Cremation Services

Cremation Services & Pricing

Cremation services are increasingly becoming one of the most popular options for many people in the Greater Fall River Area because it is oftentimes more affordable and allows more flexibility as to when and where you can hold a service. Many people are surprised to learn that you can still have a traditional funeral service or traditional open casket calling hours before cremation. Cremation also gives you the option to have a memorial service at any time with or without the urn present. It also gives you the option to keep the urn, scatter the ashes or have the urn buried in a grave or columbarium where you can also have a committal service. Whether you choose burial or cremation, we’re here to help you explore all your options and offer you a meaningful ceremony.

At $2,200.00 Our Simple Direct Cremation is One of the Most Affordable in the Greater Fall River Area

Call us today at 508-672-4768, to learn about how you can pre-arrange a simple direct cremation with final expense insurance. 

Cremation Cost Savings Compared to a Traditional Funeral

When it comes to a funeral service, there are typically three components:

• The Visitation (aka a “Wake” or “Calling Hours”)
• The Funeral Service
• The Method of Final Disposition



The Visitation and Funeral Service are completely optional. The only required part is the Method of Final Disposition, which is typically either burial or cremation.

When it comes to the Visitation and Funeral Service, if you choose to have a traditional service with a casket followed by cremation, you have the option to use a rental casket. The rental casket is oftentimes $1,000-$2,000 cheaper than an equivalent wooden casket and gives you all of the traditional appearance without the price. The inside of the rental casket is removable and functions as a cremation container, which saves you the money of having to buy a separate cremation container (cremation containers are required by state law).

Some of the largest cost savings of cremation come from not having to pay cemetery expenses if you choose not to bury the urn. Massachusetts cemetery expenses to purchase and open a grave can typically range anywhere from $1,000-$5,000. Not to mention the price of the headstone, which can also add thousands.

Types of Services Available With Cremation

Cremation is very flexible and allows you to have a traditional funeral service, but also gives you the option to have a wider range of more contemporary services. Some of the more popular services are:

• Traditional open-casket visitation at night, followed by cremation in a rental casket.
• One to two hours of open-casket visitation in the morning followed by a funeral service in a church or at the funeral home, followed by cremation in a rental casket.
• Visitation at night with the urn present.
• One to two hours of open-casket visitation in the morning followed by a funeral service in a church or at the funeral home with the urn present.
• A “Celebration of Life” at a banquet facility or other location with the urn present.

These are just a few examples of the endless possibilities that are available to you when you choose cremation. As always, feel free to call us with any questions you may have on service options and we would be more than happy to answer them.

Pre-Planning Cremation Services

Just like with any of our traditional services, our staff will be happy to help you with making sure your wishes are carried out. You can even pre-plan your services from the comfort of your own home by filling out our online pre-planning form. We are also available 24 hours a day by telephone or email to answer your questions to schedule an appointment for a free no-obligation consultation.

Basic Overview of How Cremation Works in For a Death in Massachusetts

When a death occurs, the first step you should take is calling us. We will assist you in making arrangements to have your loved one transported to the funeral home and scheduling a time to sit down and make arrangements. After we sit down and decide on the type of cremation service you would like, we will then require you to sign a cremation authorization form and a death certificate verification form. The first form is required by the crematory and the second form is required by the Massachusetts Medical Examiner’s Office.

Next, the Massachusetts Medical Examiner’s Office requires us to wait 48 hours from the time of death before cremation can occur and will send an agent to view to make sure no suspicious circumstances are surrounding the death. After this, we then transport your loved one to the crematory to be cremated. In Massachusetts, it is illegal for a funeral home to own a crematory, which is why we work with a very reputable family-owned crematory in Rhode Island.

Cremation Differences For a Death in Rhode Island

The cremation process in Rhode Island is essentially identical to the one in Massachusetts, except for the fact that the Rhode Island medical examiner only requires a 24-hour hold, which generally allows us to have a quicker turnaround time vs Massachusetts. 

The Actual Cremation Process

After we complete the required paperwork and transport your loved one to the crematory, they are assigned a metal name tag that follows them throughout the entire process. Before the body is placed in the cremation chamber the crematory operator will ensure that there is no pacemaker or any other materials that may damage the retort. By state law, only one body is allowed in the cremation chamber at a time, so you can rest assured knowing that there will be no mix-ups. After the cremation chamber has cooled, the remains are placed in either a temporary container or urn along with the name tag.