Here’s what you need to know about cremation options and etiquette

WAUSAU, Wis. (WSAW) - Cremation can feel like a very simple and affordable option. But there’s much more to cremation than just saying it right. Almost 60% of people chose cremation last year. But even that choice comes with several other options.

Heather Carlson and Teanna Phillips from Restlawn Memorial Park in Wausau joined Sunrise 7 on Tuesday to explain a person’s options.

“There are so many questions that need to be answered that you really don’t want to leave up to someone else. ‘Who’s going to pick you up?’ ‘Where are you going to be?’ ‘How are you going to be memorialized?’ These are all decisions that you need to make when you choose something like cremation,” Carlson explained.

Phillips said Restlawn Memorial Park has several options for a final resting place following cremation.

“We have anything from indoor glass niches, spaces in our outdoor mausoleum, you can even lay your loved ones to rest in a memorial, which is really unique. We also have a nature trail, which allows for pets and humans to be laid to rest at the same time. We have Peaceful Crossings too, which is an area that’s just entirely dedicated to cremation,” Phillips explained.

People who choose cremation still have choices when it comes to how the body is prepared upon death.

And you can  bring the urn out to us. There is no need for an actual funeral home at that point. We will take care of all the memorialization out there for you allow the urn to be on visitation, if you will. You can have photos, we offer slideshows, you can absolutely have a traditional service, just a different method of body preparation,” said Carlson.

Is it OK to separate cremated remains? Carlson said there’s many different reasons people have for doing that.

“We are not in any position to judge, but we do recommend that a professional do it, whether it be the crematory or someone like ourselves because you’re not going to be prepared for what you see in there,” she explained.

Staff at Restlawn say it is common to have questions.

“We try to gain as much information as we can about the family and who that loved one is, so we can find an ideal arrangement for them that shows who they were respectfully, explained Phillips.

If you have additional questions you can contact the staff at Restlawn by calling 715-675-3309.

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