What's your Preference Someday in Planning Your Remains?

[Paris13]

***Burial is More expensive. Cremation is Cheaper. God never Stipulated it's a Sin in the Bible. We are Merely a Shell... xxoo

Burial, Paris!

Cremation, Paris!

Undecided, Paris!

Look down Here, Paris!

[abc3643]

I don't want to be buried - in a coffin or green - because I am claustrophobic and, knowing my luck, I won't actually be dead when I am buried.

I don't want to be cremated or on a funeral pyre because I can't stand the heat and sunburn easily. It's also not environmentally friendly.

I don't want to have a green liquefying "disposal" because I don't relish the idea of becoming crunchy pudding.

I don't want burial at sea because then I'd look like a blobfish and I don't want to feed sharks. I saw Jaws when it came out in 1975 and that's not for me.

I wouldn't mind being "buried" in space, but I don't like the cold either. And, burying the whole body in space is currently economically infeasible.

I definitely do NOT want any form of headstone or have anyone come "visit me" (*). I want to minimize the evidence of my wretched existence on this planet as if I was never born.

(*) No one would anyway. I have no kids and my wife, who is older than me, is not that kind of person. She just doesn't give a shit and would secretly celebrate my passing anyway. After all, she really doesn't want to be around me now while I am above ground.

.

.

.

.

.

. SO...

My REAL answer is one that is illegal: I would prefer to simply have my naked body lie on the ground in some remote forested area and let Nature take its course just as it does for any other animal that dies in the wild.

But, no, instead, we have to keep the funeral industry alive.

[SaoirseS]

You can look into donating your remains to one of seven body farms in the US, where your naked body can lie on the ground in a forested area while nature takes its course. But you'll need to make the arrangements while you're living, and involve your next of kin. I'm not opposed to "sticking it to the man/woman" and I'd look for ways to stick it to me too. Death care isn't cheap.

[abc3643]

@SaoirseS Yes, "green burials". We have one near us and that is something I may do. At the same time, my wife is older than me and may die first and my stepkids don't exactly care for me. I have no kids of my own and am estranged from my sister. So, who knows? I may die in my house and no one discovers me for weeks... except the dogs and cats would start eating my corpse.

[Sparkie460]

My wife and I already bought our burial plot next to our son. We have our caskets picked out and paid for. We wanted to make it easier for our family when we leave.

[Paris13]

Beautiful and So Sorry about your Son, dear. xx

[Sparkie460]

Thank you Paris

[Paris13]

You are Most Welcome, @sparkie460 xxoo

[Sparkie460]

Thank you for the mho

[SaoirseS]

Ah, the many choices we have these days.
Traditional burial
Natural burial
Burial at sea
Flame cremation
Water cremation
Open air cremation
Natural Organic Reduction (Composting)


I’ll let my survivors choose.

[Jamie05rhs]

@SaoirseS What's the difference between traditional burial and natural burial?

[SaoirseS]

@Jamie05rhs. Within the death care/funeral industry, traditional burial usually refers to a metal or wood casket with inside couch, enclosed in a concrete or fiberglass vault or grave liner (required by most public cemeteries to prevent subsidence). Natural burial (also called organic or green burial) involves only a biodegradable casket (such as one made of wood with no metal, or one out of wicker), or in some cases placement of the remains directly in the ground wrapped only in a shroud. While we call it one thing, a natural burial is considered traditional in some religious communities (such as the Jewish and Islamic communities).

[Jamie05rhs]

@SaoirseS Wow; that's interesting! Thanks for explaining.

[Paris13]

Put it in WRITING!!! xx

[SaoirseS]

There’s no need to put anything in writing. In the US, Surviving family calls the shots, and is not bound by the deceased’s wishes and may make other choices. It’s customary for the NOK to honor the deceased’s wishes, but it is not legally binding. The only exception is if someone pre-pays and pre-selects merchandise and enters into contract with a funeral home while living. Otherwise it’s the honor system.

[Jamie05rhs]

@SaoirseS I totally didn't know that! That's kind of messed up.

[SaoirseS]

@Jamie05rhs. It may sound that way, but it's in keeping with the principle that remains after death become the property of the next of kin. Each state's laws establish the order of priority of persons authorized to dispose of decedent's remains (I don't know how this might work outside of the US). It usually works out the family knows what the decedent wants and abides by his/her wishes, but I have no way of knowing for sure what any decedent wants since the family makes the arrangement decisions. It does happen once in a while a family goes against the decedent's wishes simply because the deceased had no life insurance or did not leave enough funds in the estate to cover the cost of burial per the decedent's wish, so they chose direct cremation with no funeral or frills because that is all the family could afford (or wanted to spend out of their own pockets). Sometimes a family's religious needs may override the deceased's wishes; this happens with some Catholic and Jewish funerals. Personally I feel duty bound to honor the deceased's wishes regarding disposition of remains, and I think most people do. The other way to look at it, however, is that funerals are for the living - we honor the deceased, but can do nothing but care for one's mortal remains. So there's an argument that grief, which is also for the living, plays a role in choices a family may make. The question many are asking these days are "what does the family need for closure, to handle their grief?"

[Jamie05rhs]

@SaoirseS That all makes sense, I suppose.

[Jamie05rhs]

As far as your duty to honor the decendent's wishes, you can only do that if the family tells you about them; right? Because you can't read minds, and especially not dead ones.

[SaoirseS]

@Jamie05rhs I was referring more to members of my family and friends who have expressed their wishes to me. But you're right, I usually have no way of knowing what the deceased's wishes are and take it on faith the family is abiding by them. The only time I know what the deceased wants is if someone makes a pre-arrangement with me. When my grandmother died, she had legally appointed me (rather than my dad) as her personal representative by durable power of attorney to handle her final arrangements. She was specific in what she wanted, and more specific in what she didn't want. It was a point of contention between me and my dad, who wanted a full Catholic Mass of Christian Burial (which my grandmother specifically did NOT want) for her, but in the end we abided by her wishes.

[Jamie05rhs]

@SaoirseS Wow! Is that because your grandmother was Buddhist? Or Atheist?

[SaoirseS]

@Jamie05rhs. No, she remained a faithful Catholic but as she got much older she developed a dislike for some things about the church, one of them being she grew to dislike intensely the length of Catholic services (I can relate). Also, despite spending a lifetime as a funeral director, my dad doesn't handle deaths in the family well, and she knew that - and it came true, he was a hot mess after she died. Grandma was one who insisted she was going to do things her way, and she would by golly have her way, so she stage managed her final arrangements and left me to carry out all the details. She wanted a brief two-hour informal visitation, followed by a BRIEF graveside service conducted by a non-denominational minister she grew to like in the last years of her life. The latter was a point of contention with my dad, and with her priest, but she had given me clear instructions, and put them in writing. Not only that, she knew the ropes well enough to give me the legal documentation to have the powers to tell people no. In the end, she got her way. I handled every detail of her final arrangements with only one near mishap: I almost forgot to get her casketed remains in the hearse before taking off for the cemetery.

[Jamie05rhs]

@SaoirseS Ah; I see! She sounds like a very wise woman. I'm glad she was able to place her funeral care in your hands. It sounds like you did a great job. She would be very proud of you.
And haha; at least it was ALMOST! lol

[SaoirseS]

@Jamie05rhs Oh she was wise alright. She wasn't the classic touchy-feely grandma either. Not only that, she was probably the worst cook who ever lived. But she knew how to work with people, and when it came to business (and most other things), she deferred to no one. It was her way, or the highway. I learned a lot from her. When she was younger, she was probably the type of woman you'd want to have your back in a bar fight.

[Jamie05rhs]

@SaoirseS 👍 Nice

[Agape93]

I dont rightly care. My will states its up to my best friend to decide. I don't care if he has me cremated, donated or dropped in a hole somewhere

[Paris13]

Great, All Affairs in order. xx

[Agape93]

Yeap exactly. Everything I own, from my books to my property is listed in the will

[Paris13]

I give You so Much credit that you Faced This at a Young Age. xx

[Agape93]

I'm at the halfway point in life at best, it's only prudent

[Paris13]

MHO!!! HUGGGGGS. xxoo

[Stoner710]

I’d like to be placed in a wooden raft with straw and dried wood soaked with gas and sent out to sea then someone with a flaming arrow shoots the raft and I burn until the raft sinks into the ocean it’s and old Viking tradition

[Paris13]

So LOng... So Young... lolxx

[Stoner710]

Right we use to have a lot of death conservatives in high school so I got to think about it a lot, I was a goth kid

[OlderAndWiser]

"Now when I die I don't want no coffin, I thought about it all too often.
Just strap me in behind the wheel and bury me with my automobile."

Traffic Jam, by James Taylor

[Paris13]

Ahhhhhhh Lord and Taylor. xx

[Lliam]

I think being composted would be cool. But I'll probably go with cremation since it's far less expensive. I don't want to be buried in a coffin. I do want a headstone, though.

[Paris13]

Put it IN WRITING ASAP. xx

[humanearth]

Mass burial, I dream of being part a government cover-up where they kill few billion people

(I really don't want that to happen, but I know that's what's coming)

[Paris13]

No Fema Camp!!! xx

[humanearth]

Thats where you'll be judged

[menina]

I would prefer to be cremated. However, there is a user on GAG who told me about a process similar to cremation but instead of using fire, they use water. That's only available in a few countries but if I'm living in one where it's possible, then that's what I want to be done to my remains.

[SaoirseS]

That was probably me. Alkaline hydrolysis (also known as water cremation, resomation, or aquamation) is becoming increasingly available in the US as more states change their laws. I understand it's also available in Australia and the UK, and one facility just opened in the Netherlands. There are still some objections in places (some religious objections due to the yuck factor), but over the next couple of decades it will become more available as an option.

[menina]

@SaoirseS Yes it was you. I hope it's available in more countries when I die. It's not possible where I live now.

[belle_kai]

Cremated. My dad was cremated and his theory was that no one could ever dig him in many years to come if they ran out of space or whatever.

[Paris13]

My Dad Was too. xx

[Stickykuza]

I'd like to die alone, after that who cares what happens to my body.

[Paris13]

Welcome to Gag Town and Best of Luck. xx

[D_Bone_Steak]

There is only one way to make sure too many people have sex with my dead body.

[Paris13]

Um... NECROPHILIA... Ugggggxx

[The_Shadow_Dweller]

My body will get burned with some wood. I would not care after that it seems.

[Paris13]

Ahh, India style. xx

[The_Shadow_Dweller]

I would prefer the machine burning as burning with wood is not environment friendly it seems. Too much smoke.

[Astarlessnightsky]

There is a startup in UK which burries your remains so they fertilize a tree.

[Paris13]

Never Heard That but Indeeed. xx

[Blueeyes81]

Don't care. Burry me, burn me, turn me into a tree, it's all irrelevant. They can do whatever is easier for them as they'll be the ones around to care.

[Paris13]

Okay then. xx

[Anonymous]

I want to be decapitated and have my head batted around (like a beach ball at a concert) by the funeral audience. And if my head touches the ground at any point they have to start the funeral over again from the beginning.

[Paris13]

Andy Warhol at His Best. lol!!! xx

[CateM]

I don't like the idea of being cremated. My 1st pick would be a burial, but if money is an issue, then cremate me. If I end up getting cremated, I want my ashes being spread somewhere. I don't like the idea of somebody keeping my ashes in an urn in their house either

[bean2k22]

I want my master to stuff me like a stuffed teddy bear and put me on his bed.

[Paris13]

Pu tit in Writing. xx

[douride2]

@Paris13 I'm undecided as of yet. Kind of leaning towards cremation though.

[Paris13]

Pu tit in Writing, girl. xx

[bolverk]

Cremation, because I'll have arranged it before I die through a prepaid plan.

[Paris13]

Tha tis Usually TheThing over There... Put it in Writing. xx

[joeldalton]

this

https://nmreef.com/

[Paris13]

@joeldalton COOOL!!! xx

[jamesgoldman]

Turned into a diamond or if I'm financially ruined fed to the pigs

[Paris13]

Ohhh OINK. lolxx

[TroyDT2]

I want doctors to use whatever they can to help as many as they can. I'm healthy and O negative so hopefully nearly everything, depending on when and how I go of course. Whatever if left over can be incinerated and dropped in the Pacific.

[Pterodon]

I don’t care. Don’t spend a dime and put me in a Potters field somewhere and make the state pay for it

[Paris13]

We have Told Family This if They Ignore paying On their Own. xx

[nawtee_me]

I am looking into plans for a casket. In Louisiana the state does not require you to buy one. So building one is much cheaper...

[Paris13]

I shall HELP you when I Come. lolxx

[Iron_Man]

I will be at a military site. Never cremated though never

[Paris13]

Salute, Tiger. xx

[Iron_Man]

Salute

[clampfan101]

Whatever my family wants after donating what they can.

[Paris13]

Put it in Writing, dear. xx

[Bklynbadboy12]

My preference is a burial I have my place all picked out and paid for already all they're waiting for is me lol

[Paris13]

@Bklynbadboy12 NEW YORK STYLE!!! lolxx

[Bklynbadboy12]

Yes man it's really nice under a nice tree 3 overlooking the water I think I'll be happy there🤣🤣🤣🤣

[Shark_61695]

Viking funeral with the whole flaming arrow thing...
Closer to reality, it probably depends, if my mum is still alive, I'd probably be buried in a small village cemetery, if not then I'd probably just be cremated and scattered somewhere cheap 😀

[TrueConfection]

Burial please.

[Paris13]

Put it in Writing, Please. xx

[SickB3atZ]

I wish to be put on a Small wooden boat and let loose onto the sea for my body to sail the water i could never sail.

[jshm2]

Probably driving a bus full of passengers off a deep ravine, Paris.

Burial at sea is so underrated.

[Agent_Elflord]

Burial. If I become successful in life, I’d love to oen a ranch with lots of land and I wouldn’t mind just being buried in a pine box under a nice tree overlooking a meadow.

[nolabels]

Whatever is the least expensive and legal when the day comes.

[FreyaRed]

Eaten by seagulls, Maybe. I don't really care.

[BobbieBoy666]

Burial or Cremation, Undecided,

I just don't think about it.

[TacosRAwesome]

Cremation and then mixed with fireworks.

[Paris13]

Put That IN Writing. lolxx

[TacosRAwesome]

Waiting for cremation to be legal. Also into being planted in a tree so if my man brings another woman I can pelt them with apples.

[Paris13]

Ahhhhh, I seed. lol!!! xx

[Jamie05rhs]

How is cremation not legal?

[TacosRAwesome]

@Jamie05rhs I was probably wrong about the legality of cremation but the common practice is getting burried.

[Jamie05rhs]

Ohh; okay. Cool

[Andridaca]

I would like to be buried without a casket. Just throw me away somewhere, in accordance to nature.

[Massageman]

A. Of course.

[Paris13]

Good, dear. xx

[kinggeorge007]

Donate to a university medical faculty.

[Paris13]

Hopefully, YOU will Remain a Candidate... Dad Didn't Qualify. xx

[flashrex]

I just want my coffin biodegradable so I can return to mother nature

[Jennz6]

I don’t think about that Paris

[Paris13]

@jennz6 I don't Like to Neither but it is a Reality, sweetheart... At Any Age. xx

[Jennz6]

I know…
xx kisses

[Philyouup]

freeze dry me, turn me into powder, dig a hole and plant an apple tree, when the fruits start to come, people can just eat me. 😊

[pizzalovershouse]

Tuned into compost most likely

[Paris13]

I sea... xx

[pizzalovershouse]

Yep there doing it more now which helps plants grow that died because of pollution

[pizzalovershouse]

Sides just keep my bones an make me a Halloween decoration 🤣🤣

[RegularEOS]

Just shoot me into space.

[anton_dee]

I choose burial coz in the future if some tech is available to revive or clone me, at least something is available to undertake the process.

[BlurryHaze]

Honestly just dig a hole next to a tree and throw me in there, gives something back to the world at least.

[OfDeath]

I honestly have no preference. I'll be dead so it won't matter to me at all.

[CubaPirate]

Back in the day I wanted burying. No since the advent of modern day machinery, no real spade work will be involved so I'm not that bothered now

[Jouth]

I don't care, as long as I get to die

[Paris13]

Someday... xx

[Jouth]

hopefully someday soon lol

[Paris13]

Nahhhhhh lolxx

[TrillXHippy]

I don’t know I don’t think my family is really going to care about it

[krin_m]

Cremation, absolutely.

[Paris13]

My Sisters Too, Dad also was Cremated. I took Some of His Ashes and Put them in a Lovely Necklace to Remember him by. xx

[Tim-loves-it]

Cremation, then loaded into rifle shells for my friends

[SaoirseS]

I've loaded cremains into shotshells for a group of people to use to break clay targets per a deceased's family wishes. One ounce 12 gauge loads with half cremains and half #8 shot works pretty good.

[jimmy2]

Don't matter to me I not there in my body

[Paris13]

Put it In Writing, Jim. xx

[Debbie14217]

i dont care

[Paris13]

Ahhh, You should though. xx

[Paris13]

***Little Debbie. lolxx

[strateguy632]

less place so ash

[BCRanger10]

I'll have a traditional burial.

[exitseven]

cremate me and dump me in the bay.

[Baredog]

Don't wanna think about it.