Choosing the Best Cemetery

If you are planning a funeral, you may be wondering how to go about choosing a cemetery. This is an important choice, and a number of factors must be considered. You want to honor your loved one with a beautiful headstone or monument, and choosing the right place to memorialize them is important. Read on for Tegeler Monument Company’s tips for choosing the best cemetery.

Preferences of the Decedent

Before all else, the preferred cemetery of the decedent must be determined. Some people choose to disclose this information in writing via an attorney, or perhaps they have communicated it to their spouse or other close family members. All efforts should be made to inter the person in this special chosen place if possible.

Sometimes, however, it is not possible, at which point other options must be considered. Be sure you have spoken with all close loved ones and family before making a different choice. Selecting a cemetery should be a collaborative process with those who were closest.

If you are choosing a cemetery for yourself and/or your spouse, be sure to include it in your last will and testament and consider making funeral preplans in order to help your family make decisions in the future.

Burial Options

You may have a specific idea about how you would like to be interred. For example, some couples prefer double burials. This requires specific memorialization products and planning.

If you are choosing a cemetery for a loved one, determine whether they had burial preferences. If they did, you will need to prioritize this in choosing a place to inter them. Some cemeteries do not offer all kinds of burials. Many families, for example, choose to purchase family plots, which require a certain amount of space to accommodate multiple plots. Family plots can provide a great deal of comfort to a family, so this is something that should be prioritized if it is of interest.

Try to find a cemetery that offers family plots if appropriate. Work with a family-run local monument company to determine your options based on type of burial.

On-Site Visit

A cemetery should be a beautiful, special place where a family can go to remember their departed loved one. If you are choosing a cemetery, visit in person and take a look around. Drive the entirety of the grounds and make note of the following:

• Are the grounds/grasses well maintained?
• Are the stones overgrown?
• Is there trash and debris around?
• Are the markers and headstones damaged?
• Are the roads, parking lots and pathways clear?

You will be able to determine for yourself whether you believe a cemetery is well-cared-for and a place you’d like for your family to visit and feel close to you and/or your loved one.

Location

It might be a good idea to choose a cemetery that is close and accessible to the largest number of family members and friends. People who live nearby will be able to visit more often to pay their respects and feel close to their beloved family member or friend. Many people prefer a local cemetery when choosing one for themselves. The person who has passed may also have other friends and family members who are buried in that cemetery, which provides extra incentive.

You will also want to consider proximity to the funeral home and the location of the service, especially if these are of particular importance to the decedent (i.e. a specific religious house).

Religious Affiliations

Religion and spirituality often plays a major role in choosing a cemetery. For some, there are specific burial rituals or traditions that must be honored. If religion is a primary consideration, they may want to be buried near a specific church, mosque, or synagogue. Make sure to ask the person’s close friends and/or family members if you are not sure about their preferences.

There are entire cemeteries independent of these houses of worship dedicated to one religion. If this is an important factor for your or for your departed loved one, ask your monument company to help you choose a religious cemetery.

Military Benefits

If the decedent was in the military at any point in their life, there are benefits available for funerary and internment costs. The Department of Veterans Affairs’ (VA) National Cemetery Administration maintains 155 national cemeteries in the U.S. and Puerto Rico. While options in Maryland are limited, there are financial resources available that your monument company can help you obtain.

You can also receive a military bronze marker or granite marker from the VA free of charge and only be obligated to pay for installation.

In Conclusion

Choosing a cemetery can be difficult. There are lots of factors that must be considered. Make sure to prioritize communication with all family members and friends and determine the decedent’s wishes regarding their burial. A clean, beautiful, well-maintained ceremony is essential for paying respect to your loved one and resting assured their space will be cared for and respected. Evaluate your choices carefully with the help of your monument company.

Contact Us

If you need help choosing a cemetery and planning a monument, contact Tegeler Monument Company today. We have decades of experience assisting families with the process of creating a proper permanent tribute for their loved ones. Contact us to learn more, or call (410) 944-0300.