Category: News

The park is a recreational outdoor gem frequented by hundreds of Houstonians and visitors daily. It is also one of the largest city parks in America.

The Memorial Park Master Plan addresses contemporary demands on this major urban park while safeguarding its qualities as a major urban wilderness that Houstonians value. It consolidates similar and compatible programs for a more logical and understandable flow of park visitors.

Vietnam War

The Vietnam War, which took place between 1954 and 1975, was the most divisive war in American history. This was America’s first television war, and images of dead soldiers, prisoners held in North Vietnam and peaceful antiwar protests made headlines.

During President Dwight Eisenhower’s administration (1953-1961), financial aid was provided to pay for South Vietnamese military forces, and American advisors were sent to help them train. At that time, there was considerable concern about the spread of communism in Southeast Asia.

Today, visitors to The Wall encounter more than 58,000 names etched into black granite. Those who were Missing in Action have a symbol added to their name that represents their fate; those whose remains were recovered are marked with an “+” sign. VVMF also works with the National Park Service to conduct ceremonies on Memorial Day and Veterans Day, to maintain an archive of those who died in the Vietnam War, and to continue to add names as new information becomes available.

Submariners Monument

The submariner’s ability to carry out silent, deep-sea operations has earned them a place in history. Many submariners were lost in the course of their missions, but those who survived have a long tradition of memorializing those that never came home. Whether in stately monolith, heroic statuary, or graven tablet, submariners have been honored in a variety of ways.

The design for this memorial was based on the inside walls of a submarine. Its architecture resembles the submarine’s bulkheads, and it even has the characteristic limber holes.

The submarine memorial also features an evocative watertight door. It is etched with the names of 52 submarines that were lost during World War II. In addition, visitors can pay their respects to submariners by laying wreaths on the circular base of the monument. A major restoration campaign took place in 2015 and 2016 to stabilize the structure. This involved a team of conservators from various historic restoration and coating firms.

Gold Star Monument

For families who have lost a loved one while serving in the armed forces, a new monument honors their loss and stands as a reminder that freedom is not free. The Gold Star Families Memorial Monument is the first of its kind in Louisiana, and was unveiled during a dedication ceremony at White Haven Memorial Park on Saturday. The event included remarks by Gov. John Bel Edwards, a performance by the 156th United States Army Band from Bossier City, tribute wreath placements by various veteran service organizations and the unveiling of the memorial.

The stunning black granite monument has two sides, and the engraved words: “Gold Star Families Memorial Monument – A tribute to Mothers, Fathers, Family Members and Relatives who sacrificed a Loved One for Our Freedom.” The other side tells a story through four granite panels of Homeland, Family, Patriot and Sacrifice.

For Stamford resident Frank DeMasi, the monument brought back memories of his brother. He was just 4 when he saw his brother, a soldier killed at Pearl Harbor, and he says his loss has never left him.

Peace Statue

The first thing visitors see as they enter the memorial park is a quotation from Martin Luther King Jr. placed along a wooden-slat wall: “True peace is not merely the absence of tension; it is the presence of justice.” This framing introduces EJI’s overall social activist and reparative justice mission.

The memorial park continues through a journey that stretches from slavery to lynching and racial terror, with text, narratives, and monuments for the victims of these tragedies. Visitors are confronted with the difficult texts that identify awful justifications for lynching such as interracial relations, speaking out against lynching, or not showing deference to whites.

The second monument, a statue of “Peace,” looms over the memorial park. While WGCW and Korea Verband installed and framed the statue within a particular paradigm, once it was on German soil it started to acquire a new meaning of its own. The statue became a symbol for the anti-nationalist women of the Korean diaspora and inaugurated a discussion about cross-origin identification, belonging, and politics in postmigrant Germany.

Planning a funeral can be stressful. It is also a complex process. There are many decisions to make, including whether to have a burial or cremation. Some people even choose to donate their body.

The Board regulates funeral establishments, directors and embalmers. Consumers can file complaints about these businesses. The Board also investigates and educates consumers about funeral directing practices.

Licensed by the State of California

The state of California licenses funeral homes, crematoriums and directors. It also investigates complaints from consumers about their services. The Bureau regulates all aspects of the business, including casket sales, obituaries and memorial services, transferring remains to a different funeral establishment and storing cemetery property. Its regulations are available online.

College mortuary science programs usually last from 2 to 4 years. They are accreditated by the American Board of Funeral Service Education. Many of them are located at universities and community colleges. Some offer bachelor’s degrees.

The law requires a funeral establishment to give you an itemized statement of your choices, including charges for outside vendor services arranged by the funeral director. It must also include an estimate of all unallocated overhead costs, such as taxes, insurance and advertising.

The Bureau does not have jurisdiction over cemeteries operated by religious organizations, cities, counties, or cemetery districts, or by the military or Native American tribal organizations. For information on a cemetery not licensed by the Bureau, contact the governing organization.

Licensed by the State of Nevada

As a funeral provider, you are responsible for complying with the Funeral Rule, which requires you to provide consumers with a General Price List (GPL), Casket Price List, and Outer Burial Container Price List. You are also required to give them a written Statement of Funeral Goods and Services Selected, which includes an itemized breakdown of the prices for the goods and services they select.

You must offer the GPL to anyone who inquires about funeral goods and services, including those making pre-need arrangements. However, you do not have to send the GPL to people who make telephone or mail inquiries.

A cemetery regulated by the Bureau may collect a non-declinable fee to establish an endowment care fund. This fund, which is supervised by the State, allows the cemetery to use the interest earned to pay for the maintenance of the cemetery facilities and grounds. This fee must be included in the basic services fee or listed as an additional service on the GPL.

Licensed by the State of Texas

The Texas Funeral Service Commission regulates the funeral industry by issuing licenses for embalmers and funeral directors; inspecting funeral establishments; and reviewing complaints. The Commission also holds disciplinary hearings. The EAD finding aid includes minutes, correspondence, policy manuals, and press releases. The records were appraised as archival by State Archives staff in 1997.

Working in the death care industry presents unique challenges and a consumer base that is often in the throes of grief. It requires special qualifications, including compassion and strong organizational skills. Fortunately, there are many programs available to prepare students for this career.

These programs range from an Associate of Applied Science, which is an undergraduate academic degree (covering both Embalming and Funeral Directing) to the Funeral Director’s Program, which is a certificate program. Some of these programs also offer distance education. These courses allow students to complete coursework online, at their own pace. However, they must still attend the classroom component of their courses.

Licensed by the State of New York

The Funeral Rule applies to all businesses that sell or offer to sell funeral goods and services. This includes cemeteries, crematories, funeral directors, and firms that perform ancillary funeral directing services, such as preparing and posting notices, sheltering remains, and transporting the body. In addition, the rule applies to pre-need arrangements. It also applies to a consumer who changes the casket or service selection specified in a pre-need contract.

The FTC has published these guidelines to help funeral providers comply with the Funeral Rule. They explain the requirements of the Rule, and provide sample price lists and a Sample Itemized Statement. The guidelines are not binding on the Commission.

If you offer funeral packages, your prices must include a non-declinable basic services fee. You cannot charge other fees that are not part of the package. These include charges for public transportation, clergy honoraria, flowers, musicians or singers, obituary notices, and gratuities. You must also disclose the cost of embalming.

People often confuse mortuaries and funeral homes. They are similar in some ways, but they have different business models. Mortuaries are typically larger than funeral homes and provide more services.

They focus on mortuary sciences and preparation of the body for burial or cremation. They also offer grief counseling and other important tasks like death registration and obituary writing.

A morgue or mortuary is a place used for the storage of human corpses awaiting identification.

Most adults have seen depictions of morgues in movies and TV, but these are usually not accurate portrayals. Morgues are typically located within or adjacent to hospitals and medical centers, but they can also be found in retirement homes and hospice care facilities.

Morgues are designed to preserve and protect bodies until they can be identified. They are typically refrigerated to slow down decomposition.

The terms morgue and mortuary are often used interchangeably, but context plays a role in which term is appropriate. For example, in a medical context, a morgue is a place where autopsies are performed. In contrast, a funeral home is not considered to be a morgue because it does not perform autopsies.

In an emergency, any refrigerated space spacious enough to accommodate a body can act as a temporary morgue. However, most local governments have special facilities, such as ice rinks, that are designed to serve as emergency morgues in the event of a disaster.

A waiting mortuary is a mortuary building designed specifically for the purpose of confirming that deceased persons are truly deceased.

Before today’s methods of verifying death, people often feared that they might be buried alive. This led to the invention of waiting mortuaries, which were often ornate halls staffed with attendants who watched for signs of life and allowed corpses to decompose partially before burial. These were especially popular in 19th century Germany.

The body begins to decompose around four minutes after the heart stops. This is the first indication that the person is truly dead. Observations of the corpse a few hours later may also be helpful, as stiffening (rigor mortis) indicates that the person has been dead for some time.

In the past, some morgues became macabre spectacles, with crowds lining up to see the unidentified bodies. Even after this era of voyeuristic obsession, many people are still very uncomfortable when asked to identify a loved one’s body. Some flinch, gasp, or pass out. Others simply refuse to look. For these reasons, morgue staff carefully control the conditions in their viewing rooms to minimize shock and distress for visitors.

A funeral home is a mortuary.

A funeral home is a business that provides services for the dead and their families. It is usually a large and profitable industry that employs a wide range of people, including morticians, pathologists, and embalmers. A funeral home may also offer a variety of other services, such as memorialization and burial.

The main difference between a mortuary and a funeral home is that a funeral home has the ability to hold viewings and services while a mortuary cannot. This is because a funeral home has larger areas where services can be held and public viewings can occur.

A funeral home is also more adept at planning a service and providing memorialization products, such as caskets and urns. They may also be able to arrange for a cremation facility if the family wishes. They also help to write and publish obituaries in newspapers. By law, funeral homes must provide a general price list that clearly states their prices for all regularly offered services and merchandise.

An embalming facility is a mortuary.

A mortuary is a place that prepares dead bodies for burial or cremation. It is often located in a hospital or medical facility. Mortuaries may also be privately owned. The mortuary industry provides many jobs. It is a large and profitable business. Mortuaries are sometimes used as training centers for funeral directors and embalmers.

Embalming is a process that involves the use of chemicals. It includes glycerol, which softens tissues and prevents them from drying out; alcohol, to facilitate penetration; 2.5 percent phenol, an antifungal agent; eosin, which improves color; and sodium acetate, an anticoagulant. The process takes several hours to complete.

Unlike a morgue, a mortuary can offer direct services such as a quick viewing for immediate family members and on-site cremation. This can be beneficial to families because it is less expensive than a full-service funeral home. In addition, mortuaries may offer limited onsite memorialization services. These differences make it important for consumers to understand the difference between a mortuary and a morgue.

Many people use the words graveyard and cemetery interchangeably, but they have very different meanings. The difference between the two lies in history, culture, and geography.

Historically, most burials were done in churchyards adjacent to churches. When these became overcrowded, new cemetery grounds unaffiliated with churches came into being.

Definition

A graveyard is a place where the dead are buried. It is usually located near a church, and it may also be used as a final resting place for members of a particular faith. A graveyard may also be used to store obsolete or derelict objects, such as old cars and machinery.

The terms graveyard and cemetery are sometimes used interchangeably, but there is a difference in meaning between the two. Graveyard is traditionally associated with a specific church, while cemetery refers to a burial ground that is unaffiliated with a specific religion.

Historically, people who were wealthy or had an important position in society were buried in their churches or in crypts beneath them. As the population grew, however, space became limited, and new burial grounds, called cemeteries, were established. Unlike graveyards, which are often unkempt, cemeteries are typically more organized and well-maintained.

Origin

During the Middle Ages, wealthy or influential Christians were generally interred inside a church after death, often in crypts beneath the floor. Less wealthy congregants were buried outside the church in what was then called the graveyard. This process was not based on any religious belief, but on practical concerns about sanitation and the ability to keep the dead from spreading disease.

As populations grew and the old graveyards became overcrowded, new burial sites, called cemeteries, were established away from the churches. Today, the terms graveyard and cemetery are used interchangeably, although linguistic precision would suggest using graveyard for the resting place on church grounds and cemetery for those that are not attached to a specific religion.

The phrase graveyard shift is an idiom, meaning that you work late at night. A similar idiom is the graveyard spiral, which refers to the way that coin funnels draw money into them. This is a slow, almost imperceptible spiral, but as the coin approaches the bottom of the funnel it starts to pick up speed.

Symbolism

When you visit a graveyard, beyond the name, birth and death dates and crosses, you can find clues about your ancestor by observing symbols carved on their headstones. From draped urns to the Ouroboros, snake eating its own tail, these carvings tell a story about the deceased person.

A compass or carpenter’s square carved on a gravestone indicates the deceased was a member of the Freemasons. A male and female foo dog indicating that the deceased was married, also symbolizes the guardianship of family life.

Birds, especially eagles, suggest a military or American patriotic background and often represent freedom or eternal rest. A dove suggests peace and the Holy Spirit. The ivy, due to its clinging nature, symbolizes immortality. Urns and obelisks represent the veil between earth and heaven and are often draped. Oak leaves signify strength and longevity. The sprig of mistletoe, which is thought to cause people to fall in love, symbolizes the gift of eternal youth.

Meaning

The graveyard is a place where dead people are buried. It is also a term used to describe a card’s discard pile in the card game Magic: The Gathering. It is sometimes used interchangeably with cemetery, though it technically refers only to the burial site that is affiliated with a church.

During the Middle Ages, Christians who were wealthy or had important jobs were buried in crypts inside a church. Less well-off congregants were buried in the yard adjoining the church, called a churchyard. Over time, the distinction between a churchyard and a graveyard blurred.

Graveyard spirals are accidents that occur when an airplane is flying at night or in IMC and the pilot thinks their wings are level, but they are actually banked left or right. The result is a rapid downward descent that often leads to disaster. The classic example is the John F. Kennedy Jr. accident, also known as the pilot selfie accident.

Cemeteries provide a special place to remember a loved one. But they require thoughtful planning and design to be both beautiful and accessible.

Unique upright monuments with sculpted shapes or stunning etchings can add beauty to a cemetery. Cremation and estate gardens need well designed hardscapes, pleasant textures, natural patterns and water features to enhance their aesthetic.

Master Plan

The cemetery is an iconic part of the urban fabric that carries with it many social, historic, and environmental responsibilities. It is a prime example of limited urban real estate that must be effectively managed to serve its citizens’ needs while paying respect to the past.

Scenic vistas within the cemetery are punctuated by various landscape structures, gravestones and significant monuments. These elements create visual terminuses – family mausoleum at one end, funeral chapel at the other, and cremation gardens with pavilions and water features in between.

Natural or constructed ponds reduce weed growth, improve soil quality and serve as a habitat for beneficial wildlife. The hardscapes of pathways, curbs and bituminous pavement are deteriorating due to age, exposure and vehicular traffic. A new parking system with dedicated spaces and signage would help remedy the negative effects of vehicles on the cemetery landscape.

Landscape and Architecture

With community or volunteer groups taking over a cemetery, The LA Group works to help develop a strategy for financial support as well as development of the physical site. Funding opportunities, grant writing, volunteer development and public education workshops are just some of the avenues that a municipality may want to explore.

Designing a landscape that reflects the personality of a cemetery is crucial to its success. A cemetery has a responsibility to the community and the future generations that will utilize it, but if it doesn’t create an identity of its own, it will become just another landscape.

Designing the cemetery landscape feasibly can save money in maintenance costs. For example, converting asphalt roads to permeable ones saves on expensive paving bills, and planting native grasses reduces the amount of chemicals required for mowing. In addition, good design adds value to the site. Burial plots in close proximity to beautiful or interesting features and spaces command premium prices.

Signage

Signage is a crucial aspect of cemetery design. It should identify the site, direct visitors and keep people out of private property areas. It is important to consider your visitor demographic when designing your signage.

Directional road signs, particularly those directing drivers to Jewish heritage sites in western Ukraine, require a specific design approach. There is a limited amount of information space on signs that are practical in size and legible in an outdoor setting, whether printed or etched. This means that the project leader and sign designer must prioritize what should be included. Additional information in digital formats without size constraints may be included on web pages linked to physical signs at burial sites via QR codes and mobile phone applications.

Identification signs for individual Jewish cemeteries and mass graves can be incorporated into the memorial marker or placed at a cemetery entrance or boundary fence, or they can be installed at the site itself. Ideally, they should match the style and characteristics of directional road signs used to direct people there.

Grading and Drainage

The burial ground must be accessible for all visitors. A cemetery should have walkways and wheelchair-accessible paths throughout the property. It should be well-lit for safety and security. It should be easy to navigate by car or on foot and there should be ample parking.

Burial sites should be arranged in areas of low-risk ground water pollution. Graves should generally conform to existing terrain and final grades should range from two percent (the minimum for positive drainage) to a maximum of 15 percent with one predominant slope. Burial sections should be clearly defined with section markers.

Re-using graves is an issue that many cemeteries face as the number of burials increase. This is because contacting family members that purchased a plot many years ago can be difficult and costly. Alternatives such as vertical burial or sharing coffins have been implemented in some countries to avoid this problem. Harboring the lands to prevent water runoff and retrofitting impervious surfaces with green infrastructure are also possible solutions.

A cemetery is a place for burial. It may also contain memorials for the deceased.

Traditionally, families and friends were responsible for the construction and maintenance of headstones and monuments. Over time, this can result in a chaotic collection of monuments and gravestones that are often unsafe or unsightly.

The website Deceased Online enables you to search for burial records from around the world. It works with local councils to digitise their records so more is added all the time.

The History of Cemeteries

Cemeteries are the final resting places for those who have passed away. They provide a place for family members to visit their loved ones and pay respects. In addition, they serve as historical, memorial, spiritual and aesthetic greenspaces within the urban environment. They can be public or private; religious or secular; for-profit or not-for-profit.

In the nineteenth century, rapid population growth caused church graveyards to become dangerously overcrowded. Furthermore, decomposing bodies were creating a sanitary hazard by contaminating water supplies with decaying miasma. As a result, the Rural Cemetery Movement was established to create new burial grounds.

These landscaped cemeteries incorporated innovations in burial ground design inspired by romantic perceptions of nature, art and national identity. The resulting spaces were more pleasant, serene and aesthetically pleasing than the dreary, gloomy burial grounds that had come before them. Many of the graves in these cemeteries also have intriguing backstories. As a result, they are time capsules of America’s history and are worth exploring.

How to Find a Cemetery

Cemeteries fall into many categories. Understanding these will help you locate your ancestor’s gravesite. Local genealogical societies often compile cemetery indexes. Some are online. You can also try searching the websites of local churches or the county courthouse where your ancestor lived.

The most well-known free cemetery search engine is Find A Grave. It has 115 million memorials created by volunteers. Billion Graves is another free website that has a wide collection of tombstone photos.

If you can’t find a cemetery online, try calling or emailing the management of the cemetery where your ancestor is buried. Explain what you are trying to do and they should be able to help you track down your ancestor’s gravesite. Be sure to ask them if the family has ever donated to the cemetery and for a map of the grounds. You can also ask the sexton about the cemetery’s history and if any records have been lost over the years.

What to Bring

In addition to flowers, which are always welcome at a cemetery, there are other items that can be left to commemorate loved ones. These include toys and other items that a person enjoyed in life, especially small ones that children like such as tiny cars or animals, or figurines if the person was someone who collected them.

Food is also a common thing that people bring to a loved one’s gravesite, particularly around holidays, but you should check with the cemetery first to make sure they don’t mind this. Leaving food there can attract ants and other pests, and it can also create litter and waste.

You should avoid bringing things that are made of glass, such as lanterns and other objects that can topple over and injure mourners who are visiting the site. You should also avoid leaving anything that may be a fire hazard, such as candles or other burning items. It’s also best not to leave drinks, as they can spill and cause accidents.

What to Do

Cemeteries are sacred spaces, and it is important to respect the dead who rest there. Many people who visit a cemetery are grieving, and they want to be left alone. If you see a funeral going on, be considerate and wait until it is over before visiting the gravesite.

Avoid walking over a grave, sitting on it, or touching any decorations that are placed there. It is disrespectful to the deceased and their family members.

It is also a good idea to clean up after yourself when you are done with your visit. Remove any trash, wrappers, cans or loose decorations from the area. This is especially important if you are visiting an old cemetery, where animals may live. You can also help keep the grounds looking nice by gently removing weeds, pulling up leaves or other plant matter, and mowing any grass that is growing over the marker. This helps maintain the appearance of the site and makes it easier for groundskeepers to mow around markers.

Memorial Park offers visitors an atmosphere of natural beauty, peace for quiet meditation and a sense of dignity and honor to the memory of loved ones. This is accomplished through the synthesis of cultural and ecological landscape elements.

Using innovative construction techniques the building materials are treated to reveal their natural qualities. The design also repurposes historic elements found within the site’s cultural landscape.

The History of Memorial Park

The Memorial Park is the main municipal park of the City and is heavily used for passive recreation. It contains the City’s only community garden and is home to Boeckman Creek.

The land that comprises Memorial Park became a park on July 25, 1920. At that time the deed recorded a transfer from Mr. Nicholas Jacobus Field to his widow Sophia of Sub X of Lot O containing 360 acres and 1 rood and 14 perches.

The first monument added to the Park in the new century was the Submariners Memorial. This monument paid tribute to those men and women who served in submarines during World War Two. This monument also is unique in that it recognizes those who lost their lives while on Eternal Patrol and is one of only two in the United States to do so. The Memorial Park has many more monuments and markers that honor our veterans, past and present.

The Memorial Walls

Unlike most memorial monuments that rise above the landscape, this wall lies close to the ground. It consists of two identical walls, each 246 feet long with 72 panels for listing names (numbered 1E through 70E and 1W through 70W).

The Wall is not a traditional burial site, but rather it provides a setting where life celebrations occur within a peaceful park-like environment. The Wall is complemented by a statue of three servicemen, which was added in 1984, and the Vietnam Women’s Memorial which was unveiled in 1993.

A special feature of the Memorial Wall allows visitors to do name rubbings, a tradition that honors a loved one by placing paper over recessed lettering and scraping with the tip of a pencil or other object. Many families visit The Wall to find their loved ones’ names and then make a rubbing as a keepsake. If you can’t locate a specific name, ask a National Park Ranger for assistance.

The Gold Star Monument

The Gold Star Monument is dedicated to those who have lost a family member in the military. The monument is a symbol of patriotism and reminds us that there are those who are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

A committee of local citizens and two 501 c3 non-profits, the Hershel Woody Williams Medal of Honor Foundation and the Major Brent Taylor Foundation raised $100,000 for this project. Local elected officials and businesses also contributed to the effort.

Jennie Taylor, whose husband was killed in Afghanistan in 2018, served as the main driving force for this monument to be built. She hopes the monument will provide families with some measure of closure and a reminder that their community hasn’t forgotten them. A “Gold Star Family” is defined as a mother, father, stepmother or stepfather, wife, child, adopted or foster child, brother or sister, half brother or sisters, aunt, uncle or cousin who has lost a loved one in service to the nation.

The Peace Statue

Located in the Peace Circle on the Capitol grounds, the 44 foot tall white marble monument was built from 1877 to 1878 in honor of naval deaths at sea during the American Civil War. The statue has become a central gathering place for people who wish to send their message of peace through art and symbolism.

In Berlin, where more than half the city’s citizens have a migration background and the Statue of Peace was installed, activists fight to counter a nationalist discourse that claims that only European victims deserve memorials and to challenge the idea that sexual violence has a country of origin. For this purpose, the empty chair that invites anyone to sit next to the girl allows new links and associations.

WGCW uses the space around the statue for demonstrations, conferences, vigils, music and dance performances, podcasts and vlogs (video blogs) and projects with local schools. It also serves as a COVID-safe space for meetings when it is not possible to gather inside.

While no one likes to think about the death of a loved one, preparing for it can help family members save money and avoid unnecessary charges. It is important to shop around and ask questions.

It is also a good idea to get any funeral establishments total dollar amount in writing BEFORE you sign the contract.

Licensed Funeral Directors

When a loved one dies, the funeral director helps families plan a service to honor their life and to support them in this difficult time. Often, he or she is required to be on-call at night and weekends. This position is very emotionally demanding and can cause burnout.

Some states require funeral directors to have a bachelor’s degree in mortuary science or equivalent experience. In addition to completing education, many funeral directors are required to pass both national and state board exams and complete an internship or apprenticeship.

Licensed funeral providers must disclose a charge for basic services when marketing their goods and services. The charges can include the services of a director and embalmer as well as caskets, urns and burial vaults. The fees may also cover administrative expenses like staff salaries, office rent and utilities. Consumers should compare prices to find the best deal and avoid funeral homes that have excessive mark-ups on goods.

Licensed Embalmers

Assisting funeral directors in the preparation of bodies for burial or cremation, embalmers prepare the deceased’s body by disinfecting, preparing and embalming them. The process can involve removing blood, replacing it with embalming fluid and reconstructing damaged areas of the body, while also applying makeup to provide the deceased with a natural appearance.

Licensed embalmers need to fulfill state requirements, which can include an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree program at a mortuary science school. Some programs are fully online, while others require that students attend laboratory practice classes where they learn how to perform embalming procedures.

In addition to formal education, most states also require that aspiring embalmers complete an apprenticeship program. The exact duration of this training varies by state, but it typically involves working with a licensed embalmer under his direct supervision. In some cases, this may involve embalming a specified number of bodies to gain the experience required to become licensed.

Licensed Cemetery Operators

Licensed cemetery operators are responsible for the day-to-day operations of a cemetary. This includes selling burial plots, arranging funerals, and maintaining records. Cemetery owners are also required to have a thorough understanding of state and federal regulations surrounding burial practices.

In Craigmiles, the court invalidated a state law that allowed only licensed funeral directors to sell caskets on the grounds that it violated the equal protection and due process clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment. The court found that the law did not meet the rational basis test because it did not advance a legitimate state purpose such as consumer protection.

Licensed cemetery operators must provide a copy of their price list to purchasers who order markers or foundations. The price must not exceed the operator’s direct cost of providing the goods or service. The operator must give notice of any change in the price within 30 days of the effective date of the change. The operator must also file an annual report with the registrar.

Licensed Crematory Operators

A crematory operator runs the equipment that reduces a person’s body to bone fragments. They may use traditional flame-based cremation, calcination, or alkaline hydrolysis. They also perform general maintenance and cleaning of the facility and its equipment.

They are responsible for tracking the body through the entire cremation process, and ensuring that the right cremains are returned to the family. They must be able to follow strict procedures for handling and documenting a body from the moment it arrives at the crematorium until it leaves the cremation chamber.

Many funeral homes offer apprenticeships or internships that allow aspiring crematory operators to gain hands-on experience in the mortuary industry. Some colleges even include crematory operator certification as part of their degrees. While most people know what cremation is, very few understand what a crematory operator does on a daily basis. This is a crucial role in the funeral industry.

A mortuary is a room of refrigerated cabinets where bodies are stored until interment or cremation. The rooms may be part of hospitals or stand-alone facilities. Mortuary cosmetologists are trained to make a body look natural for viewing and funeral services.

If burial is chosen, the body is embalmed and prepared for a casket or crypt. If cremation is chosen, the body enters a cremation chamber that is heated with natural gas.

What is a mortuary?

Mortuaries are refrigerated rooms where bodies are kept until burials or cremations occur. Some mortuaries are affiliated with funeral homes, while others are independent. In general, mortuaries focus on the embalming and preparation of the body for a memorial service or funeral.

Many people are surprised to learn that morticians do much more than embalm the body. They also offer grief counseling, help coordinate paperwork, death registration, and memorial services. If you’re planning an end-of-life event, it’s important to explore your options to find the best fit for your family’s needs.

Mortuaries may offer a variety of memorialization services, including casket or cremation burials and entombment in a mausoleum. They may also provide a funeral procession. A mortuary may or may not be able to offer cremation services on site, but they can connect you with a crematorium that does. As with hospitals and doctors’ offices, mortuaries generate biohazardous waste that must be properly disposed of. Sharps (scissors, lancets, etc) and other medical equipment are considered a hazard and should be placed in a dedicated sharps container.

What is a morgue?

A morgue is a place where dead bodies are kept, usually in refrigerated rooms, until they can be identified or claimed by family members. It is also a room where autopsies are performed. A mortuary is often located in a hospital, although it may be attached to a funeral home or medical examiner’s office.

Pathologists staff hospital morgues and perform postmortems, which are detailed examinations of the body to determine the cause of death. They also identify any injuries the deceased suffered before their death.

In the United States, most morgues are owned by funeral homes or private businesses. Those that do not own their own mortuaries are sometimes contracted with funeral homes to provide services like embalming and casket lining. Working in a mortuary requires a certain level of technical skills and emotional strength. However, it can be an extremely rewarding career for those who are able to deal with the sights and smells of the dead.

What is the difference between a morgue and a mortuary?

Mortuaries are more focused on the mortuary sciences of caring for the body, preparing it for burial or cremation and transporting it. They may offer a more limited range of services, such as a quick viewing for immediate family members or onsite cremation without full memorialization. Some mortuaries also employ a mortician, although in most cases they will require the involvement of a funeral director for the preparation and burial process.

Both facilities use refrigeration units to preserve the body, but morgues tend to have larger refrigerators because they may be required to store bodies that have not yet been identified or claimed. They may also be used for autopsies and forensic examinations.

Both morgues and funeral homes follow strict rules to ensure that cadavers are treated with dignity and respect, but funeral homes often have more staff and specialized equipment for preparing bodies for burial or cremation. They also provide grief counseling and other support to families.

What is the difference between a funeral home and a mortuary?

Mortuaries and funeral homes share similar services, such as embalming the body and preparing it for burial or cremation. Funeral homes also set up public viewings, work with clergy and cemeteries, and coordinate other funeral activities.

Some funeral home employees have training in grief counseling, but that is less common in mortuaries. The funeral director and staff at a funeral home are trained in both the business aspects of this industry and how to support families.

Both a funeral home and mortuary offer memorialization services, but funeral homes have larger areas where services can be held and may allow public viewings of the body. In addition, funeral homes usually have a full-service funeral and can provide a casket for burial or an urn for cremation.

Some funeral homes charge an extra fee for items that they buy on your behalf, such as obituary notices, flowers, and officiating clergy. The Funeral Rule requires that these additional fees be disclosed to you in advance.

A mortuary is a place where people go to see and honor their loved ones who have died. They also provide a range of other services.

Most mortuaries offer funeral services, though they are often less extensive than those offered by a funeral home. The most common service is embalming, which involves the use of preserving chemicals.

Autopsies

Autopsies are medical examinations performed on a dead body to determine the cause and manner of death. They can also detect disease or injury that may have occurred to the deceased. In addition to a physical examination, an autopsy can involve laboratory testing of tissue, blood, and other bodily fluids. Autopsies are usually performed by pathologists, although other medical specialists qualified to perform them include forensic pathologists and physicians.

Generally, the family must consent to an autopsy. However, some states honor religious objections and will permit an autopsy anyway to investigate crimes or head off a threat to public health such as tainted food or an outbreak of a fast-spreading disease.

During an autopsy, a doctor will open the deceased’s skin and remove and dissect the internal organs (including the brain). Incisions are usually closed immediately afterward. Occasionally, the surgeon will keep tissue samples for future medical research or to train doctors. These specimens can be returned to the body or disposed of by the hospital as directed by the next of kin.

Burial

Burial is a common practice in many cultures. It is also a way to honor the dead. Some people choose to bury their loved ones in a graveyard, while others prefer to have them buried in a tomb. Regardless of what method you choose, the body will still need to go through the mortuary process.

Bodies begin to decompose quickly when they are exposed to air. This can create a health risk and make the embalming process more difficult. In order to prevent this from happening, most mortuaries have rooms of refrigerated cabinets that are specially designed to hold bodies.

Depending on your culture, your body may be dressed before being placed in a casket. For example, many African families provide full robes for their deceased family members. Some families dress their loved one after the embalming process and before the funeral procession. This is usually done by male family members. However, women can also dress their loved one if they wish.

Embalming

Embalming is a service that uses preserving chemicals to keep the body’s appearance as it was when the person was alive. It’s often used for funerals with open caskets or when loved ones travel from a distance to pay their respects.

Embalmers begin by ensuring they have permission and the proper credentials from the family to work with the body. They also verify the body’s identity by checking for wrist or leg bracelets and tags, and a pulse in the carotid or radial artery. They wash the body, redress the private areas and massage stiff muscles and joints to relieve rigor mortis.

The embalmer will then set the features, including closing the eyes. They might use a mouth form to maintain the jaw’s natural alignment and bite, which leaves less room for human error. They also sewed the lips and tongue, but never sewed the eyelids closed (they can be glued instead). They also wired the ears and inserted a hat to keep them in place.

Cremation

Cremation is the technical process of reducing human remains to bone fragments and other residue. Depending on religious and cultural beliefs, these may then be sprinkled, kept at home or buried in a grave or columbarium.

The strong oxidation of combustible materials in the cremation process generates VOCs (volatile organic compounds), which contribute to environmental pollution. These emissions can be reduced significantly by installing a flue gas post-treatment system.

The mortuary is the place where a dead body is stored until it can be moved to the funeral home or to an autopsy facility. It is also where embalming is done. It has been known for corpses to groan and sit up while in the morgue, so mortuary workers need to be comfortable working with them. They are usually refrigerated to delay decomposition. If a body is going to be cremated, it must first be fully embalmed unless the deceased’s family opts for an un-embalmed cremation.