Jerry Spears Funeral Home and Cremation

Whether you chose burial or cremation, a service should be included in your arrangements. A funeral service fills several important needs in today’s society. First of all, it provides for the dignified and respectful care of the deceased. It's a special tribute to a unique life. Equally important, the funeral service helps survivors face the reality of death – the first big step toward overcoming grief. Together, close friends and relatives can lend support and consolation when they're needed most. A funeral gives friends and relatives an opportunity to express the love and respect they feel for someone who was important to them. Many times, just seeing how much others cared can be a tremendous help to a family in adjusting to their loss. We will work to accommodate any special requests that might add more meaning or personalization to a funeral service. If you have any questions about funeral services, please check out our Frequently Asked Questions about Funerals page.

A burial is a traditional method of honoring the body after death, involving either burying the body in the earth in a cemetery, on your private property, or a mausoleum. When a body is buried in the ground, it is traditionally laid out in a casket or in a burial shroud, and placed in a plot in the earth while loved ones watch and mourn. The plot is then covered, and marked with a headstone or commemorative plate. When the body is entombed in a crypt or mausoleum, it is laid out in a casket, which is then placed in a large niche in the wall, usually reserved for that specific person, and then sealed. If you have decided to bury the body of your loved on private land here in Ohio, you should check with the county or town clerk for any local zoning laws that much be followed before doing so. There should be a map of the property conducted to locate the grave and then be filed with the property deed. This is to ensure that in the future if your property goes up for sale it is made clear to potential and interested buyers. The family of the deceased has many different options to personalize a burial and the service of their loved one. Typically, a burial service involves a visitation, followed by a funeral service in a church, or other place of worship where a casket will be present and decided upon whether to be open or closed. Family or religious traditions are often a factor for choosing burial and the type of service you will arrange. Decisions also need to be made on whether the body will be embalmed, the kind of casket that will be used, and what cemetery and gravestone will be selected. SOME DEFINING FEATURES OF BURIAL -The body of the deceased person remains intact -The body can be buried at a variety of times depending on the family’s wishes. This can include before a memorial service, after a funeral, or at a time when the family can all be together to mourn. -Burial generally costs more due to costs associated with the casket, burial plots or spaces in the crypt or mausoleum, as well as the cost of a headstone or memorial plate

ere at Jerry Spears Funeral Home we own and operate our own crematorium here on site. We are with your loved one from the moment they arrive at our facility until the very end when the ashes are returned to your family to make arrangements for urn burial, memorial service/mass, scattering or for your retention. Putting your mind at ease knowing that your loved one will NEVER leave our facility is part of the service we provide. What is Cremation Cremation is the process of the body being reduced to its basic elements and dried bone fragments into ashes in a cremation chamber. Once the process is complete, the ashes are placed into an urn, or an alternative container and given back to you. Why Cremation? Cremation has become currently common considering the flexibility and low cost it provides to a family. Funerals add up quickly and a cremation service can be less expensive than a burial depending on the added services chosen by you. Although, this is depending on the service preferences of the deceased and the arrangements for a memorial service if chosen. Cremation also has its benefits of saving land, being a simpler service to arrange, and having the option to do what you wish with the ashes that would pay a tribute to your loved one. Cremation Memorial Services It is a common misconception that visitations and viewings only take place for a burial service. The option is available for a cremation service as well. In the case of a visitation before the cremation takes place, the family would either purchase a casket that will be cremated with the body, or they can rent one for a viewing. When a cremation service is selected rather than a burial, embalmment of the body is not included, although it is highly recommended to be done prior to an open casket viewing. If your family chooses to first have a cremation and than a ceremony, the urn would be placed at the front of the room, in the center, next to a photo of the deceased. There is also the option of a grave-side ceremony after a viewing or visitation, in which the urn would be buried in a traditional grave plot. FINAL RESTING PLACE AFTER A CREMATION Although there is no public health risk involved in scattering ashes, refrain from scattering ashes in a place that would be obvious to others. Instead try places such as: Scattering garden. Most cemeteries have an established scattering garden that you can inquire about when considering this option. Scattering ashes by air. Cremains have been deemed a non-hazardous substance by the U.S. Government, therefore allowing you to scatter the ashes of a loved on by air in a place of your choosing. Be sure to consider others around you when choosing a scattering location. At sea. After scattering the ashes of a loved one at sea you must notify the EPA within 30 days. When choosing a good place at sea to scatter ashes, keep in mind that the federal Clean Water Act requires cremated remains to be at least three nautical miles from shore while also refraining from beaches or wading pools. On land. There are many different places you could choose to scatter your loved one’s ashes such as, public land, private land, and federal land. In most cases if you are respectful, have a quiet ceremony, and follow regulations and rules, you should have no issues with the decision of your location. However, it is in your best interest to seek permission from a private land owner, or a federal national park. Also, depending on your zone, city, and county different regulations may be set in place for how cremated remains can be scattered. Use your best judgement and keep others in mind as well.