Common Questions

Traditional Burial • Mausoleum Entombment • Cremation

Traditional Burial

Is There a Time Limit After a Death for a Person to be Buried?
States have different laws; some limit the maximum time before final disposition. Things that must be considered: securing official permits and authorizations, notifying friends and family, preparation of the burial site and religious requirements. Your funeral director will be well-versed on the regulations.

What About Embalming -- is it Required?
No. Embalming is a matter of choice, not required. Your decision will be influenced by several factors: 1. length of time between death and burial; 2. to enhance the deceased's appearance in an open casket for public viewing or private viewing by family members; 3. transportation of the body by plane or train.

What Are "Opening and Closing Fees?"
Fees for "Opening and Closing" cover the cost of many separate services performed by cemetery personnel. They include administering and permanent record keeping -- we determine ownership, obtain permission and complete all other necessary documents, enter the interment details in the interment register, and maintain all legal files. The fees also include actually opening and closing the grave -- we locate and lay out the boundaries of the grave, excavate and fill the space. We also install and remove the lowering devise, place and remove artificial grass and cocoa-matting at the grave site, level, tamp, re-grade and seed the grave site, and level and re-seed it if the earth settles.

What is a Burial Vault?
A burial vault is the outside container into which the casket itself is placed. It is designed to protect the casket and keep the grave surface from sinking in. Burial vaults vary -- they can be built of one or more of these materials: concrete, stainless steel, galvanized steel, copper, bronze, plastic and fiberglass. Glen Eden requires the use of a burial vault.

May I Make the Necessary Arrangements in Advance?
Yes. You can make all arrangements in advance. Planning ahead lets you consider the options you prefer. As an informed consumer, you can make the decisions about your funeral, your cemetery arrangements and the kind of memorial you want. They will be meaningful decisions that will give you peace of mind, knowing that you have relieved your loved ones of the emotional and financial burden of having to make decisions at a time of mourning. It's also a wise economic choice, because you purchase at today's prices, free from future inflationary pressures.

When I Buy a Grave, Do I Receive a Certificate of Ownership?
Yes, although this is sometimes a misunderstood issue. You are really purchasing the right to be buried in that space, not the real estate itself - that remains the property and responsibility of the cemetery.

What is Endowment Care?
Endowment care income -- a portion of the purchase price contributed to a special fund -- provides for regular care and maintenance of the cemetery, which can include mowing, regrading, planting and maintaining trees, water supply system maintenance, roads, drainage and more. The minimum amount that can be contributed to the endowment care fund is usually legally mandated.

Mausoleum Entombment

Why Choose a Mausoleum?
Mausoleums were once exclusively for the wealthy and famous. In fact, the first mausoleum, built and named for Mausolo, a beloved minor monarch who would otherwise have been forgotten, was one of the original Seven Wonders Of The Ancient World.

In addition to prestige, dignity and serenity, the other advantages of above-ground burial -- a clean, dry and ventilated entombment-- are now well within the reach of families of all faiths.

What Makes Mausoleum Entombment the Wise Financial Choice?
Above ground burial compares favorably with the cost of in-ground burial by eliminating the need for lots, vaults, monuments and memorials. In one indoor, above-ground space, the crypt is sealed and the casket is protected from the elements.

Glen Eden offers substantial preplanning discounts, as well as low down payments, interest-free financing, making the choice of mausoleum entombment even more affordable.

How Will I Feel, Visiting a Mausoleum?
The atmosphere of a mausoleum is reverent, peaceful and inspiring. Consider Glen Eden's recent addition of our new Chapel Mausoleum: it features a crypt wall depicting a beautiful bronze bas-relief outdoor Michigan scene, skylights, beautiful stained glass, and the finest marble and granite.

When Can Friends and Family Visit Mausoleum Crypts?
All year-round, in any weather, you can pay homage to the memory of departed loved ones in a beautiful, indoor, inspirational setting.

Is Embalming Necessary When Selecting a Crypt?
The rules and regulations of Glen Eden require embalming when selecting above-ground entombment.

Cremation

What is Cremation?
Cremation involves placing the deceased in a special chamber in a building called a crematorium and incinerating the body at high temperatures for several hours until it is reduced to a fine white powder. These remains are commonly called cremated remains. Because of its simplicity, dignity and affordability, cremation is the most popular option to the traditional funeral and burial.

How Prevalent is it?
Cremation has seen a steady rise in acceptance in the US over the past four decades among people of all backgrounds and faiths. In 1960 cremation accounted for less than 4% of American final arrangements, but today the rate is over 25%. By the year 2010 cremation will account for 40% of arrangements.

Do I Need a Casket if I'm Being Cremated?
With cremation, neither a casket nor embalming is generally required. However, you can always choose to be embalmed, and have a casket, full service and viewing hours. Cremation can be performed without a service or done before or after a funeral service. Cremated remains may be scattered, kept at home, buried in a cemetery, or kept in a columbarium, a structure containing niches into which urns are placed.

Why is Cremation Becoming More Popular?
One factor is our increased mobility. Many retirees who don't feel a strong attachment to Florida would just as soon reside in an easy-to-ship, easy-to-store urn back in Michigan. Or perhaps they'd like to be both places at once. And the options go far beyond that - from having cremated remains encased in molten glass objects d'art to crafting them into jewelry. Some people are even having their cremated remains launched into space. Literally, the sky's the limit.

What is a Cenotaph Plaque?
Cenotaph plaques memorialize loved ones whose remains are in a Glen Eden congregational crypt or outside of Glen Eden. Whether your cremated remains rest adjacent to the cenotaph plaque in a congregational crypt or are far away, the cenotaph provides friends and family a place close to home where they can visit to honor your life. Indoor cenotaphs, cast in bronze, feature your choice of an outdoor Michigan scene or an inspirational Christian Message along with an inscription. Outdoor cenotaphs are featured around the majestic flagpole in our Memorial Park Boulevard.

What Cremation Options does Glen Eden Offer?
Glen Eden offers a wide range of plans and locations for the inurnment of cremated remains. Constructed of the finest materials with bronze, glass or marble fronts, niche spaces provide an enduring memorial. The garden niches offer memorialization in a peaceful outdoor setting.

Should I Plan My Cremation in Advance?
Planning now lets you make choices you're comfortable with, and protects your family from unnecessary burdens. You also take advantage of substantial pre-planning discounts and protect your family from future price increases, while conserving their insurance benefits. There are no hidden costs. Your loved ones pay no additional charges at the time of loss or any time thereafter.

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