What Burial Options are There for Funeral Home and Cremations in Catonsville, MD?

Loudon Park Funeral Home and Cemetery is the premier provider of funeral, cremation, and burial services in Catonsville, MD, and the surrounding areas. Our funeral home has always been locally-owned and operated for 22 years. At Loudon Park Funeral Home, we take great pride in caring for our families and will work tirelessly to provide you with a beautiful and lasting tribute to your loved one. Our dedicated and supportive staff are here to guide you through this difficult journey. Call us today at (410) 644-1900 for all your funeral and cremation needs.

Learning about burial choices can help guide your funeral and cremation planning process in Catonsville, MD. This is because beginning with the end in mind can help you make decisions along the way. With more burial solutions than ever before, you can arm yourself with the understanding of what is available. In this way, you can prepare for future needs or find the perfect place to lay your loved one to rest.

Did you know there are different types of cemeteries? Most cemeteries and memorial parks have specific rules. These must be followed if you want to have final disposition occur at that location. Do you want a high-profile, upright headstone? Better look for a monumental cemetery. Would you prefer burial at a more uniform cemetery with clean design lines? Look for a lawn cemetery that only allows low-profile plaques to mark the graves. Some cemeteries allow both low and high-profile monument areas.

There are also more options for burial than ground burial. If above-ground placement is interesting to you, look for a cemetery that is offering mausoleum spaces. These structures are built with one to many burial chambers. They make elegant monuments and are truly impressive. If cremation is chosen, above-ground placement can happen in a columbarium niche.

Those who are ecologically minded are relieved to learn that more and more natural burial sites are being created. With strict rules about the preparation of the final remains and casket or shroud materials, these establishments aim to reduce the final footprint. This supports a more natural return to the earth. Very often, these cemeteries don’t allow chiseled or cut stone monuments and headstones. Instead, graves are marked with trees, bushes, or natural stone to match the surroundings of the setting.

The Cremation Process and Final Placement

The process of cremation transforms the body of the deceased into a much smaller collection of sterile particles. This change occurs through exposure to targeted, high heat. The remaining larger fragments are then processed into uniform grains. It is essential to know that cremation is not a funeral or honoring ceremony. However, a funeral home and cremations in Catonsville, MD, could be held for the same person if that is wanted.

Cremation is a highly regulated process. Upstanding providers will be as transparent as possible regarding their practices. If a direct cremation is being done, it means that there will not be a public honoring service held. In this case, many crematories allow for a small number of close loved ones to briefly say goodbye to the deceased prior to the cremation.

When it is time to perform cremation, all legal paperwork and permits must first be in place. After verifying the identity of the remains, the body will be placed in the cremation chamber. The extreme heat is then applied to the chamber and contents. Within 1-2 hours, the burning process is complete.

After cooling, all collectible elements are retrieved from the retort. Any fragments will be further processed for uniformity. These “ashes” or “cremains” are then placed in a temporary or permanent urn. According to the arrangements made, the ashes are returned to the closest relative.

The final disposition of cremated remains could take several forms. The remains could stay in a decorative urn or be divided between multiple urns to always be nearby loved ones. Or you might bury the cremains in a cemetery urn plot. Families can gather to scatter the ashes in a much-loved place. This should be done in compliance with local laws and only with appropriate permissions. You can look to other unique ideas for the final placement of cremated remains as well.

Honoring Ceremonies Related to Funeral Home and Cremations in Catonsville, MD

Traditional funerals are still very commonly held. However, they can be anything but common. Each honoring service is for a unique individual, and the service ought to reflect that. Funerals offer an excellent way for those experiencing this loss to support each other. It also provides a moment of closure, an important part of the grieving and healing process. Memorials are similar to funerals but lack the presence of the deceased body at the service.

Chapel services are also sometimes called graveside services. These are most generally held at the location of the burial site. They could be held prior to burial (most often) or after burial has occurred. Generally speaking, these services are more intimate and brief in duration.

Tour Our Facility

If you are making plans for funeral home and cremations in Catonsville, MD, give Loudon Park Funeral Home and Cemetery a call. They can help with any or all of the services you require. Call (410) 644-1900 to make an appointment to tour our facilities and grounds today. We are conveniently located at 3620 Wilkens Ave, Baltimore, MD 21229.

Funeral Home and Cremations FAQs

What makes a funeral home successful?

A funeral home is successful if it makes its mission is to provide an unparalleled funeral service experience by exceeding the expectations of the families that call upon us in their time of need. Along with excellent customer service and genuine honesty make up a big portion of a funeral home's reputation, which is why funeral directors and their personnel value these two attributes so highly. The employees will be kind and professional in their treatment of you. Know more about Loudon Park Funeral Home.

Why is food served after a funeral?

Food is offered after a funeral in many cultures and traditions. The dinner is a kind of charity for the mourners' friends and family, and the blessing from that charity is given to the deceased. The more guests eat and fill themselves up, the more blessings the dead receive. Learn more.

Can we dig our own grave to avoid the charge for opening and closing?

The actual opening and closure of the grave is only one part of the price. The actual opening and closing of the grave are handled by cemetery grounds employees exclusively due to safety concerns surrounding the usage of machinery on cemetery land and the preservation of adjacent gravesites. Learn more.