24 Hour Assistance at all our Funeral Homes

call 613-233-1143

Hulse, Playfair & McGarry Inc.


Cremation

HPM Cremation Services

Why Cremation?

Part of making funeral arrangements on behalf of a loved one involves choosing between burial of the body, or cremation. Certainly this is a big decision, based on any number of factors: religious or spiritual beliefs, finances, or ecological awareness are just some of the reasons we've heard for choosing a cremation service.


One of the biggest benefits of cremation is that it can give families the flexibility they may need in planning and preparing for a memorial service, celebration-of-life, or a scattering ceremony. While the cremation process can occur almost immediately, the decisions required in planning a meaningful memorial for a loved one can be made in a relaxed, rational way.

Cremation Services & Options

We offer three cremation options; each can be modified to meet your needs:


Traditional cremation services.

These are much like a traditional funeral. The body of the deceased, placed in a specially-selected cremation casket or a rental casket, is the focal point of the service. A visitation can take place prior to the funeral service and the cycle is completed with the cremation rather than a traditional burial. Once the cremation has occurred, the cremated remains are returned to your family. You can then decide to scatter, bury, or retain the cremated remains in an urn.

Memorial gathering after the cremation has taken place.

This can occur at any time after the cremation process. The urn is usually on display at the service, which can take place in any setting preferred by the family.

Direct cremation services.

This involves completion of all required paperwork and the transportation of the deceased from the hospital, home, nursing facility, or coroner's office to the crematory.

Before the Cremation Decision is Made

1. Learn about your options. Review your cremation options above and the additional information found below. 


2. Engage your family in a discussion. We urge you to bring your family into the conversation to get a better idea about how they feel about cremation and what they would prefer.


3. Speak with a funeral professional. If there are any questions or concerns, please Contact Us for the insights you may need at this point.


4. Document your intentions in writing. There are a number of forms we can provide to take this step. Contact us to learn more.


5. Arrange for the transportation of your loved one's physical remains. We can escort them to our facility or directly to the crematory.

We're Here to Help

We provide our families with an open door policy. Please feel free to contact us about our cremation services 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Our team is here to help find the service that best meets your needs.

Contact Us

Additional Information about Cremation

  • What is Cremation?

    Traditional cremation is the process of reducing a body at very high temperatures until it is nothing but brittle, calcified bones. These are then processed into what we commonly call ashes. Returned to the family in a temporary urn (or a more personal urn selected by the family), these ashes can be kept, buried, or scattered. Some families even choose to place a loved one's cremated remains in a hand-crafted piece of cremation art.

  • After Deciding on Cremation

    1. Consider what kind of ceremony you would like to have. You can plan for a traditional funeral followed by the cremation or delay the ceremony until you have the time to plan a memorial service, celebration-of-life, or scattering ceremony.


    2. Ask for assistance from your family and friends. When making plans for a meaningful event, encourage everyone to get involved. Ask them to gather family photos, write down the stories they'd like to share, and talk to them about the best location for the event. If you would like a eulogy, this is the time to ask someone special to take on that task.


    3. Select the music, prayers, or other readings. You don't have to have any of these things but you should decide exactly what you and your guests will do at this event. There are endless possibilities.


    4. Contact guests well ahead of time. This is especially important if they will need to travel or request time off from work.


    5. Decide what will be done with the cremated remains. Commonly the urn is a visual focal point of a celebration-of-life. Will you then take it home? Will the scattering of ashes be a part of the event? You may want to purchase keepsake urns for family members.

  • What is Required to Arrange for Cremation?

    Once the cremation-over-burial decision has been made, all that's required is authorization. This is provided by the person who is the legally identified or appointed next-of-kin. Once all authorization documents are signed, and service charges are paid; the body can be transported from the place of death to the crematory and the cremation process can take place. However, there are some additional things you may wish to consider, such as:

    • Is there a special set of clothes (such as a military uniform or favorite dress) your loved one would appreciate the thought of wearing? This will be a focus of the cremation arrangement conversation, and you will be advised by your funeral director as to your best options regarding jewelry or other valuable personal items.
    • Are there any keepsake items you'd like to include in their cremation casket? Perhaps there's a special memento, such as a treasured photograph or letter? We sometimes suggest family members write cards, notes or letters to their deceased loved one, and place them in the casket prior to the cremation.
    • Would you or other family members like to be present for–or participate to some degree in–your loved one's cremation? Because we know how healing it can be to take part in an act of "letting go", we welcome the opportunity to bring interested family or friends into the crematory. Please discuss your desire to participate with your funeral director.
    • What will you keep the cremated remains or ashes in after the cremation or the service? Many families are simply unaware that they can purchase a cremation urn to be placed in a special place such as the family home. We offer a large selection of urns that will help memorialize your loved one. Ask one of our caring funeral director's to see the wide variety of urns.
  • What Can I Expect with a Cremation Service?

    We are caring cremation experts who promise each family we serve the highest level of:

    • Courteous, professional service. Our dedicated staff will take care of all details, including prompt filing of required permits and notifications. Accurate completion of these essential documents not only ensures their acceptance by local or state agencies; it guarantees your loved one's cremation will not be delayed.
    • Respectful care of the deceased and timely completion of cremation process. Your loved one will be attended to by certified crematory operators; each of whom has been trained to provide both compassionate care for the deceased, and conscientious attention to detail throughout the cremation process.
    • Safekeeping and prompt return of cremated remains. We know it's important for the families we serve to know their loved one will be coming home as soon as possible. That's why we promise to notify you as soon as their ashes become available, and safeguard their urn until the time you are ready to receive them.
    • A memorial service to celebrate the life of the deceased. There are many advantages to taking some time to remember the life lived, share stories and laugh about all of the memories. Our team can help you plan a fitting memorial service with or without the cremation urn present, at our facility or in a place of your choosing.
Share by: