The death of a loved one brings about a host of considerations and decisions that can be very challenging to families. However, one of the trends that has become a priority to the O'Connell Family Funeral Homes is that such a death may provide a family their first real encounter with the possibility of cremation as a thoughtful, dignified means of parting with the deceased's remains. The O'Connell Family Funeral Home has become the ONLY onsite cremation provider in St. Croix County as well as outlying communities. Beyond the technical or practical considerations surrounding cremation what many families soon discover is that there can be many similarities between a cremation service and a traditional funeral. Along with cremation there can be a whole host of new opportunities to reflect, gather, and memorialize a loved one. While cremation is becoming a more common practice throughout Wisconsin and Minnesota, there are still many misconceptions about the practice.

How do you I go about deciding where to hold a funeral service or cremation?

There are many reasons why a family could choose one funeral home over another in a community, including awareness, reputation, proximity, previous experience, a "word of mouth" personal referral, plus many very practical considerations such as services, pricing, and so forth. Of course, not all funeral homes serve as crematories, so this is a key consideration when you begin to explore cremation. O'Connell Family Funeral Home and Countryside Crematory help eliminate unnessary costs, services, or possible liability. Once your loved one has been transferred to our care, they never leave it. They are treated as a member of our own family.

What is the cost of cremation versus a traditional funeral? How does the cost of cremation compare with burial or entombment?

A cremation service can be less than a traditional funeral, but it's difficult to make a direct, "apples-to-apples" comparison given the range of services now available through cremation. From casket choices to gathering ceremonies to specific kinds of memorials, it's very possible that some cremation services may cost more than a traditional funeral, or just the opposite. This is where we encourage you to have a candid conversation about costs and benefits with the O'Connell staff.

How is cremation actually performed?

The deceased's body is typically enclosed in a rigid cremation container or special casket (optional). Cremation services will require such a container or casket, which is typically constructed of wood or cardboard, used throughout the transportation and handling of the deceased's body. Using Countryside Crematory, only one body at a time may be cremated in a cremation chamber. Once the body enters the chamber, a combination of heat, flame, and evaporation will reduce it over a period of two to three hours (at temperatures between 1,500 to 2,000 degrees F) to its most basic elements, which resemble coarse, whitish or light gray sand. While the cremation service typically refers to ash scatterings, actual human remains bear little resemblance and no chemical similarities with ashes. They are, instead, bone fragments. The remains of an average adult usually weigh between three and nine pounds after cremation.

• Upon completion of the cremation, all remaining bone fragments and any other non-consumed materials are drawn into the back of the cremation chamber and into a stainless steel cooling pan. Through a combination of visual inspection and magnets any remaining metal work (artificial joints, bridge work, and metal from clothing) is then separated from the cremated remains. Dental elements such as gold and silver are non-recoverable and commingled with the cremated remains. The remaining bone fragments are then processed in a machine to a consistent size and then placed in a temporary or permanent urn of the family's choosing.

Is embalming required prior to cremation?

No. In fact, it is illegal for a funeral home to require otherwise. However, issues of time, health, legal regulations, religious or spiritual considerations or other personal preference may make embalming prior to cremation appropriate or necessary.

What other preparation is required?

Preparation including the possible inclusion of embalming is often a matter of time and preference, but there are some simple scientific matters that need to be addressed prior to a cremation. One such matter that your cremation professional is likely to address is whether the deceased had a pacemaker or similar electro-mechanical device or implant. Such devices should be removed prior to a cremation because they may become dangerous when subjected to the extreme heat of the cremation process.

Can the body be viewed without embalming? Can the cremation be witnessed?

Yes, the O'Connell Family Funeral Homes allow immediate family members to briefly view the deceased prior to cremation and in many cases, the cremation provider will also allow family members to be present during the placement of the body into the cremation chamber.

What choices are available for permanent memorialization?

There are many options for the permanent resting place of a loved one's cremated remains. Some families choose traditional cemetery lots. Others prefer cremation gardens, permanent inurnment in a columbarium niche (recessed enclosure bearing an ornamental front with the name and dates), or that the remains be kept at home.

An ash scattering has become a more widely accepted form of memorial for many families, but special care must be given to legal, environmental, social, religious, and emotional considerations. Most areas will allow an ash scattering, but even with this kind of ceremony, it has been found that most families usually still desire some kind of additional, permanent memorial. Sometimes, it makes sense not to have a scattering, because it may place another family member in the delicate position of being the one who actually disperses the mortal remains of the loved one. This is no small request, as many families have found. Also, unless a family is absolutely sure that an ash scattering is the most appropriate and permanent way of memorializing a loved one, other forms of memorial may prove to be more suitable.