// Cremation
Heaton-Bowman-Smith & Sidenfaden Chapel put into operation the city’s first crematory. St. Joseph Crematory Company was established in 1983 and is located on site within our funeral homes, so that you may rest assured that your loved one will never leave our care.
Since 1983, the good people of St. Joseph and the surrounding communities have placed their trust in us to provide cremation services; in which time our licensed and certified crematory staff has provided over 9,000 cremations.
People choose cremation for a variety of reasons ranging from ideological, religious, or philosophical beliefs to flexibility to environmental concerns or other personal preferences. Cremation is not intended to replace the elements of the traditional funeral; rather it is simply an alternative to earth burial or entombment.
Our funeral service professionals understand the importance of the need to honor and remember the life of a loved one. We offer families assistance in creating a gathering or ceremony, to meet individual preferences.
Our Cremation options include the following:- Traditional Funeral Service followed by Cremation
- Direct Cremation with Memorial Service at our chapel or held at your church or graveside service
- Direct Cremation with Memorial Service with visitation one hour prior to the service
- Direct Cremation with Memorial Service with visitation held the day before the service
- Direct Cremation with no services
Another option to consider is what you or your family’s wishes are for a permanent means of remembering their loved ones. Three common options for permanent memorialization are: a special place in the home, burial in a cemetery or niche, or scattering of the cremated remains. A home memorialization allows families to keep their loved one’s memory close to them at all times. The burial of cremation urns in a cemetery is another popular method of permanent memorialization. This provides a quiet, revered place where families can visit their loved ones and erect a lasting monument. A popular third option, is scattering the cremated remains in accordance with state and local laws. If your loved one has a special place that they like to vist or that provides them peace and tranquility, releasing your loved one back to the world often provides peace of mind.
We are also able to offer families the option to add personalization to the cremation service. This can be done by engraving names, dates and designs on urns and memorials, personalized memento chests and keepsake urns.
At Heaton-Bowman-Smith & Sidenfaden Chapel, we believe in accommodating the wishes of every family. We encourage families to personalize and individualize any service they select. We offer a wide variety of cremation service options to commemorate the life of you your loved one.