Eco-friendly funeral/burial

[Janet]

I know already that as soon as all this estate stuff is over with, I'm going to start planning a green service for myself. I know the people that handled my parents funerals well so I will find out all I can from them.

[Blueyes]

That's a great idea Janet. It will give you peace of mind, and when the time comes, Ricky won't have to do it. You are a wise woman!

[gja1000]

Betsi, my mom and her sister (who is gone now) always said that when they got old and sick they were going to ride the gondola to the middle of the Royal Gorge and jump out. That's not quite as morbid as a pillow and blanket in the bucket, but in the same vein. LOL! Gary sometimes says when he is too sick to be happy, he's gonna do like the old Indians did - just go out in the woods, sit down till he dies.

[Blueyes]

Go sit in the woods... Go get in the bucket... Some days around here Mike says he may just ride to the ranch and get in the bucket. Just his way of saying he feels really bad, and I bet Gary just says he's going to the woods. Frightening how similar they are, lol!

[DianaB]

Glen's Dad used to say that when he got too old to go duck hunting that he wanted the boys to take him out ONE last time.........so every winter they would ask him if this was the year!!!! We always got a big laugh out of that!!

We had a guy that lived out our direction years ago that got really old.....didn't have any family except a brother who lived with him........and he went on a death walk.......he hid his body and has never been found. A lot of people went out looking for him but he knew the land so well.....every well, hole, and whatever. No one ever figured out exactly what happened to him but it was known that he had taken care of himself somehow. No foul play was ever thought of. Very weird!!

Glen and I have both told each other that we'd like to be buried in our little cemetery. Baker's have a back hoe and we can be buried 20 feet deep if we need to be!!! I have no problems being buried in a blanket or whatever beccause I'm not going to be here to worry about it. What ever's easy and doesn't cost much!!! However I DO want a funeral service. I want people to hear that I was a Christian and how I'm going to be in Heaven......and how I loved Jesus with all of my heart. I want it to be a celebration!!

[judy]

That is a wild story, Diana! Did his brother know he was not going to come back after his walk?

You should be buried in your own cemetery. I wrote to a local funeral home, and got this response:

"Thank you for inquiry. With respect for your question about cemetery- the closest "Green Cemetery" is located near Utica, NY and although we have not had the oportunity to have a burial- if you wish I can gather the information. Also there has been conversation that Rhinebeck Cemetery is going to open a "Green Section" or allow "Green Burials"- what the specifics are and fees associated with that are still unknown- that is in the works.
As for other local cemeteries- see next paragraph.

As for the cost of the "Green Burial" there are a number of different factors that go into determining that. One being...what type of "Green Burial" are we talking about: is it the one that is associated with the Green Burial Association-where the deceased is shrouded or placed in a bio-casket and it is a simple graveside service, or one that is a slight variation and is a more traditional service (i.e.: viewing...which can include formaldehyde free embalming, church or funeral service, and buried in a traditional plot). With that the question always arrives at - "how can it be a green burial when the cemetery requires a vault"? The short answer is that we have arrangements with some of the local cemeteries, where the concrete liner ( which still allows moisture to enter) is simple placed upside down over the bio-casket. Therefore meeting the cemetery requirement- which is essentially for maintenance purposes- while still allowing the burial to be "Green". So as you can see the idea of "green burials" is great, it is simply a bit harder to pinpoint a final cost without knowing all of the variables.

I hope this helps to clarify and not muddy up the waters- so to speak.

Let me know your thoughts and thank you once again for asking,"

[Janet]

Of course I haven't had a chance to check into it too much yet with everything else going on, but as soon as it quiets down and I can do more research that is what I'm planning to do. I don't want a vault of any shape or form, just one of the biodegradable weave type baskets. I just feel so comfortable about this.