Cremation Question

When my best friend's husband (and dog--they died the same week) were cremated, it was explained that state (Michigan) law stated that if the cremains were placed in an urn, the lid had to be permanently sealed. My understanding from my parents is that the ashes are just in the urn, not in a bag within the urn.

My friend's late husband had wanted his ashes spread in a particular area, so my friend got the cremains in a standard looking white cardboard box, taped shut. In the box (I looked) the cremains are in a clear plastic (sealed) bag. The dog's cremains are in an almost identical box and bag.

Each state has their own laws about the handling of remains and cremains. It might help to check in your location to see what goes on.

Adding a further comment (not directly related to the original question), some cemeteries have requirements about what kind of container are allowed to be used for remains, especially in a mausoleum.

My Mom was cremated 5 years ago in AZ. Her cremains are in a plastic bag, inside the bronze box (not sealed and not yet at the cemetery), waiting for Dad to join her. We also scattered some of the cremains in her flower beds and garden at the house in the mountains. Some of Dad will get scattered there also, when the time comes.

MM

MaryMumsy said:

My Mom was cremated 5 years ago in AZ. Her cremains are in a plastic bag, inside the bronze box (not sealed and not yet at the cemetery), waiting for Dad to join her. We also scattered some of the cremains in her flower beds and garden at the house in the mountains. Some of Dad will get scattered there also, when the time comes.

MM

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My 96yo grandfather says that the first one to go (him or Grandma, 94) should be cremated and put in a shoebox under the bed. The second one should then be mixed with the first and both scattered together.

They're the last of their generation living, so he's also said they don't want funerals. (They're having a 75th anniversary party in a few weeks.) I told him that when he dies we'll hold a memorial Scotch Bridge tournament, where anyone anywhere can get a group together at the same time to play cards and reminisce. He liked that idea.

Juneluv12 said:

Hi guys,

I usually post on here as the semi-death guru, but I'm not really familiar with cremation. Here's my question.

Inside the urn or vase or whatever, are the ashes bagged and sealed or are they just open the lid and there they are?
Thanks!!!

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There is a metal tag in the ashes with the crematorium ID number.

If an urn, the urn is sealed. If you are going to scatter the ashes, they come in a cardboard box or cylinder (color varies) and may or may not be bagged.

The ashes are surprisingly heavy, grey-white and coarsely granular. More like beach sand or crushed rock than wood ashes.

My father was creamated, and I picked up his ashes, which came in a square cardboard box. Inside the box was a plastic bag. Inside the bag were fragments of bone. When we scattered his ashes, my brother kept a small bone about an inch long.