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Wilkes-Barre funeral director Brian Leffler received a call seeking guidance from a family that recently had buried a relative.

While cleaning out their deceased loved one’s home, the family members found the cremated remains of three family members in a closet. Scattering the remains wasn’t an option because they wanted them to have a home.

“They were trying to figure out what to do, how to create a permanent resting place,” said Leffler, owner of Kniffen O’Malley Leffler Funeral and Cremation Services Inc., which operates 10 funeral homes, including one in Wilkes-Barre.

Leffler suggested the family contact the cemetery where their relative was buried about the possibility of digging up that grave and placing the remains of the three family members on top of the casket or purchasing another plot.

With the growing popularity of cremation — the practice has more than doubled in Luzerne County since 2002 — those involved in the handling of death said they expect the issue of what to do with the remains to come up more often.

Figuring out how many cremated remains are out there — coroners and funeral directors call them cremains — is impossible because the government does not monitor what happens after someone is cremated, according to county Coroner William Lisman.

“In Pennsylvania’s eyes, cremation is the final disposition. Therefore, there is no legal paperwork to track what a family does with those cremains,” he said.

Leffler estimated families keep or scatter the remains in 50 to 60 percent of the cremations at his 10 funeral homes, all located in Northeastern and Central Pennsylvania.

About half of the cremations at the Jendrzejewski Funeral Home in Wilkes-Barre do not involve burials, said owner Joseph Jendrzejewski. Most of the others follow the Catholic church directive to bury cremated remains or place them in a cemetery mausoleum or columbarium structure containing niches for urns, he said.

E. Blake Collins, owner of the E. Blake Collins Funeral Home in Wilkes-Barre, estimated that 60 percent of families keep the cremated remains instead of burying them.

Increased cemetery costs

While some cherish the idea of keeping the remains of their loved ones on the mantle or scattered at special places, the county coroner and several funeral directors point to rising burial costs as a factor that might be influencing the decision.

“That kind of deters some from burying them,” Collins said. “Unfortunately, cemeteries are in a position where there are less burials, and they have to pay the same amount to maintain the grounds.”

At St. Mary’s Cemetery in Hanover Township, for example, the opening and closing of a grave — known as an interment — is the same for a casket and cremation urn: $850 on weekdays and $990 on Saturdays. Most area cemeteries do not have burials on Sundays.

The interment fee is intended to help fund cemetery expenses, not cover the actual labor to dig and fill in holes, said St. Mary’s overseer Charles Thomas. He said the cemetery initially charged much less for urns but gradually increased the fee until it was the same for all burials about six years ago to compensate for the revenue lost from a decline of traditional casket burials.

The 100-acre cemetery has seven miles of roads, grass and trees that must be maintained along with utility and other overhead expenses, Thomas said, noting he’s aware of several other local cemeteries that have one fee for all interments.

Interment fees are separate from the purchase of a grave or columbarium niche. At St. Mary’s, a grave costs $950, while niches start at $1,495. However, the niche price includes interment, which means the net cost of the actual space is about $645. Thomas said he expects another columbarium will be built at St. Mary’s in the future.

He also said he believes cemeteries should be the only destination for all cremated remains.

“It’s still the body of that person,” he said.

The price of urn interments also has increased at Oak Lawn Cemetery in Hanover Township. Those interments cost $725 on weekdays and $925 on Saturdays. Meanwhile, the fee for caskets is $800 on weekdays and $1,000 on Saturdays.

Oak Lawn administrator Charles Prohaska said he gives this response when people question why opening and closing a small hole for an urn costs that much.

“Do you want a beautiful cemetery or a hayfield, because cemeteries will go out of business if they have no money to operate. You have to keep a cemetery up to keep it looking good.”

The 48-acre Oak Lawn cemetery allows the burial of an urn on top of an existing casket if the grave site is purchased a second time and the interment fee is paid, Prohaska said. Mixing ashes together has become more popular for spouses, but two interment payments are required, he said.

Prohaska said he has encountered situations where people are “sneaking” urns inside caskets and later requesting grave markers indicating two people are buried at those sites. A second interment fee must be paid for both names to appear on the marker, he said.

One woman recently called requesting a grave marker at her mother’s plot, even though her mother was cremated and kept at home. Prohaska said at least some of the ashes must be buried there to obtain a marker, prompting the woman to make those arrangements.

Oak Lawn has a cremation garden for urn burials, along with two 48-niche columbariums built in 2005, with one almost full. He said he’s confident more will be built.

Prohaska urges pre-planning for those who want cremation burial, saying he’s haunted by an account he read of an urn with ashes unknowingly sold at a yard sale.

Like Thomas, he is steadfast that all remains should be in marked burial sites.

“We have people come up here and scatter ashes on top of a family grave without telling us. Then the first time the lawnmower goes through, who knows where they’re scattered?” Prohaska said.

Frank Kovacz, owner of the Mountain Laurel Cemetery in Hazleton, said his cremation interments are $695, compared with $995 for a casket.

He charged significantly less for cremation interments years ago when 90 percent of the burials were caskets, but cremations now account for about 45 percent of burials.

“Many times families say the fee is expensive for making that little hole, but I say every expense of the cemetery remains the same — the telephone, taxes, cutting of grass,” he said.

Kovacz said he wants to avoid making the fee the same for urns and caskets.

“We want people to still bury ashes, and if we make it the same price as a full-sized casket, we’re giving them a reason not to bury,” he said.

Cremation more popular

Lisman, the coroner, said he wants burial for himself. He tells people he doesn’t want a scenario in which he is prominently displayed on a mantle and later is relegated to a closet or garage, where his grandchildren will discover him and be forced to wrestle with his fate.

He predicts the next generation will increasingly face uncertainty over what to do with the inherited cremains of their ancestors.

Lisman’s office must review death certificates before authorizing all cremations in case something suspicious or questionable must be examined.

The number of cremations in Luzerne County continues to rise, with 1,872 in 2016, or between 30 and 40 percent of the total deaths, Lisman said, estimating because the total number of deaths for that year has not been released by the state. There were 814 cremations in the county in 2002.

As of Friday, there were 820 cremations in the county this year to date, the coroner’s office said.

The increase reflects a nationwide trend.

In 2014, the U.S. cremation rate was 47 percent, and it is projected to reach 54.3 percent by 2020, according to the Cremation Association of North America. The rate was 26.2 percent in 2000.

Kathleen Ryan, the Pennsylvania Funeral Directors’ Association attorney and executive director, said there is no law in the state prohibiting the scattering of ashes. However, she was quick to add that the rights of private property owners must be respected.

The Pennsylvania State Coroners’ Association agreed, saying there are no state laws controlling where you may keep or scatter ashes. Cremation makes ashes harmless, so there is no public health risk involved in scattering, it said.

The coroner’s association suggests people check regulations and zoning rules before scattering ashes in local parks and on other public property. The National Park Service issues guidelines on ashes scattered in its parks, while other regulations cover beaches, oceans and inland waterways.

Lisman cautions that cremated remains contain pulverized bones that do not “fly in the air like talcum powder,” as depicted in television shows. Small tooth or bone particles often are in the mix, he said.

Cremated remains also include a tiny metal identification tag that can be traced to the crematory and deceased, he said.

Lisman advises people to dispose of the tag separately if they are scattering remains.

For example, the Sunlight Crematory in Hanover Township once received an inquiry from a man who discovered a tag from the cremated remains of a local resident on a Florida beach with his metal detector.

In 2002, Lisman and police found cremation remains that had been dumped on the carpet of an abandoned Wilkes-Barre house. He was able to track down the identity of the deceased because a crematory form at the scene contained the name of the funeral home.

Emotional reminder

Forty Fort psychologist Robert Griffin has had two experiences keeping cremated remains at home.

When his mother died, his family brought the remains home for about a month to allow time to plan and schedule a special memorial service that could be attended by all loved ones.

Initially, one of his close family members vehemently opposed the delay and pushed for a prompt burial. By the end of the month, this family member cherished the remains and was reluctant to part with them.

“Having a physical urn to hold for a month was very meaningful and powerful. I think it helped us. It was very healing,” said Griffin, emphasizing he does not believe today’s society allows adequate time for grieving.

Griffin did not find the same comfort bringing home the remains of his brother, who died unexpectedly 20 years ago. Months went by before his stunned family came to grips with what happened and settled on a cemetery.

“It felt depressing to have the ashes as long as I did because his death was sudden and traumatic. It was hard,” Griffin said.

Keeping remains at home temporarily or permanently can be comforting for some and too painful for others, he said.

“I personally would be reluctant to maintain custody of ashes for a long time, but I’m glad it worked out the way it did in our situation,” he said.

Choices about whether to bury or scatter weren’t an issue before cremation, he said. Planning will prevent confusion, guilt and conflict among surviving family members about how to handle the remains, he said.

Ryan, of the Funeral Directors’ Association, said research shows one-third of cremations in the state involve a traditional service, while another third have some acknowledgement but not a full service. The remaining third are direct cremations, in which there is no service, she said.

William R. Kearney, supervisor of the Kearney Funeral Home Inc. in Nanticoke, couldn’t provide estimates involving cremations but said most of those he handles involve both a burial and service.

Describing himself as a traditionalist, Kearney said there were no cremations and often three-day, open-casket viewings when he took over the family business 49 years ago.

“Now you’re lucky if you get an hour (viewing) before the service,” he said. “It’s changing very, very drastically.”

Many options

In addition to urns, Leffler’s Wilkes-Barre funeral home contains samples of a shaker box, faux book set, angel statue and wood piece with etching that can hold cremated remains while blending in with home decor or the personality of the departed.

Portions of ashes can be kept in tiny urns or embedded in jewelry, sculptures or glass orbs.

Leffler offers clients use of a wooden holder called an urn arch that allows an urn to be ceremoniously carried to services by pallbearers instead of being held “like a football.”

“We want to offer a variety of options because there are so many wants and needs of customers,” Leffler said.

He embraces opportunities to educate the public about cremations, which now make up more than 50 percent of his business. Leffler said he expects that percentage to climb to 80 at some point.

Cremation is appealing because it allows flexibility for families increasingly spread out, he said. Saving money is not the motivation for most, he said, citing an estimate of 20 percent who base the decision on cost.

Leffler’s website, www.kniffenfuneralhome.com, also alerts loved ones to other options for remains beyond scattering, including sending them into space, inserting them in a granite bench, or mixing them in an environmentally friendly cremation ocean reef.

In an approach that received national attention, a New York City man recently spooned out and flushed a portion of his plumber friend’s remains in baseball stadium toilets throughout the country because of his love of the game.

Ramifications

Patrick Lehman, owner of Lehman Family Funeral Service Inc. in Wilkes-Barre, said he supports changing preferences — he purchased a motorcycle hearse to cater to bike enthusiasts at his four funeral homes — but suspects the increase in people keeping cremation remains will create issues down the road.

He estimated 50 percent of his cremations don’t involve burial.

“As they pass, what’s going to happen to those urns?” Lehman said.

Some people also may regret having no burial site to pay respects, he said.

“I think everybody deserves to have a simple marked grave, no matter how simple. It could be an extremely small stone, something very inexpensive, but you don’t have that opportunity if the interment is in a stream.”

A memorial service before or after cremation also is important, even if it isn’t linked to religion, Leffler said.

“Every life is worth a tribute,” he said.

For other local news stories, click here.

From left, a shaker box, faux book set and wooden container are among the ‘cremains’ storage options displayed at Kniffen O’Malley Leffler. (Aimee Dilger | Times Leader)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL051017cremation5-3.jpg.optimal.jpgFrom left, a shaker box, faux book set and wooden container are among the ‘cremains’ storage options displayed at Kniffen O’Malley Leffler. (Aimee Dilger | Times Leader)

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_cremations-Luzerne-3.jpg.optimal.jpg

Wilkes-Barre funeral director Brian Leffler, of Kniffen O’Malley Leffler Funeral and Cremation Services, encourages services for cremations and has purchased a wooden carrier (left), allowing an urn to be ceremoniously carried by pallbearers. (Aimee Dilger | Times Leader)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL051017cremation2-3.jpg.optimal.jpgWilkes-Barre funeral director Brian Leffler, of Kniffen O’Malley Leffler Funeral and Cremation Services, encourages services for cremations and has purchased a wooden carrier (left), allowing an urn to be ceremoniously carried by pallbearers. (Aimee Dilger | Times Leader)

https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_cremations-national-3.jpg.optimal.jpg

Brian Leffler, owner of Kniffen O’Malley Leffler Funeral and Cremation Services, displays a variety of urns and containers for cremated remains at his business in Wilkes-Barre. (Aimee Dilger | Times Leader)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL051017cremation1-3.jpg.optimal.jpgBrian Leffler, owner of Kniffen O’Malley Leffler Funeral and Cremation Services, displays a variety of urns and containers for cremated remains at his business in Wilkes-Barre. (Aimee Dilger | Times Leader)

A caretaker mows at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Hanover Township. Like many cemeteries, St. Mary’s increased the interment fee for cremations several years ago to cover maintenance costs and compensate for a decline in revenue from traditional casket burials. (Aimee Dilger | Times Leader)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL051017cremation4-3.jpg.optimal.jpgA caretaker mows at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Hanover Township. Like many cemeteries, St. Mary’s increased the interment fee for cremations several years ago to cover maintenance costs and compensate for a decline in revenue from traditional casket burials. (Aimee Dilger | Times Leader)

Cremation remains can be incorporated into glass orbs or other artistic keepsakes, as shown at Kniffen O’Malley Leffler funeral home in Wilkes-Barre. (Aimee Dilger | Times Leader)
https://www.timesleader.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/05/web1_TTL051017cremation6-3.jpg.optimal.jpgCremation remains can be incorporated into glass orbs or other artistic keepsakes, as shown at Kniffen O’Malley Leffler funeral home in Wilkes-Barre. (Aimee Dilger | Times Leader)

By Jennifer Learn-Andes

[email protected]

Reach Jennifer Learn-Andes at 570-991-6388 or on Twitter @TLJenLearnAndes.