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     The State of Montana has a pretty forward-thinking view of death. The rate of cremation services in Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT is approximately 70%-80%. There are many reasons why cremation is a popular choice than it was years ago. First of all, finances is a strong influence. Given the economy these days, death care is measured just as much as other things that make up a budget. Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT cremation services, in general terms, can be less expensive than casket burials depending on the celebratory events and items a family may select. 

     Another reason why cremation services from Darlington Cremation and Burial Service in Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT are chosen more is because it is a more simplified and convenient means of handling the death of a loved one. Environmental reasons can also play a part in the choice of cremation as well as simple personal preference. Furthermore, if death occurs in winter time in Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT, cremation services can be preferable, given the constraints of cold weather at certain times of year.

     

     If you choose cremation services in Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT for a loved one, you should be aware of a legality or two that would need to be addressed. The Vital Statistics Bureau, a part of the Department of Public Health and Human Services, requires a special form be completed before your deceased loved one can be taken care of. It is called the Authorization for Removal, Transportation, and Final Disposition of a Dead Body form. While a mortician is the one to submit the form, a coroner within the jurisdiction, an attending physician at death, or an advanced practice registered nurse can submit the form before Kalispell, MT cremation services can commence. A death certificate signed by the coroner is necessary as well.

     Cremation cannot occur within the first 24 hours after death. Embalming is not required by state law, except in special circumstances such as a communicable disease or a public viewing before a memorial or funeral service. With cremation services in Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT, if you want a private or public viewing beforehand, the funeral establishment Darlington Cremation and Burial Service may require embalming as part of our guidelines. Embalming would also be a necessity if you were transporting your deceased loved one's body by common carrier.

     Our cremation services at Darlington Cremation and Burial Services, near Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT, do not require a casket either. Over 90% of cremations in Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT don't have them and it is not a state law. What is required is a sturdy cremation container that is leak-proof and combustible as the body must be handled and transported in it. Most of these containers are made from pressed wood, fiberboard or cardboard. Ultimately, these containers are cremated with the body as they cannot be reused anyway. 

      When you make cremation arrangements with the funeral home and crematory at Darlington Cremation and Burial Services for Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT, it is important to share whether or not the deceased had a pacemaker or was treated with nuclear medicine. These things are quite hazardous when exposed to the extreme temperatures of the cremation chamber. Licensed morticians can remove pacemakers before cremation. If you do not inform the crematory of a pacemaker or similar device and it does cause harm and damage to the crematory and its employees. 

     Before cremation services in Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT progress to the chamber itself, it is important to note that any mechanical devices or prosthetics for the deceased do not have to necessarily be removed. These items likely could not be reused anyway and will not cause any problems within the cremation chamber. It is also important to note that you will likely be asked to formally identify the deceased once the crematory receives the body. This is standard practice before Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT cremation services.

     After additional verification of the deceased, the body is issued a metal identification tag that follows the body through each step of the process. It is removed just before entry into the cremation chamber and placed on the control panel until this particular cremation step is over. After being exposed to extreme heat of up to 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit for 2-3 hours, the cremated remains are cooled off and any large bone fragments are pulverized to resemble the other remains.

     The cremated remains of the deceased are often compared in appearance to crushed eggshells or seashells, although they are called ashes. If you plan to scatter the cremated remains as a way to memorialize your loved one, the temporary container provided by the crematory would like be fine. However, if after cremation services in Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT you should decide to hold onto the ashes, select a decorative urn that best suits your tastes and that of the deceased. The urn can be displayed in an honorary position at your home, buried in a cemetery, or housed with a niche in a columbarium at one of our local cemeteries. The choice is yours. 

     The death of a loved one brings challenging emotions and comforting family and friends can compound them. A licensed professional from Darlington Cremation and Burial Service will guide you through each step of Kalispell, Whitefish, and Columbia Falls, MT cremation services and support you and your decisions.