Monthly Archives: May 2019

cremation in Hayward, CA

Post Cremation Options

Whether you’re planning for your eventual passing or dealing with the recent death of a loved one, one big choice is body disposition. If you choose to go with cremation in Hayward, CA, you have even more choices coming your way as there are quite a few options when it comes to cremated remains.

Just because you chose a cremation service doesn’t mean you can’t also have a burial. In fact, many people have both as you cane easily bury or entomb cremated remains. This option helps you stay more on track with traditional burials and funerals while also using cremation services. There are a few options for burial or entombment after cremation including:

  • Columbarium: Columbarium are spaces specifically dedicated to housing and interring cremated remains Most often found in churches, there are also a few freestanding columbarium options as well as those attached to cemeteries.
  • Memorial Object: A non-traditional burial method for cremated remains is in a special memorial object like a bench, grave marker, rock or even in a tree. This method and special objects help loved ones memorialize and celebrate their lost in more personalized ways.
  • Crypt or Mausoleum: Go more religious or familial with a crypt or mausoleum. These options are usually preferred by Roman Catholics, but can get pretty expensive.
  • Family Plot: The most traditional burial for cremation remains is in the family plot or cemetery. Burial in the family plot is an easy way to use cremation services while still enjoying classic burial and funeral traditions.

The most common, and traditional, way to inter cremated remains is by scattering. The options for scattering are almost limitless, but some widespread choices are:

  • Casting: Casting ashes simply means tossing the cremated remains on the wind, usually in a special location. Be sure to check the wind direction to avoid uncomfortable moments.
  • Raking: Raking ashes happens when a family member or loved one by pours the ashes over loose soil and rakes them to combine the two. Local ordinances and laws generally prevent raking at any old spot, so make sure to check with the authorities before raking in a public garden or park.
  • Water Scattering: You can also scatter ashes into any body of water, again with permission from the local authorities. Another version of water scattering is to sink a water-soluble urn into the lake, river or ocean.
  • Ringing: Ringing involves more of a ceremony than other post-cremation choices. It involves forming a ring around an object like a house, tree or other special thing with the ashes, almost to compound the idea that the deceased is always with you and protecting you.

Contact Deer Creek Funeral Service to learn more about your options for after cremation. No matter what you choose, we are here to help you with all your Hayward, CA cremation needs. Please visit us at 20630 Redwood Rd Castro Valley, CA 94546, or give us a call at (510) 317-7890 for more information.

funeral homes in Oakland, CA

6 Things You Might Not Know About Funeral Homes

Most people don’t think about funerals and funeral homes in Oakland, CA until its time to plan or visit one. This is understandable, but it’s not helpful when you’re suddenly facing a loss and have to plan a funeral. Use this list of 6 unknown funeral home facts to help you be better prepared.

  1. You Cannot Authorize Your Own Funeral – While you can preplan and prepay for your funeral, you cannot sign the final authorization for your own burial or cremation because of the Right to Control law. This law, except in situations where a funeral agent is designated, outlines a specific family hierarchy that shows who has the right to authorize the funeral of a recently deceased person.
  2. You Can Have a Funeral Wherever and Whenever – Funerals don’t have to be held in funeral homes anymore. In fact, they can take whatever shape you feel best reflect the deceased’s and your family’s wishes. From a religious mass in a church for immediate family to memorial service in a funeral home six months later for out-of-town guest, the sky is the limit as long as it falls under the law.
  3. Coffins and Caskets Are Two Different Things – Coffins and caskets are different things. Coffins have six sides and are shaped like a hexagon to go along with the lines of a human body, meaning tapered at the head and foot with a wider construction at the shoulder. A casket, on the other hand, is rectangular with four sides adjoined at right angles.
  4. You Can Choose a Funeral and Cremation – Funerals and cremations are not mutually exclusive. You can have a viewing with an open casket before a cremation, or can host a funeral or memorial service with the cremains or even a commemorative video anytime after the cremation. Some people have services with an urn on display rather than a casket.
  5. Embalming is Optional – Embalming is not always required by law. You can choose to skip embalming or be embalmed with eco-friendly preservatives. You always have the right to choose a body disposition method that does not require embalming if you don’t want to be embalmed. However, some funeral homes may require embalming depending on public viewings of the body and similar services.
  6. You Can Compare Prices – Prices actually vary from one funeral home to another, and you have the right to call and ask what prices are in order to compare. Funeral homes must provide you with a General Price List that outlines their prices when asked as per California state law. Always do your research to make sure you’re getting a good deal, and don’t be afraid to ask for a price list as per your rights.

These are only 6 out of many unknown funeral facts. Contact Deer Creek Funeral Service by visiting 20630 Redwood Rd Castro Valley, CA 94546, or calling (510) 317-7890 to learn more about funerals and Oakland, CA funeral homes.

funeral homes in Hayward, CA

Funeral Homes and Veterans

Serving the United States through the armed forces is a truly remarkable and generous sacrifice. All veterans deserve to be honored for their service, even after death. One way our country shows thanks to its veterans is through funeral services. Many funeral homes in Hayward, CA offer special veteran’s services.

The United States has laws that provide eligible veterans with military funeral services honors as no cost if the family requests. Some of these honors include:

  • Flag Folding and Presentation: All eligible veterans will have at least 2 Armed Forces members serving as an honor guard during the funeral service. At least one of these guards will be from the deceased’s service branch, and this guard will present a traditionally folded American flag to the next of kin or designated person.
  • “Taps”- “Taps” is a bugle song long associated with military and patriotic funerals. Though live bugle performances are rarely seen these days, military funeral honors require that a high-quality recording of the song be played at any eligible funeral services if no live bugle is available.

Another veteran’s funeral service funeral homes offer is a flag burial. A flag is provided at no cost to the family to drape the casket or accompany the urn of the deceased. The flag will be folded and presented to eligible family members including the next of kin or requested friends. Family members may donate their flags to national cemeteries with Avenue of Flags so the flag can be flown on patriotic holidays to honor the deceased.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) can also furnish a headstone at no cost. These veteran’s headstones are available for any veteran regardless of date of death. The headstones are available in bronze, marble and granite in various styles to match existing headstones in the place of burial. This same service is available for cremated remains in the form of niche markers for columbariums. While the headstone itself is free of charge, the family is in charge of all installation fees.

Military funeral service honors are given to members of the United States Armed Forces that consist of the Marines, Army, National Guard, Air Force, Navy and Coast Guard. The individual must also meet one or more the following requirements:

  • Died in active duty or Selective Reserve
  • Completed at least one term of enlistment or initial obligated service in the Selective Reserve, and were not dishonorably discharged
  • Served on active duty, or in the Selected Reserve, and were not dishonorably discharged

If you have more questions about veteran’s funeral services, or about Hayward, CA funeral homes, you can contact Deer Creek Funeral Service. Please pay us a visit at 20630 Redwood Rd Castro Valley, CA 94546, or give us a call at (510) 317-7890 to learn more about what funeral and veteran’s services we offer to help you and your loved ones in your time of loss.

cremation in Walnut Creek, CA

Memorial Service Tips

Choosing a cremation in Walnut Creek, CA might seem impersonal or clinical at first. But, in reality, cremations give you a lot of leeway to plan a unique, meaningful and respectful memorial or service for your lost loved one. In fact, cremations make it simple to make sure your deceased loved one’s memorial service is unique to him or her.

Memorial services are for both the living and the dead, as they help honor the deceased while providing a healthy and constructive place for the living to grieve. An ideal service helps you and your loved ones mourn the loss while bringing together those that cared for the deceased so that everyone can pay tribute in a positive way.

It can be overwhelming to plan a memorial service for after a cremation, especially when you’re grieving a loss. Use these tips to help you plan a memorial service for your lost loved one after a cremation:

  • Date and Time – One nice thing about cremation services as opposed to burials and funerals is that you don’t have a deadline or specific timeline. With a burial, you need to have the funeral service within a few days of death because of decomposition. With a cremation service, however, you have as much time as you want since the body is already broken down. You can easily plan memorial services at later dates to allow people to come from out of town, or to have it be on an important or meaningful day.
  • Creativity – Once you’ve chosen a day, you can start planning the specifics. There are practically zero restrictions on what services should or need to be, so feel free to get creative. Think about the deceased and what he liked, stood for, or is most remembered for and expand on that. Have a theme party, make video tributes, scatter ashes in a ceremony, or even do things the deceased liked to do. For example, if the deceased loved golf, have a golf themed cremation service. You can order a golf ball urn for the ashes, and have guests take turns at a driving range. If the deceased really loved one specific park, hold the service in the park and scatter his ashes there (with a proper permit.)
  • Ask for Help – While planning memorial services can be bittersweet or even exciting, they also happen during a time of loss and can bring up stressful feelings. You might need help with the planning, and that’s OK. Ask for help from other family members or loved ones, or hire professionals. Find a funeral home nearby that has experience with memorial services to help you plan your event with compassion and attention.

The sky’s the limit when it comes to planning memorial services for after cremations. If you want more inspiration or guidance for a memorial service, or want to learn more about your options for Walnut Creek, CA cremations, contact Deer Creek Funeral Service. You can visit us at 20630 Redwood Rd Castro Valley, CA 94546, or give us a call at (510) 317-7890.