Posts Tagged ‘casket’

From Cradle to Grave: WalMart’s Caskets

Monday, November 2nd, 2009

Walmart Caskets

Walmart Caskets

Walmart always had an eye for growth. Before Walmart opened in 1962, Sam Walton traveled the country to learn everything he could learn about discount retailing. Within a decade, Walton had fifteen Walmart stores and the chain went public, offering stock for the first time on the New York Stock Exchange in 1972.

That capital infusion allowed Walton to grow to 276 stores in eleven states by 1980. In 1983, the first Sam’s Club members-only warehouse opened and in 1988, the first Walmart Supercenter opened. By 1989, customers could shop at over 1,402 Walmart stores and 123 Sam’s Club locations. Sales increased from $1 billion in 1980 to $26 billion by 1989.

Today, with over 8,000 stores and club location in fourteen markets that server more than 176 million customers per year, Walmart has grown to represent the lives of many baby boomers as well as X and Y generations. When a customer walks into a WalMart store today, he or she can purchase any item for any of life’s needs and desires from diapers to caskets.

Caskets?

Yes, caskets. Walmart has created a beta site that currently offers a range of a little over a dozen casket styles and prices. You can choose from among the Regal Wide Body Steel Casket that is four inches wider than standard-sized caskets for about $1,200. You can choose the Lady de Guadalupe Steel Casket for just $895. Or, you can go all out for the Sienna Bronze Casket with hand-crafted brushed-finished highlights and hand-sewn velvet interior. This is the highest-priced casket at the moment, going for $2,899.00.

For opponents who contest Walmart’s sources for merchandise, those advocates for ‘made in the U.S.A’ materials can rest easy. All Walmart caskets currently are made and assembled in America. And, while caskets are not carried in stores, the shipping costs are reasonable. You can ship the casket straight to the funeral home if needed immediately, or store it in the attic as an hedge against future inflation.

In his autobiography, Walton wrote, “…if you think about it from the point of view of the customer, you want everything: a wide assortment of quality merchandise; the lowest possible prices; guaranteed satisfaction; friendly, knowledgeable service; convenient hours; and a pleasant shopping experience.”

Now, a Walmart customer can experience it all, from diapers to wedding rings to more diapers and, finally, caskets. A true birth-to-death experience, all under one roof.

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Notes on the Old-Fashioned Home Funeral

Saturday, October 10th, 2009
Some thoughts about the home funeral

Some thoughts about the home funeral

When the family Bible was passed down to me, I discovered a black flattened rose and a piece of black lace within the pages of that book. When I asked my aunt about these tokens, she responded, “Oh, those are from grandma’s funeral.” She began to tell me about how my great-grandmother’s casket was draped with roses and about the black lace dress that she wore to her grave.

That’s when I learned about how my father’s side of the family conducted their funerals. In every death from the time the house was built in 1900 to when my great grandfather died in 1953, the viewing for the body was held in my grandmother’s parlor, or ‘front room.’

The front room of most houses at the time were not used for television or any other entertainment except, perhaps, for the occasional piano recital. My grandmother’s front room contained two couches, a coffee table and a piano, along with a side table that held said Bible. It was in this room where the dead lay in state for loved ones to visit before the burial. For all intents, this room served as the family funeral parlor.

While I learned much about my great-grandmother’s death and funeral from this exchange with my aunt, other questions remain. These questions were brought to mind with an article that was published this year in Funeral Home News. In this piece, the author interviewed Douglas Ferguson, a man who worked in the Prince Edward Island, Canada, funeral industry since the mid-twentieth century.

Ferguson recalled that when he took ownership of the former Claude Jelley Funeral Home in O’Leary in 1958, that nine out of ten visitations were conducted in people’s homes. At the time, he recalls that people felt it was disgraceful to leave a body at the funeral home. He also mentions the “parlour,” much like the one in my grandmother’s home.

But, Ferguson also brings some other points to light, things I never considered:

“I’ve seen them go into houses and put beams underneath to hold the floor. If you put 50 extra people in a house, you know the weight that’s there,” said Ferguson, the senior member of the P.E.I. Funeral Directors and Embalmers Association.

Sometimes, because of the way the home was laid out, carrying the casket in and out, was no easy undertaking. “So you had to go in through a window. Take a window out, shove the casket in and carry a battery for light,” Ferguson commented.

I had to think about the width of my grandmother’s front room door when I read those comments. How did they get my great-grandmother’s casket in and out of that house? Did they need to supply supports for the front room floor?

Fortunately, my aunt still is among the living and her memory remains clear, so I’ll pose those questions to her and report back with my findings if she knows the answers. But, for those of you who are considering a funeral at home, you might think about these issues as well.

In the meantime, you can read more about Mr. Ferguson and his lasting legacy on his community, as he seeks to serve families in their times of need as he recounts how he and his family lived above the funeral home he purchased in 1963 (shades of Six Feet Under!).

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Posted in Death & Dying, Death Practices, Funeral Arrangements, History of Funerals, Plan Your Own, Traditions | No Comments »

Tips on Choosing a Funeral Home

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

Be careful about choosing a funeral home at the last minute.Did you know that you don’t need to work directly with a funeral home or a funeral director when you are dealing with a death in the family? But, unless you or your loved ones plan ahead for a burial, working with an experienced professional can smooth the path for a well-run funeral. A funeral home and its director can walk you through the entire funeral process, including obtaining copies of the deceased’s death certificate, writing an obituary, contacting Social Security and more.

If you or your loved ones haven’t chosen a funeral home to help with these processes, you may end up choosing a home under extreme emotional duress. Although you may receive a recommendation from a friend or a clergy member, you still should understand your rights and your privileges when entering into a contract with a funeral home.

  • Although you do not need to choose a funeral home near your location, this may be the right choice…convenience often is a logical deciding factor.
  • Shop around. Although friends, family or other trusted references may provide you with ample choices, you can shop by phone for funeral prices and options.
  • Cost is a consideration, and funeral homes must provide transparency for these costs, even over the phone. Ask for a GPL, or General Price List, from the funeral home. This list will include the cost of embalming, other body preparations (such as hairstyling, etc.), services and facilities for viewing the body, for the funeral ceremony, memorial service and graveside service and more.
  • Visit the funeral home to view their accommodations. Is it large enough? Comfortable? Friendly? The funeral often is for the living, not for the deceased, so make sure the funeral home will provide comfort to those who might attend the funeral.
  • When you visit a funeral home to view their accommodations or to choose a casket, ask to see other options that aren’t in the showroom. You may learn that the funeral home has less expensive caskets available.
  • If you were intimately connected to the deceased, don’t shop for funeral homes alone. Allow yourself time to grieve and let a trusted friend handle negotiations. Do not trust the funeral home (or any other complete stranger) to handle your decisions for you at this time of loss.

You also can use this checklist below (from Mahalo) to learn more about what you may need to deal with at the last minute, if you don’t help your loved ones prepare for a funeral now:

Disposition of Remains Costs:

  • Immediate burial
  • Immediate cremation
  • Donation of body to medical school or hospital

Traditional Full Service Burial or Cremation Costs:

  • Basic services fee
  • Pickup of body
  • Embalming
  • Other body preparation costs
  • Least expensive casket
  • Visitation/Viewing staff and facilities
  • Funeral or memorial service staff and facilities
  • Graveside service staff and equipment
  • Hearse

Other Services:

  • Forwarding body to another funeral home
  • Receiving body to another funeral home

Cemetery-Related Costs:

  • Cost of cemetery plot or crypt
  • Perpetual care
  • Opening and closing of grave or crypt
  • Grave liner or burial vault (Required by cemeteries to prevent the ground from sinking after the burial.)
  • Marker or monument

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How to Find a Low-Cost Casket

Sunday, May 17th, 2009

casketDid you know that a casket could cost up to fifty percent of an overall funeral bill? Lower-priced caskets are available, even from funeral homes. But, few funeral home showrooms will have one of over 500 models priced under $1,000.00 in their showrooms, if they have them on hand at all.

If a funeral home does show you a low-cost casket option, be aware that these selections may not be the best looking ones in the showroom (or basement). Those low-priced models may be shown in unflattering colors or with damages. It’s good to know at this point that you do not need to use the casket on display, as one in that model may be ordered. Caskets can be delivered to just about any U.S. location and arrive in as little as two days. You may need to pay shipping costs, especially if you want expedited delivery. In most cases, caskets are delivered directly to a funeral home that is arranging memorial services. In all cases, the funeral home must accept your choice with no extra charges that would penalize you for that option (see How to Legally Cut Funeral Costs).

With so many models available under $1,000, don’t think that you need to opt for the least expensive materials. You can find a range of caskets available in that price range, including wood, metal, semi-metal and biodegradable caskets. In fact, if you’re willing to live with a damaged casket, you can find some dealers who will cut a cost for a casket with blemishes. Some of these damages may be unnoticeable to viewers, which could make an option of a more expensive model appealing.

When you do decide on a less expensive option, whether for burial or cremation (which is not necessary) or simply because you want a greener alternative, remember the following items:

  • No funeral home can charge a handling fee when a casket is ordered anywhere else.
  • The funeral home cannot refuse a casket from another company.
  • The funeral home cannot ask for a receipt of the casket purchased somewhere else.
  • Require the family to sign a disclaimer or waiver.
  • The funeral home cannot withdraw a discount offer when the family chooses to purchase a casket somewhere else.
  • The funeral home cannot make any slanderous statements concerning purchasing a casket anywhere else. All those can be reported to the FTC and can result in fines of up to $10,000 for the funeral home.
  • You can always call around for price comparisons from the comfort of your home.

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Posted in Alternatives, Funeral Arrangements, Plan Your Own | 1 Comment »

Cheap Caskets: What are the Options?

Sunday, May 3rd, 2009

Do you want a traditional funeral, but are you forced to purchase a traditional coffin? Are you forced to purchase what the funeral home has to offer? Will a funeral home accept your alternative low-cost option?

The answers to the above questions are no, no and yes. In the past, the only way to purchase a coffin was directly through a funeral home. Today, under a U.S. federal law, 16 CFR Part 453 (known as the Funeral Rule), if a family provides a casket they purchased elsewhere, the establishment is required to accept the casket and use it in the services. If the casket is delivered direct to the funeral home from the manufacturer or store, they are required to accept delivery of the casket. The funeral home may not add any extra charges or fees to the overall bill if a family decides to purchase a casket elsewhere.

The following list provides you with some options for cheap caskets. This list is in order by cost, from least expensive to most expensive.

Cardboard Coffins: While some companies focus on developing cardboard coffins for cremation or natural burials, the cost is unknown (most of these companies won’t post their prices on the Internet). But, if you want a simple cardboard coffin for someone who wants to be cremated, why not choose something from a list like this? Cost: About $50.00

Before you make the decision to purchase a Halloween coffin for cremation, make sure you purchase a coffin that is somewhat sturdy and that doesn’t contain plastics, metals or other materials.

Attar Burial Shroud: This shroud was designed by a woman who has assisted with burials for over twenty years. This shroud is meant for use for woodland or traditional burial or for cremation. Cost: $245.00

Burial shrouds are becoming more popular, and they are acceptable for any funeral service. However, some graveyards may not allow a shroud-only burial, depending upon their rules and regulations for burials.

Ark Wood Caskets: Absolutely no metals, plastics, stains, varnishes, or oils are used in these casket kits, and their glue contains no formaldehyde. To help restore America’s forests, this company plants a tree for every casket purchased. Unknown if a funeral home would assemble an ordered casket. $599.00 plus shipping.

This company is just one of many that makes simple wood caskets, even the age-old pine box. The prices across the board are very similar to Ark, so you might want to find a company near you to lower shipping costs.

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Cost Factors for Hardwood Caskets

Thursday, April 9th, 2009

Wood caskets have been around for a long time, and many wood caskets make some funerals an environmental affair. The amount of benefit to the environment, however, would depend upon whether the casket was placed in a vault or not. Wood caskets are ideal for cremation when the crematory requires the body to be encased in a rigid container.If you think you’d like to purchase a hardwood casket, there are several factors you might consider. These issues will determine the cost of your casket:

Lumber Cost: Main labor costs are harvesting and milling the lumber. And, if you choose a wood that is not native to America, you will need to factor transportation costs. Mahogany, for instance, comes from Eastern Africa, not from New Jersey. Some scarcer woods, such as walnut, also will add to the cost of a casket. Take into consideration the grade of lumber, as the higher the grade, the higher the cost.

Wood Thickness: Caskets usually vary in thickness from four quarters to twelve quarters. Most caskets are four quarters thick and higher-end caskets tend to be the thickest. If you’re not familiar with a “quarter,” it equals one-quarter inch.

Shell Design and Corners: The shell design of a casket means the outer hardwood ’shell’ of the container. There are many shell designs to choose from, ranging from very plain to very ornate. The latter include roping, carved molding and intricate corners. Corners, in some cases, are priced separately. The more ornate a shell and its corners, the more expensive the pricetag.

Finish: The highest-valued finish on a hardwood casket is the hand-rubbed or -polished finish that is glossy and that highlights the wood’s beauty. Other finishes include satin and gloss.

Interiors: The fancier the casket interior, the higher the price. Fabrics such as crepe, velour, linen and velvet are used. The least expensive fabric often is velvet, whicl the most expensive is satin. Additionally, styles can add to the cost. Styles include ruffled, tufted or tailored interiors with a variety of colors to choose from.

Hardware: Hardware on caskets includes lugs, arms, bars and bar tips. These features support weight, but they also are decorative. The material, design and finish all contribute to the cost of a casket. Plating for metal parts tends to be pricey. Painted finishes may be the least expensive.

Features: Caskets can come with special features. The more features in a casket, the higher the price. For instance, some caskets may feature a “Memory Drawer,” a drawer built into the casket to hold small personal items to accompany the deceased.

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