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Cremation Services

Is Cremation Right for You?


Final arrangements are incredibly personal choices.

A key part of making these preparations involves choosing between burial and cremation. This is a big decision and a number of factors can weigh into it, including religious beliefs, finances, and ecological awareness, to name a few. Whatever your reasons for considering cremation for yourself or a loved one, it’s important to know what’s involved so you can make the best decision for your situation. At Evan W. Smith Funeral Services, we offer a full complement of distinguished cremation services and products to accommodate a growing consumer demand.

 

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Family Shield Credit:
Considering cremation but want to add an affordable memorial service?

With Family Shield Credit, families can borrow funds to cover cremation expenses, including but not limited to urns. Also, if you'd like to add a memorial service or repast, Family Shield Credit's monthly payment plan makes it affordable and easy.  Ask one of our funeral directors for more information, or simply apply today.

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EWSFS-cremation-ash-scattering

In recent years, the popularity of cremation has increased dramatically.

In fact, the National Funeral Directors Association predicts that by 2035, cremation will comprise nearly 80% of funeral services nationwide. Consumer preferences have changed over time, and today, many families who opt for cremation wish to plan more personalized funeral services than those of years past. Evan W. Smith Funeral Services is proud to offer our community the most exceptional cremation and memorial services available. As a leading provider of Delaware cremation services, we regularly help families honor their departed loved ones with dignity and respect. Here are some of the key benefits of cremation and why more and more families are choosing this alternative:

Lower Cost

Cost is always an important factor when planning a service for a loved one. In most cases, a cremation service is more economical than a traditional burial service. When a loved one is cremated, additional costs like embalming and purchasing a casket are not necessarily required.

Simplicity

With cremation, the process for caring for the remains is much simpler than it is for a traditional burial. Once the body has been transported to the crematory and the paperwork is complete, the cremation process can be completed in a few hours.

Flexibility and Convenience

Every family wants to honor their loved ones with dignity and respect. However, when a family chooses to bury the deceased, the funeral service must be arranged quickly so the burial can take place. With cremation, families can take as much time as they need to plan a more personalized and meaningful memorial service at a time that’s convenient for everyone.

Environmentally Friendly

With burial, chemicals are often used to embalm the remains before the body, casket, and vault are buried in the ground. While some people choose to bury or spread the ashes, the environmental impact of cremation is far less than that of a burial service.

We hope you find this information helpful in making your decision. If you have unanswered questions, please reach out to us. One of our experienced cremation specialists will be happy to address your inquiries or concerns.
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Cremation Options


The choice is always yours.

Cremation offers an array of practical benefits.

In addition to its affordability, cremation has become a popular choice largely because of the flexibility it affords. You can choose to have a traditional funeral service before cremation or a memorial service at any time, with or without the urn present. You may keep the urn, scatter the ashes, or have the urn buried in a grave or columbarium where a service can be held. Whatever you choose, we’re here to offer you a loving, meaningful ceremony.

Enjoy maximum flexibility.

A common misconception is that when you choose cremation you cannot have a traditional funeral. This couldn’t be further from the truth. In fact, you have more memorialization options with cremation rather than fewer. Here are just a few of the many ways you or your loved one can be honored:

  • Funeral with a viewing, cremation to be held after;
  • Funeral without a viewing, cremation to be held after;
  • Memorial service at a traditional funeral home followed by interment of the ashes;
  • Memorial service at an outside venue;
  • Scattering of ashes at a location that was meaningful to the deceased


Cremation is a flexible and affordable choice, but it’s always difficult to plan final arrangements for a loved one when you’re faced with grief. For additional guidance and resources, our compassionate staff is always here to help you. Please contact us with any questions you may have.
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"Evan W. Smith Funeral Services created an unforgettable farewell for my beloved wife. The service was touching, meaningful and personal. I am very grateful to Evan and Laura for their compassion, professionalism, and thoughtfulness."


- Mr. Norman Griffiths, Former President, Wilmington City Council

Cremation FAQs


Helpful answers to your questions about cremation.

How long must we wait after their death before we can cremate our loved one?

How long must we wait after their death before we can cremate our loved one?
Unlike burial, cremation is irreversible. This requires us to be extra diligent in obtaining cremation authorization from the legally identified next-of-kin, as well as those from any necessary agencies (such as the medical examiner). During these 48-72 hours (depending on state mandated requirements), the deceased will be held in a secure, refrigerated environment.

How much will I have to pay for the cremation?

How much will I have to pay for the cremation?
When you enter into a discussion with us about the cost of your loved one's cremation, whether on the phone or in person, we are legally obligated to share our General Price List, or GPL, with you. That list details the actual cost of our cremation services, which is a combination of our basic professional services fee, the fee charged by the crematory for the use of their facilities, and any additional charges related to the transportation and safekeeping of the deceased prior to the cremation. It is impossible for us to quote an accurate cost for cremation here; we urge you to speak candidly about cremation costs with your funeral professional.

Can I participate in the cremation?

Can I participate in the cremation?
The answer to this question is dependent on the specific crematory responsible for the care of your loved one, but generally speaking, the answer is "yes". The degree to which you can participate may differ from crematory to crematory (depending on their facilities). Please speak with your funeral director if this is an issue for you or another family member.

Can I purchase an urn from another source, or must I buy one from you?

Can I purchase an urn from another source, or must I buy one from you?
The FTC's Funeral Rule guides funeral directors in the ethical and fair presentation of funeral service options. The purchase of a cremation urn (or a casket, for that matter) from second or third party sources is one of the rights it guarantees. Your funeral director cannot prevent you from, nor can they charge you an extra fee for, the purchase of a third-party cremation urn.

What should I do with my loved one's ashes?

What should I do with my loved one's ashes?
There are many things you can do with their ashes–including simply taking them home with you for safekeeping. There may come a time when you know exactly what you'd like to do with them, but it may not be right now. Be patient; the right way to care for them will surface in time. After all, there are a lot of options: scattering them on land or sea is one of the most common, but you can also use the cremated remains in keepsake jewelry or to create meaningful pieces of art. If you're curious about your options, just give us a call. We're happy to share what we know.

If we choose cremation, does my loved one have to be embalmed?

If we choose cremation, does my loved one have to be embalmed?
The short answer is "no", but there are exceptions. Let's say you want to have a viewing or visitation. If that's the case, it may be prudent to embalm your loved one so they look their best for the event. However, with that said, under the FTC's Funeral Rule, we cannot provide embalming services without your permission, and we cannot lead you to believe that embalming is required by law. In addition, we must provide you with written disclosures related to the embalming of your loved one.

How long will it take to cremate my loved one?

How long will it take to cremate my loved one?
While there are a number of determining factors, it generally takes 2 – 2.5 hours for the process. A cool-down period follows, and then the cremated remains are processed for a uniform appearance.

Are people dressed when they are cremated?

Are people dressed when they are cremated?
You'd be surprised how often we hear this question! Some people might choose to be undressed so as to 'go out' the same way they 'came in' to the world; but most of the time, the deceased is dressed in the clothing they've selected prior to their death, or on what was chosen by family members after their passing.

Can we put special items in the cremation casket?

Can we put special items in the cremation casket?
We do our best to accommodate the wishes of surviving family members. Most commonly, families will ask to place notes, children's drawings, or other personal messages of love, but we've certainly had some unusual requests, too. We encourage you to speak with your funeral director to learn the regulations of the specific crematory responsible for your loved one's cremation.

Does this mean we don't need to plan a commemoration service?

Does this mean we don't need to plan a commemoration service?
Certainly not; cremation merely describes the type of physical end-of-life care you intend to provide your loved one. A commemoration service is for the living: the individuals emotionally impacted by the death deserve the same level of compassionate attention. And one of the benefits of cremation comes from the larger window-of-opportunity in which to plan a meaningful celebration-of-life it provides the surviving family members. Your funeral professional can guide you in making all the necessary service arrangements.

What is the difference between a columbarium and a mausoleum?

What is the difference between a columbarium and a mausoleum?
A mausoleum is a free-standing building on the grounds of a local cemetery, which is intended as both a monument as well as the burial location for casketed individuals. A columbarium is the same in purpose, but not in design. Instead of crypt spaces large enough for a full-size casket, it features smaller niche spaces, large enough for one or two cremation urns.

Can you tell us which type of service is right for us?

Can you tell us which type of service is right for us?
We would never presume to tell you which service is best for your loved one. However, your funeral director will be pleased to guide and advise, explaining the differences between service formats (traditional funeral, memorial service and celebration-of-life), with the intention of empowering you to make the right decision for your situation.

What "extra" fees or charges will I need to pay?

What "extra" fees or charges will I need to pay?
It's difficult for us to answer this question without knowing the specifics of your proposed cremation arrangements. We can tell you there will most likely be extra charges for anything that involves a second-party purchase, such as the publication of your loved one's obituary in a local newspaper. If you select a decorative cremation urn and would like to personalize it with an engraved nameplate, a small fee may be involved.

What are "cash advance items"?

What are "cash advance items"?
When you arrive to make the necessary cremation service arrangements on behalf of a loved one, we will furnish you with a copy of our General Price List, a section of which discloses the exact price (or a good-faith estimate) of the most commonly-requested "cash advance items". Legally, these items are defined as "any item of service or merchandise...obtained from a third party and paid for by the funeral provider on the purchaser's behalf. Cash advance items may include, but are not limited to: cemetery or crematory services; pallbearers; public transportation; clergy honoraria; flowers; musicians or singers; nurses; obituary notices; gratuities and death certificates."

Why must I pay for these items at the time of arrangement?

Why must I pay for these items at the time of arrangement?
We have to pay for these second-party services or merchandise at the time we make the purchase on your behalf. This requires us to ask for payment for all cash advance items at the time the cremation service contract is agreed to and signed by the responsible family member. For more specific information about our payment policies, please call us to speak with a member of our cremation service professionals staff.

Can we arrange to bury our loved one’s ashes on cemetery grounds?

Can we arrange to bury our loved one’s ashes on cemetery grounds?
Yes, you can. The burial can be in-ground or the cremation urn can be placed in a columbarium niche. Speak with your funeral director to learn more about your specific cremation burial options.

 


 

Whether you need to plan a funeral for a death that has occurred or are seeking to preplan arrangements, our staff is always available to assist you. Please contact us anytime.

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Phone: (302) 377-6906
201 N. Union St., Wilmington, DE 19805

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