Witnessing Cremation

Sixty-plus years ago, I had the opportunity to witness an open cremation on a Native American Indian reservation in southern Arizona. Open cremation was the tribal custom (which, for some, continues to this day), and, to say the least, it was an interesting experience. At that time, I never imagined that I would later become an owner of a funeral home and cremation center.

The Cremation Center of Southern Utah was designed exclusively for families choosing cremation. Many people are interested in understanding how our business operates, and some even wish to witness a cremation to ensure that the cremated remains they receive are indeed the remains of their loved one. For some, witnessing a cremation is a form of closure, much the same as witnessing a burial. Whatever the reason, we believe in allowing individuals the opportunity to witness the cremation of a family member.

Witnessing a cremation does not mean that you watch the actual process itself. Instead, a witness views the body (in a cremation casket) being placed into the cremation chamber. After a period of approximately three hours, the cremated remains are recovered from the chamber. A cooling period ensues, and the remains are processed and placed in an urn.

Our facility offers a special cremation witness room with a large window that looks directly into our cremation area. This area houses our state-of-the-art, environmentally-friendly crematory, otherwise known as a retort. The family is allowed to wait in our witness room or in another comfortable area of our building during the three-hour process.

A technician from our crematory manufacturer once visited our facility to perform an inspection and to do some routine maintenance. He mentioned that he had visited hundreds of different crematories, and that ours was a “model facility.” I was thrilled to hear his words. We take great pride in our profession and in the condition of our cremation facility.

We invite anyone interested in learning more about cremation to stop by our office. We are located just off Riverside Dr. at 1316 S. 400 E., St. George, UT, or call (435) 986-9100, www.CremationCenterSU.com . Follow us on Facebook and Instagram @CremationCenterSU.

Submitted by Duane Lamoreaux, Funeral Service Professional, The Cremation Center of Southern Utah