeral. Green funerals eschew embalming fluid and non-biodegradable caskets and can be cheaper than a traditional funeral, said Adam Martin, owner of Martin Funeral Cremation & Tribute Services, which has locations in Genesee and Tuscola counties.
A green funeral costs about $1,000 to $1,500 less than a traditional one, Martin said.
"It's just something that we want to let people know is available and out there," he said. "We like to focus on what the family wants to do. It's just sort of looking outside the box to help people."
At Glen Eden Memorial Park, a religious cemetery in Livonia, officials have shifted services over the years to better serve those who choose cremation.
"I would say in the last 20 years, we have certainly kept our ear to our customers' needs and what they wanted," said Tom Habitz, general manager of Glen Eden. "We can do a couple of different things. We can bury the ashes in an existing grave. We can take up to four cremations in one grave or three cremations and one traditional bury." The Livonia cemetery handles about 550 burials and about 200 cremations a year. Like other cemeteries in Michigan, Glen Eden faces rising costs for gas, insurance and equipment.
"One thing that a lot of people have difficulty with in the general public is they don't understand the final aspect of the cemetery," Habitz said. "We have a one-time fee but we have to maintain that grave or that mausoleum forever."
SOURCE
After a decade of hospitalizations from diabetes and heart disease, Debra Franzel had a frank talk with her niece, Deanna Franzel. A Medicaid patient, she wanted cremation and no fanfare over her passing.
When Debra Franzel, 53, died in April, the Cremation Society of Michigan picked up her body and took it to a crematorium.
The cost, Deanna Franzel said, was around $250.
If her aunt hadn't been ill for so long or had more money, her choice about her funeral arrangements might have been different, Deanna Franzel said.
"She did it because she didn't want to be a burden to anybody," Franzel said. "People don't want to burden a family with headstones and funeral costs. There are also spiritual and cultural diversities. People have to do what's comfortable for them."
Driven in part by tight finances, more families are choosing cremation over traditional funerals, forcing operators to rethink how they do business. Falling burial rates and rising cremations are putting the pinch on cemeteries.
Blame the high cost of dying.
A full funeral and burial can top $10,000. A no-frills cremation can be less than $1,000. It's a vicious cycle for cemeteries as the economy remains sluggish and stigmas against cremation ease.
Some cemeteries have raised prices more than 15 percent this summer alone, said Phil Douma, executive director of the Michigan Funeral Directors Association.
"There's no question in the minds of funeral directors that these escalating burial fees certainly play a factor in the rising cremation rates," Douma said. "It's a major, major issue with the cemetery industry, both private and municipal. Opening and closing the graves are an integral part of the business plan, and it's really affecting the industry."
Canton Township, for example, had to hike rates at its three cemeteries last year from $300 a burial to $1,200.
"We tried to keep costs down but we did the analysis," said township engineer Tom Casari. The township only handles about seven services a year but has to do the same cemetery maintenance it did when burial rates were higher.
In 1990, nearly 80 percent of people who died in Michigan were buried. In 2010, about 50 percent received a burial. The cremation rate during that period more than doubled, from 17 percent to more than 40 percent.
"The cemeteries that are municipal owned don't have the extra funds any more to do the maintenance, and they depend on the burial fees," said Tony Benhart, manager of the Crystal Springs Cemetery in Benton Harbor. The fee for a cremation ceremony can be a quarter of that for a burial, he said.
Michigan has about 4,200 cemeteries, including about 125 privately owned burial grounds, according to the state cemetery commission.
Almost 600 are owned by religious organizations. Another 350 are abandoned or obliterated, and there are five Native American and five national cemeteries in the state. The rest are owned by municipalities.
Michigan is in the upper middle of the pack of states when it comes to cremation rates; 19 have higher rates than Michigan. Nevada is the highest at 65 percent and Alabama is the lowest at fewer than 10 percent.
Patrick Lynch of Lynch and Sons Funeral Directors in Clawson said cost is a factor in the growing popularity of cremation. But a bigger factor is the way we perceive the concept of "home," Lynch said.
"People are not as grounded to a place as they were a generation ago," said Lynch, who is president of the National Funeral Directors Association. "Today, people move around like it's nothing. Someone doesn't necessarily call Detroit home just because they're born there. Because of that, people are disinclined to buy cemetery property."
Cremation, he said, allows people to be as mobile in death as they were in life.
Another option that's gaining market share is a "green" funeral. Green funerals eschew embalming fluid and non-biodegradable caskets and can be cheaper than a traditional funeral, said Adam Martin, owner of Martin Funeral Cremation & Tribute Services, which has locations in Genesee and Tuscola counties.
A green funeral costs about $1,000 to $1,500 less than a traditional one, Martin said.
"It's just something that we want to let people know is available and out there," he said. "We like to focus on what the family wants to do. It's just sort of looking outside the box to help people."
At Glen Eden Memorial Park, a religious cemetery in Livonia, officials have shifted services over the years to better serve those who choose cremation.
"I would say in the last 20 years, we have certainly kept our ear to our customers' needs and what they wanted," said Tom Habitz, general manager of Glen Eden. "We can do a couple of different things. We can bury the ashes in an existing grave. We can take up to four cremations in one grave or three cremations and one traditional bury." The Livonia cemetery handles about 550 burials and about 200 cremations a year. Like other cemeteries in Michigan, Glen Eden faces rising costs for gas, insurance and equipment.
"One thing that a lot of people have difficulty with in the general public is they don't understand the final aspect of the cemetery," Habitz said. "We have a one-time fee but we have to maintain that grave or that mausoleum forever."
SOURCE
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Living Green - Dying Green
As some Chicagoans prepare Halloween costumes portraying the dead, death-industry professionals are gathered in Chicago to discuss business strategies regarding the dearly departed.
The National Funeral Directors Association International Convention and Expo opened Sunday and runs through Wednesday at McCormick Place. The group is holding its convention in conjunction with the Wheeling-based Cremation Association of North America for the first time, bringing together two seemingly competing sectors of the disposition industry.
Among the issues up for discussion are the rise of "green" funerals, which can include biodegradable caskets, organic or locally grown flowers, and burial without embalmment.
"As consumers, they make choices to live more environmentally friendly lifestyles, and they're also starting to look at ways that they can make their funerals 'green,'" said Jessica Koth, spokeswoman for the Wisconsin-based National Funeral Directors Association.
Another trend is that more families are opting for cremation, often as a more cost-effective alternative to traditional burials. The Cremation Association estimates that more than 44 percent of those who die in the United States in 2015 will be cremated, according to a 2008 report.
Another topic up for discussion at the convention is alkaline hydrolysis, an emerging technique that uses water, chemicals and heat to accelerate natural decomposition, Koth said. The process, which is legal in only a small number of states, serves as an alternative to cremation, with less use of fossil fuels.
"There are so many alternatives available that funeral directors and cremationists need to know how to respond to that," said Mark Matthews, president of the Cremation Association. "But we're not sure how the consumer is going to react to it."
As at most conventions, organizers have planned several social outings.
"A lot of people that come are often the only people in their town who own a funeral home," Matthews said. "So they come to Chicago and they kind of get to let their hair down."
SOURCE
Among the issues up for discussion are the rise of "green" funerals, which can include biodegradable caskets, organic or locally grown flowers, and burial without embalmment.
"As consumers, they make choices to live more environmentally friendly lifestyles, and they're also starting to look at ways that they can make their funerals 'green,'" said Jessica Koth, spokeswoman for the Wisconsin-based National Funeral Directors Association.
Another trend is that more families are opting for cremation, often as a more cost-effective alternative to traditional burials. The Cremation Association estimates that more than 44 percent of those who die in the United States in 2015 will be cremated, according to a 2008 report.
Another topic up for discussion at the convention is alkaline hydrolysis, an emerging technique that uses water, chemicals and heat to accelerate natural decomposition, Koth said. The process, which is legal in only a small number of states, serves as an alternative to cremation, with less use of fossil fuels.
"There are so many alternatives available that funeral directors and cremationists need to know how to respond to that," said Mark Matthews, president of the Cremation Association. "But we're not sure how the consumer is going to react to it."
As at most conventions, organizers have planned several social outings.
"A lot of people that come are often the only people in their town who own a funeral home," Matthews said. "So they come to Chicago and they kind of get to let their hair down."
SOURCE
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
Cremation Revived as Grave Alternative
As Malta’s cemeteries become fuller the Health Ministry is considering the introduction of cremation as part of a policy to tackle the growing lack of burial space.
The demand for more graves is getting bigger every year.
“The policy aims at addressing the situation in which the demand for more graves is getting bigger every year, and thus considers various solutions and options available... which range from building other graves and adding grave sites to options such as a crematorium,” a ministry spokesman said.
Currently, cremation is not regulated by law since there are no crematoriums. However, bodies that were cremated abroad have been allowed a normal burial.
The Church does not oppose cremation but recommends that the ashes are buried and not kept in urns or scattered.
At the moment government cemeteries have more than 22,293 graves, 1,776 of which are common.
The bulk of the graves are at Santa Maria Addolorata Cemetery where there are 15,538 graves that include 14,329 privately owned and 1,209 common ones.
Until May this year there were 6,748 pending applications to buy graves with 4,029 of the applicants wanting a burial space at the Addolorata. Some applications have been pending for over a decade.
Over the past years the government has been looking at ways to solve the problem of the lack of burial space and come up with various proposals to extend the cemetery.
In 2006 former Health Minister Louis Deguara had announced that some 2,782 graves were to be developed. Three years later his successor, John Dalli, said the previous plans had been scrapped because they did not respect the architectural heritage of the Paola cemetery.
Mr Dalli, who is now an EU commissioner, announced a massive €33 million extension of 9,000 new graves at the Addolorata to be built over three years.
He said a piece of land had been identified for a crematorium but the government was not interested in actually developing or managing it and would leave this up to the private sector. Mr Dalli also said each new grave would be sold for about €8,000 – an increase of over €4,000 over prices still applicable today.
Despite these promises, no new graves have materialised as yet.
A ministry spokesman said the government was working on the policy to address the problem.
“In fact plans have been laid down for the extension of the Addolorata cemetery which will accommodate about 2,900 graves,” he said adding that it was not possible to give a timeframe for the completion of the policy.
Speaking in Parliament last week, Health Minister Joseph Cassar confirmed that the real cost of a new grave was €8,000 and this will be reflected in amendments to the price order regulating the price of graves at the Addolorata.
The minister said the extension of the Addolorata was still in its initial stage, with workers involved in site clearance.
SOURCE
The demand for more graves is getting bigger every year.
Currently, cremation is not regulated by law since there are no crematoriums. However, bodies that were cremated abroad have been allowed a normal burial.
The Church does not oppose cremation but recommends that the ashes are buried and not kept in urns or scattered.
At the moment government cemeteries have more than 22,293 graves, 1,776 of which are common.
The bulk of the graves are at Santa Maria Addolorata Cemetery where there are 15,538 graves that include 14,329 privately owned and 1,209 common ones.
Until May this year there were 6,748 pending applications to buy graves with 4,029 of the applicants wanting a burial space at the Addolorata. Some applications have been pending for over a decade.
Over the past years the government has been looking at ways to solve the problem of the lack of burial space and come up with various proposals to extend the cemetery.
In 2006 former Health Minister Louis Deguara had announced that some 2,782 graves were to be developed. Three years later his successor, John Dalli, said the previous plans had been scrapped because they did not respect the architectural heritage of the Paola cemetery.
Mr Dalli, who is now an EU commissioner, announced a massive €33 million extension of 9,000 new graves at the Addolorata to be built over three years.
He said a piece of land had been identified for a crematorium but the government was not interested in actually developing or managing it and would leave this up to the private sector. Mr Dalli also said each new grave would be sold for about €8,000 – an increase of over €4,000 over prices still applicable today.
Despite these promises, no new graves have materialised as yet.
A ministry spokesman said the government was working on the policy to address the problem.
“In fact plans have been laid down for the extension of the Addolorata cemetery which will accommodate about 2,900 graves,” he said adding that it was not possible to give a timeframe for the completion of the policy.
Speaking in Parliament last week, Health Minister Joseph Cassar confirmed that the real cost of a new grave was €8,000 and this will be reflected in amendments to the price order regulating the price of graves at the Addolorata.
The minister said the extension of the Addolorata was still in its initial stage, with workers involved in site clearance.
SOURCE
Sunday, October 16, 2011
Dan Wheldon Dead at 33
SOURCE:
http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list
Sue Mengers Dead at 79
10/16/11: Hollywood talent agent Sue Mengers died in her home in Beverly Hills after a long illness. Over her storied career she represented such Hollywood greats as, Steve McQueen, Faye Dunaway, Barbra Streisand, Nick Nolte and Burt Reynolds to name a few. She was 79.
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Mikey Welsh Dead at 40
10/9/11: Former Weezer bassist Mikey Welsh died from a suspected drug overdose in a Chicago hotel room. He was 40 years old. In an odd twist, Welsh had predicted his death - down to the correct weekend - on Twitter weeks before. He had written that he had a dream about dying in a Chicago hotel room from a heart attack on that weekend.SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=1&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Saturday, October 8, 2011
Al Davis Dead at 82
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=1&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Charles Napier Dead at 75
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Steve Jobs Dead at 56
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=1&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Arch West Dead at 97
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
Frances Bay Dead at 92
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
DJ Mehdi Dead at 34
9/13/11: The popular French DJ, real name Mehdi Favéris-Essadi, died during the early morning when the roof of the building he was standing on collapsed. He was best known for his work with such groups as Daft Punk, Cassius and MC Solaar.SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Sunday, September 11, 2011
Andy Whitfield Dead at 39
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=2&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Saturday, September 10, 2011
Cliff Robertson Dead at 88
9/10/11: Oscar-winning actor Cliff Robertson, best known to modern audiences as Uncle Ben from the "Spider-Man" films, died just one day after his 88th birthday.
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=3&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Thursday, August 11, 2011
Hugh Carey Dead at 92
A funeral mass is being held today in Midtown for former New York Governor Hugh Carey. Friends and family have joined some of the state's biggest political names for a mass at St. Patrick's Cathedral. The service is being presided over by Archbishop Timothy Dolan. The Brooklyn-born lawmaker died Sunday at the age of 92.Carey took office in 1975 as the city was teetering on bankruptcy, threatening to bring the state down with it. Those attending his wake yesterday say he left an important legacy. "If you look at all the controls that exist in New York City: How transparent we are fiscally, how well things are, how we have a balanced budget. There are no fiscal gimmicks. That's because of Hugh Carey and the work that he did," said former City Comptroller Bill Thompson.
"He was a spectacular man. He was a wonderful man. He had a great sense of humor. He was not a polarizer. He had the cooperation of Republicans in solving all of the problems that he faced for eight years. He was truly a remarkable person. We miss him," said former Lieutenant Governor Richard Ravitch.
Carey will be laid to rest later in the day on Shelter Island.
SOURCE: http://manhattan.ny1.com/content/top_stories/144821/funeral-underway-for-former-governor-hugh-carey
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
Bubba Smith Dead at 66
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=3&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Saturday, July 23, 2011
Amy Winehouse Dead at 27
7/23/11: The very talented, but often troubled U.K. pop star was found dead Saturday in her London home. The cause of death has not been released, but she was only 27 years old.SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=3&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Friday, July 8, 2011
Betty Ford Dead at 93
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=3&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Friday, June 24, 2011
Peter Falk Dead at 83
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=3&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Monday, June 20, 2011
Ryan Dunn Dead at 34
6/20/11 Ryan Dunn, one of the regular stuntmen/daredevils on the popular MTV show and following films "Jackass" died during a stunt involving a motor vehicle, leaving the vehicle decimated and seemingly melted.
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=4&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Saturday, June 18, 2011
Clarence Clemeons Dead at 69
Bruce Springsteen's statement: "Clarence lived a wonderful life. He carried within him a love of people that made them love him. He created a wondrous and extended family. He loved the saxophone, loved our fans and gave everything he had every night he stepped on stage. His loss is immeasurable and we are honored and thankful to have known him and had the opportunity to stand beside him for nearly forty years. He was my great friend, my partner, and with Clarence at my side, my band and I were able to tell a story far deeper than those simply contained in our music. His life, his memory, and his love will live on in that story and in our band." -- From the blog The Music's Over
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=4&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Jackie Cooper Dead at 88
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=7&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Dr Jack Kevorkian Dead at 83
SOURCE: http://www.ranker.com/list/celebrity-deaths-2011-famous-deaths-list/famous-celebrity-deaths-list?page=4&format=BLOG&sortby=&sortdir=&limit=
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