Learn more about cremation

When buried in a grave or tomb, the human body becomes reduced to just bones by a slow decomposition process. Cremation does basically the same thing through evaporation using intense heat from a flame. The process has been referred to, poetically, as purification by fire, where the mortal takes on immortality.

The cremation process takes a few hours as opposed to several years. What is left in the chamber after this process is bone fragments. The fragments are removed, further processed, and reduced to fine particles.

The human body, reduced to its basic elements after this process, is then referred to as human cremated remains. Since the result is the same, both the body and the human cremated remains should be treated with equal respect and dignity regarding their final resting place.

Cremation, therefore, is a first step in the process of preparing the body of a deceased loved one for its disposition to a final resting place. This transition process permits us to memorialize human cremated remains through the employment of a clean and economical method with the environmentally friendly use of land providing dignity and reverence to the memory of the deceased through each step.

“Cremation: A means to a beginning, not a means to an end. Healing through Memorial Niches.”

The word ‘columbarium’ is derived from the Latin word columba, meaning ‘dove.’

Doves nest in box-like openings in walls known as ‘niches,’ therefore, a building containing niche spaces is called a ‘columbarium.’

At Fresh Pond Crematory, human cremated remains repose in various types of niche spaces recessed into the walls of our bright, welcoming building.

• Cremation offers the most beautiful, most poetic means of paying our first respects after death to the memory of those we have loved in life.
• Some people prefer cremation for a variety of personal reasons. 
  
• Cremation presents a simple way through the funeral process.
  
• Through cremation, the deceased body becomes one with nature immediately.
  
• Cremation has become a more acceptable funeral practice and is becoming a part of newly developing family traditions.
  
• Various religions prefer cremation as a part of their tradition and hold ceremonies centered on it.
  
• Cremation is convenient.
  
• Human cremated remains are easily transported for a journey home to the country where the deceased was born, compared to the procedure and expense of sending a body home. 
  
• Memorial services and ceremonies can occur either at the time of cremation over the body or anytime after that over the human cremated remains in an urn. 
  
• After the cremation process, human cremated remains can be held temporarily, allowing the family sufficient time to plan a meaningful, personalized memorial service and gather more members, according to their schedules, to celebrate the life of the person they lost. 
  
• Families can have more time to make their best decisions as to when and where they will memorialize the human cremated remains of their loved ones.
  
• Cremation focuses honor on the memories of the deceased person rather than on the body of the deceased as a first step in the transition process from death to memorialization.
  
• The overall cost of cremation can be more economically feasible for families with limited financial resources than traditional funeral services and burial arrangements.  
  
• Cremation memorials use minimal land space. Our two columbarium buildings are situated on less than one acre of land and contain over 16,000 niches. Fresh Pond Crematory and Columbarium has been in existence for more than 135 years and is estimated to contain over 40,000 human cremated remains memorialized in its niches. There continues to be plenty of space available for additional human cremated remains for many years to come. 

You can have a traditional memorial service at your funeral home and church and then follow the human cremated remains to our crematory chapel for an additional brief service or farewell tribute.

For those families who do not wish to have the traditional funeral home or church memorial service, our stained glass windowed chapel provides an excellent alternative for a brief memorial service or farewell tribute just before cremation. Our chapel service offers compassionate aid to family members in their grief process. 

We can also provide a final committal memorial service over a dignified urn containing human cremated remains in our chapel or columbarium just before placement for repose in a niche. Memorial services over the urn allow family members who could not attend the funeral or cremation service the ability to participate at a later date.

Yes, in New York State, a licensed funeral director is required to obtain the necessary cremation permit and help prepare the body for cremation. 

A funeral director can also assist you if you wish to have a traditional wake in a funeral home before cremation.
We work with most funeral homes who prefer Fresh Pond as their cremation specialist . You may call us to find out which are on our preferred list.

Embalming is not required for cremation.  However, embalming may be desirable or necessary depending on the timing or arrangements for displaying the body of the deceased.

Yes, your funeral director will need to remove any implants, such as Pacemakers and any battery-powered mechanical devices. These devices are not designed for exposure to extreme heat and can explode during the cremation process, causing a safety hazard for the crematory operator.

Any combustible casket or alternative container can be used for the cremation. The container should be rigid enough to support the body of the deceased. Typical containers range from elaborate hardwood caskets to simple wood boxes or cardboard containers.

No matter what type of container is selected, the family still has the option of having a dignified brief committal service performed in our chapel just prior to cremation.

No, the casket and all of its contents are placed in the chamber and cremated in their entirety.

Yes, as part of our cremation service we offer in our chapel, Fresh Pond Crematory has a safe viewing area where you can witness the casket being placed into the chamber. The witnessing satifies the need for families to be part of the journey.

This service is an integral part of certain religious customs or beliefs. At Fresh Pond Crematory, we can satisfy most religious and cultural needs.

Cremation has been permitted by the Catholic Church since 1963, as long as the choice is not made for the purpose of the denial of Christian teaching. It is still recommended a church service or rite of committal take place.

The Catholic Church does not, however, permit the scattering of human cremated remains. They have staunch respect for the dead, whether in the form of body or human cremated remains. A grave, tomb, or niche is required for the reverent disposition of human cremated remains.

Placement of human cremated remains in a niche in a nonsectarian columbarium is permitted.

When human cremated remains are scattered, the United States Environmental Protection Agency laws provide that the scattering take place three nautical miles from land.

A burial permit or cremation certificate must be filed and sent to the EPA within 30 days and must include the details of the scattering.

For public or private land scattering, please check with your local towns and cities for updated laws on scattering in these areas.

However, it should be noted that many families who have scattered human cremated remains report having been left with a void in the healing process. Families considering scattering are advised to wait some time to reconsider the results of their actions before scattering. For once scattered, there is no turning back.

Instead of scattering, memorializing the memory of the deceased by placing their mortal cremated remains in a personalized niche leaves behind a special place where the next generation can visit to learn about, remember and honor the memories of the deceased. 

As an alternative that honors the wishes of the deceased and the nearest of kin, many families have taken a small portion of human cremated remains for scattering or saving as a keepsake and have placed the remaining portion in a Memorial Niche.

The Catholic Church does not sanction scattering.

We provide a temporary plastic utility container designed to hold human cremated remains until an appropriate permanent urn is secured.

The final resting place of the human cremated remains should be the deciding factor as to the type of urn used since they vary widely in size, style and material.  Recommended examples are:

• Wood urn for human cremated remains being carried on a plane for the journey home. Wood urns can be x-rayed by airlines for security.  

• Biodegradable urn for scattering a small portion of human cremated remains for burial services at sea
  
• Bronze urn for placement in a glass front niche
  
• Keepsake urn for a holding on to small portion of the remains     
  

Remember that selecting an urn is an important step in the healing process. The urn should reflect honor and preserve the memory of the deceased with dignity.

When it comes to death, we need to leave our mortal remains in a resting place with dignity and reverence. Doing so allows the survivors a designated place to mourn in privacy and peace.

All too often, a relative uncovers the human cremated remains of a deceased wife or husband abandoned in a dark closet at home. The question then becomes what to do with the human cremated remains. Surviving relatives are then burdened emotionally and financially with revisiting funeral arrangements even though the person may have been dead for many years.

Sometimes a family wants to take human cremated remains home. It is recommended that they do so for a limited time only and make arrangements for future placement in a final memorial resting place. 

It is important to plan a date for the eventual placement into a memorial.

Remember that by keeping human cremated remains at home, you will constantly be reminded of the death instead of the good memories that have been left behind. Family members and loved ones need to move on with their lives. 

Finalizing the placement of human cremated remains into a niche completes the final cycle of life. The family members can focus on their lives going forward and not on the death in the past.

There are several reasons why many families prefer cremation and inurnment with placement in a niche and at Fresh Pond Crematory in particular. Here are some reasons relayed to us by clients:

1. The placement of human cremated remains in a memorial resting place, identified by the deceased's name, birth, and death dates, satisfies a basic human need of remembering and being remembered.
2. A columbarium niche at Fresh Pond Crematory provides family members with the knowledge of a final earthly disposition that harmonizes with the ideal conceptions of life and of what lies beyond.
3. Human cremated remains are honored here, reposing truly at rest under reverent perpetual care in a dignified columbarium niche, permanently memorialized with the utmost dignity and respect which they deserve.  
4. Final placement in a niche, rather than at home, signals to family members to emotionally resume their lives remove their focus from the remembrance of death to a place of tribute to a life lived. Placement in a niche begins the healing process.
5. Niche placement preserves memories for families. It offers future generations a permanently maintained place of dignified serenity to visit, reflect on the lives of their loved ones and feel connected with their ancestors.
6. After some time has passed, the burden of having to find a final resting place for the remains is lifted from the family members.
7. Environmentally speaking, a columbarium niche takes less space to memorialize a loved one.
8. Concerning economic cost, the available variety of columbarium niches at Fresh Pond Crematory can satisfy the financial needs of everyone.
9. Your loved ones can visit comfortably in any weather since the niches are indoors and climate-controlled.
10. Viewing a bronze urn through a glass front niche in our beautiful and serene columbarium setting gives families a more personal and close feeling and a peaceful place to come to and reflect on the honor the memory of their deceased loved one.

Fresh Pond Crematory’s Columbarium, where niches are available for purchase for individual, companion, or family inurnment, is located in a historic and architecturally significant building listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

We have served the community for over 135 years and continuously by the same family for over 50 years. The Columbarium is permanently maintained, and the facilities are alarmed, monitored and secure at all times.

The urns are secured in their niches by glass or bronze fronts. The memorial urns and niches can be personalized by selecting one of our many memorial options using your family pictures or personal items.

The choice for cremation should be discussed with the family in advance.

Pre-planning accommodates the wishes of both the deceased and the family. We recommend a visit to Fresh Pond Crematory to learn firsthand about your options and see the facilities and the niches available for memorialization.

Advance arrangements can relieve an emotional and financial burden from the family members at one of life’s most difficult times.  

At Fresh Pond Crematory and Columbarium, we honor, respect, and embrace the many diverse cultural needs presented to us. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with our bereavement specialists should your group have special requests.