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What Happens During Cremation? A Respectful Look at the Process

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 19:32:54 GMT

Two decades back, roughly a quarter of the families I assisted opted for cremation. Now, that figure hovers around fifty percent. The Cremation Association of North America indicates that, across the country, cremation is now the choice in almost 60% of cases.

This evolution mirrors a broader transformation in how we view death and memorialization. Increasingly, families are discovering that cremation suits their needs, whether driven by environmental concerns, budgetary constraints, the desire for more flexible memorial options, or just their own personal choices.

Yet, this rise in popularity has also sparked a number of questions.
Many families, when faced with cremation for the first time, find themselves uncertain about the specifics. They seek clarity on the procedure, the timeframe, and how to guarantee their loved one's respectful treatment throughout.

These are entirely reasonable concerns, and I'm pleased to see families seeking answers. Allow me to share insights gleaned from my forty years in this field.

The Cremation Process: Step by Step

We believe families deserve to understand exactly what happens when they entrust us with someone they love. Here's an honest, respectful explanation of the cremation process.

Preparation

Before cremation can take place, several things must happen:

Documentation: Pennsylvania requires specific permits and authorizations before any cremation can proceed. This typically includes a cremation authorization signed by the next of kin and approval from the medical examiner or coroner. Our staff handles all of this paperwork on your behalf.
Identification: Throughout the process, we maintain strict identification procedures to ensure your loved one is never confused with anyone else. At Bean Funeral Homes, we follow a rigorous chain-of-identity protocol—your loved one is identified at every step, from the moment they come into our care until their cremated remains are returned to you.
Preparation of the body: Any medical devices that could cause complications (such as pacemakers) must be removed. The body is placed in a cremation container—this can be a simple combustible container or a casket, depending on your preference.

The Cremation Itself

The cremation takes place in a specially designed chamber called a retort. Here's what happens:

The chamber: Modern cremation chambers are computer-controlled and reach temperatures between 1,400 and 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit. These high temperatures ensure a complete, dignified process.
Duration: The actual cremation typically takes two to three hours, depending on factors like body size. The chamber processes one person at a time—this is both a legal requirement and an ethical standard we take very seriously.
What remains: After cremation, what remains are bone fragments and calcium compounds. These are carefully removed from the chamber and allowed to cool.

Processing

After cooling, the bone fragments are processed in a device called a cremulator, which reduces them to the fine, powder-like consistency most people associate with "ashes" or "cremated remains."

Any non-organic materials (such as surgical hardware or dental work) are respectfully separated and disposed of according to regulations. The cremated remains are then placed in a temporary container or the urn you've selected.

Return to Family

Most families receive their loved one's cremated remains within three to seven business days after the death, depending on documentation requirements and the chosen services. If you've opted for a memorial service or viewing before cremation, the timeline adjusts accordingly.

Why We Invested in Our Own Crematory

This is something families often ask about, and I'm proud to explain our decision.

Many funeral homes don't have their own crematory—they contract with a third-party facility, which means your loved one is transported elsewhere for cremation. That's a perfectly legal and acceptable practice, but it wasn't what I wanted for the families we serve.

In 2001, when we acquired our Exeter Township location, we made the decision to establish our own private, on-site crematory . This means your loved one never leaves our professional care from the moment we bring them into our facility until we return them to you.

Our crematory operators are certified by the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) and adhere to a strict Cremation Code of Ethics. We maintain an unbroken chain of identity—your loved one is identified and tracked at every single step.

For many families, this provides peace of mind that's hard to put into words. As one mother told me after her son's cremation, " Knowing he never left your care—that mattered to me more than I can say. "

Your Cremation Options

Cremation doesn't mean you have to give up ceremony or memorialization. In fact, it often provides more flexibility. Here are the main options families consider:

Direct Cremation

This is the simplest option: cremation without a formal service beforehand. It's often chosen by families who prefer privacy, who plan to hold a memorial service later, or who simply want to honor their loved one in their own way, on their own timeline.

Cremation with Memorial Service

Many families choose to hold a memorial service after cremation. This can happen days, weeks, or even months later—whenever the family is ready. The cremated remains may be present at the service, often in a decorative urn.

Cremation with Viewing

Yes, you can have a viewing before cremation. Some families find it meaningful to have a traditional visitation where friends and family can pay their respects, followed by cremation rather than burial. This provides the "closure" of seeing their loved one while still choosing cremation.

Witness Cremation

This option isn't widely known, but it's available and meaningful for some families. With witness cremation, family members may be present for the dignified placement of their loved one into the cremation chamber. Some families find this provides a sense of finality and peace.

You can learn more about all of these choices on our cremation options page.

Common Questions About Cremation

How do I know I'll receive my loved one's remains?

This is perhaps the most common concern I hear, and it's completely understandable. At Bean Funeral Homes, we maintain rigorous identification protocols throughout the process. Your loved one is identified when they come into our care, before cremation, after cremation, and when remains are placed in the urn. Our on-site crematory means we control every step—there's no handoff to a third party.

Can cremated remains be divided among family members?

Yes. Cremated remains can be placed in multiple urns or keepsake containers so different family members can each have a portion. We also offer Thumbies keepsake jewelry —small pendants that contain a fingerprint impression or a small amount of cremated remains.

Can I still have a religious service with cremation?

Most religions now accept cremation, though some have specific guidelines about timing or treatment of the remains. The Catholic Church, for example, accepts cremation but prefers that remains be interred rather than scattered or kept at home. We're experienced in working with clergy of all faiths and can help ensure your religious requirements are met. We also have certified celebrants on staff who can design a personalized ceremony for families who aren't affiliated with a religious institution.

What can I do with cremated remains?

You have many options:

Keep them at home in a decorative urn
Inter them in a cemetery or columbarium
Scatter them in a meaningful location (Pennsylvania has few restrictions, but private property requires permission)
Bury them in a family plot, often alongside a traditional burial
Create a memorial through specialty services that incorporate remains into jewelry, glass art, or even living memorials like tree plantings

We offer a wide selection of urns, keepsakes, and memorial products through our urn store .

How much does cremation cost?

Costs vary significantly based on which services you choose. Direct cremation is typically the most affordable option, while cremation with viewing, visitation, and a full memorial service approaches the cost of a traditional funeral. I'm always happy to walk through options at every price point—our goal is to help you find what's meaningful within your budget. We also offer financing options for families who need them.

Making the Decision

Choosing between cremation and burial is deeply personal. There's no right or wrong answer—only what feels right for you and your family.

Some questions that may help you decide:

Does your faith or culture have specific preferences or requirements?
Is there a family cemetery plot or tradition you want to continue?
Do you want flexibility in when and where to hold a memorial service?
Are environmental considerations important to you?
What feels most meaningful for honoring this particular person's life?

If you're uncertain, I'm always available to talk through your options. Sometimes just having a conversation helps clarify what feels right. You can reach us anytime at (610) 376-1129, or contact us online .

We're Here When You Need Us

Whether you're making arrangements for someone you've just lost or thinking ahead about your own wishes, I hope this information has been helpful. Cremation can be a beautiful choice that honors your loved one's memory while providing flexibility for your family.

At Bean Funeral Homes, we've been serving Reading and Berks County families since 1955—first under my parents Robert and Jacqueline, and now under my care. We're proud to offer our own private crematory and CANA-certified operators who treat every family member with the dignity and respect they deserve.

If you have questions, please don't hesitate to reach out. We have four convenient Berks County locations , and a licensed funeral director is available 24/7.

Summary

The body is put in a cremation chamber and heated to 1,400°F to 1,800°F for two to three hours. The fragments of bone are then turned into the fine ash that families receive, which usually takes three to seven working days. Kevin M. Bean has been a licensed funeral director in Reading, PA, since 1982. He stresses that families who choose Bean Funeral Homes' private, on-site crematory can be sure that their loved one will never leave professional care, as CANA-certified operators will keep a chain of identity intact throughout the process. People can choose direct cremation, cremation with a memorial service, cremation with a viewing, or watch cremation, which means they can be there for the respectful placement.

FAQ

What Is a Certified Celebrant? Creating Meaningful, Personalized Services

Sat, 24 Jan 2026 19:05:06 GMT

Last month, I helped a family plan a service for a man whose greatest passion was fishing. Instead of traditional flower arrangements, we placed tackle boxes on every table. The guest book was a fishing journal where people shared their favorite memories of trips with him. His grandsons wore their fishing vests as they spoke about what Grandpa taught them on the lake.

It was perfect—because it was him.

That's what a celebration of life can be when it's guided by someone trained to capture who a person really was. And increasingly, that "someone" is a certified celebrant.

If you've never heard that term, you're not alone. When families come to us at Bean Funeral Homes, many don't realize this option exists. But once they understand what a celebrant does, they often find it's exactly what they've been looking for.

What Exactly Is a Certified Celebrant?

A certified celebrant is a professional trained specifically to craft and conduct ceremonies that resonate—funerals, memorials, celebrations of life, and other significant occasions.

Unlike religious leaders, who often adhere to established traditions and liturgical practices, celebrants build ceremonies from the ground up, drawing solely from the individual being commemorated and the family's desires. Religious components can certainly be incorporated if desired, but they're not a requirement. The primary goal is to tell the unique story of the person's life.

Celebrants are trained in:

Interviewing families to gather meaningful stories and memories
Structuring ceremonies that flow naturally and honor the person
Writing and delivering personalized tributes
Incorporating music, readings, poetry, and multimedia
Creating meaningful rituals that bring families together
Supporting grieving families with compassion and professionalism

At Bean Funeral Homes, we're proud to have certified celebrants on our team, myself included. We've discovered that this service addresses a genuine need for families in Berks County, and I'd like to share my thoughts on the matter.

Why Families Choose Celebrant-Led Services

When There's No Religious Affiliation

The fastest-growing religious demographic in America is "none"—people who don't identify with any particular faith tradition. According to Pew Research, about 30% of Americans now fall into this category.

For these families, the question becomes: who leads the funeral? A traditional religious service doesn't feel authentic. But they still want something meaningful—something more than simply gathering to remember.

A celebrant provides that. We create a ceremony that honors your loved one's life, values, and personality without requiring religious belief. If the person found meaning in nature, community service, family, art, music, or anything else—we build the ceremony around what actually mattered to them.

When Families Want Something Personal

Even families with strong religious connections sometimes want something more personalized than a standard service allows. They want Dad's favorite jokes shared. They want Mom's famous chocolate chip cookies mentioned. They want the person's quirks and habits and the small details that made them them.

A celebrant weaves these personal elements into a cohesive ceremony. We might work alongside your clergy—handling the personal tribute portion while they provide religious rites—or we might lead the entire service ourselves. It depends on what the family wants.

When Religious Backgrounds Are Mixed

In today's families, it's common for people to come from different faith traditions—or for the deceased to have held different beliefs than their surviving family members. These situations can make planning a traditional religious service complicated.

A celebrant can create a ceremony that respects everyone's perspectives without privileging one tradition over another. We focus on the universal themes of love, memory, and connection that bring people together regardless of belief.

When You Want a True "Celebration of Life"

The phrase "celebration of life" gets used a lot, but not every memorial service actually feels like one. Some families come to us saying, "We want to celebrate, not mourn"—they want laughter mixed with tears, they want stories and music and meaning.

A celebrant-led celebration of life ceremony is designed to do exactly that. We help families shift the focus from death to life, from loss to legacy, from sorrow to gratitude for having known this person.

How the Celebrant Process Works at Bean Funeral Homes

When you choose to work with one of our celebrants, here's what you can expect:

Family Time Session

This is where the magic happens. I'll sit down with family members and close friends—usually for an hour or two—and simply listen. I ask questions like:

What made this person unique?
What would they want people to remember about them?
What stories do you find yourselves telling over and over?
What were their passions, habits, and quirks?
Is there a particular song, poem, or reading that captures who they were?
How did they affect the lives of people around them?

This conversation often brings tears and laughter in equal measure. Families tell me it's therapeutic in itself—a chance to remember together, to say out loud the things that made their person special.

Ceremony Creation

Based on our conversation, I'll craft a ceremony from scratch. This typically includes:

An opening that sets the tone and welcomes everyone
A life tribute that tells the person's story—not a generic overview, but the real details that made them who they were
Personal elements like readings, poems, music, or photo slideshows. If family members or friends want to speak, we coordinate how their words fit into the larger ceremony
Meaningful rituals if appropriate—lighting candles, releasing butterflies, sharing a toast, or any tradition that holds meaning for the family
A closing that sends people out with comfort and hope

Before the service, I share the ceremony script with the family so they can request any changes or additions.

The Service Itself

On the day of the service, I lead the ceremony with warmth and professionalism. My goal is to make sure every person in attendance feels the presence of the one you've lost—not as a distant memory, but as someone who touched lives and will continue to be remembered.

Examples of Celebrant-Led Ceremonies

To give you a sense of what's possible, here are a few ceremonies I've been privileged to create (with details changed to protect privacy):

For a retired teacher: The ceremony was structured like one of her favorite class lessons, with different "periods" devoted to different aspects of her life. Former students shared what they'd learned from her. We displayed her "Teacher of the Year" awards alongside notes students had written her decades ago.
For a motorcycle enthusiast: Family and friends arrived to the sound of motorcycle engines. We played songs from his favorite road trip playlist. His riding buddies each shared a story about adventures on the open road. The service ended with a motorcycle escort to the cemetery.
For a grandmother: We turned the service into a recipe swap, because cooking was how she showed love. Attendees shared recipe cards as they shared memories. We served her famous pound cake at the reception. The ceremony focused on how food brings families together—just as she had.
For a veteran and family man: We incorporated military honors alongside personal stories about his life as a father and grandfather. His children spoke about fishing trips and advice he'd given. We honored both his service and his tenderness.

Every ceremony is different because every person is different. That's the whole point.

Celebrants and Religious Services: Working Together

I want to be clear: choosing a celebrant doesn't mean excluding religion from the service. In fact, celebrants often work alongside clergy.

Here's one common approach: the clergy member handles the religious elements—prayers, scripture readings, sacraments, committal—while the celebrant handles the personal tribute. This gives families the best of both worlds: the comfort of religious tradition plus a deeply personalized remembrance.

If you're planning services at a church, we coordinate with your clergy to ensure everything fits together smoothly. If you're having services at our funeral home, we can help connect you with clergy if desired.

Is a Celebrant Right for Your Family?

Consider choosing a celebrant if:

You're not affiliated with a religious institution, or the deceased wasn't
You want a service focused on the person's unique story and personality
Your family comes from mixed religious backgrounds
You want a "celebration of life" that truly feels like a celebration
You want a service that includes religious elements but isn't led by clergy
You want help designing rituals or elements that hold personal meaning

Consider a traditional clergy-led service if:

Religious tradition and liturgy are central to what gives the family comfort
The deceased was active in their faith community and would want that community to lead
You want a service that follows a familiar religious structure

And remember: you don't have to choose one or the other. Many of the most meaningful services I've witnessed combine celebrant personalization with religious tradition.

Our Celebrant Team

At Bean Funeral Homes, we're proud to have trained certified celebrants on staff, including myself and Joseph G. McCullough, our supervisor at the Exeter Township location . We've completed specialized training and are passionate about creating ceremonies that honor unique lives.

We also offer modern capabilities like live streaming and multimedia tributes for families with members who can't attend in person.

Let's Talk About What You're Envisioning

If you're planning a service for someone you've lost—or if you're thinking ahead about your own wishes—I'd love to talk with you about what a celebrant-led ceremony might look like.

There's no pressure and no obligation. Sometimes families just want to understand their options, and that's reason enough to reach out.

You can call us at (610) 376-1129, contact us online , or stop by any of our four Berks County locations . A member of our team is available 24/7.

Every life story deserves to be told. Let us help you tell it.

Summary

Unlike clergy, who adhere to established religious practices, a certified celebrant crafts and conducts bespoke funeral, memorial, or celebration of life ceremonies, all designed to reflect the individual life of the person who has passed. These celebrants build custom tributes, drawing on the family's recollections and preferences. Kevin M. Bean, the owner of Bean Funeral Homes in Reading, PA, a licensed establishment since 1982, notes that his staff includes certified celebrants. They hold "Family Time" sessions, during which they collect stories and then create ceremonies incorporating music, poetry, and other personal elements. The celebrant services offered by Bean Funeral Homes are particularly beneficial for families who aren't religious, interfaith couples, or anyone seeking a deeply personalized tribute.

FAQ

How To Dress for a Funeral

kevin@beanfuneralhomes.com (Kevin Bean) — Mon, 29 Jul 2024 14:42:34 GMT

First, understand that what you wear to the funeral is much less important than actually going to the funeral or gathering. Don’t underestimate the value of your presence.

Your kind words, shared stories, or even just a hug will mean a great deal to friends and family when there has been a death. Don’t let not having a pair of dress shoes keep you from offering your support.

That being said, what you wear depends on several different factors. The first thing to consider is who died.

If your 80-year-old grandfather passed, the funeral is likely to be more traditional. His older friends will attend, so you will want to be more conservative.

A pair of slacks and a collared shirt for men and boys will do nicely. If you own a sport coat, by all means wear it. A tie with or without the jacket would be a nice, but not a required, addition.

For the ladies and girls, dress slacks and a nice sweater or blouse will serve the purpose. A dress or skirt would also be lovely. Do pay attention to necklines and length of the skirt.

When the funeral is for a younger person or will not be faith based, it may be more informal.

A celebration of life is typically more relaxed and may even have a theme that the family will ask attendees to support. So if you’re asked to wear golf attire to the funeral of an avid golfer, don’t be surprised.

Like the dress code for most events today, what we wear to a funeral has relaxed. Black is no longer required, but neat, clean, and subdued are always in good taste.

A funeral is not a place to stand out or be the center of attention. As you survey your wardrobe, think in terms of what you would wear to an important job interview or something you would want to wear to apply in person for a bank loan.

www.beanfuneralhomes.com

How to Say the Right Thing at a Funeral

kevin@beanfuneralhomes.com (Kevin Bean) — Sun, 21 Jul 2024 20:14:33 GMT

First, take a deep breath and relax. We all worry that we’ll say the wrong thing.

Second, know that you don’t have to be eloquent. While we wish it were so, you can’t make everything all better with a few words.

Here are a few simple ideas to keep in mind to be sure you say the right thing when attending a funeral.

Don’t underestimate the power of your presence.

It’s important. Just being there says more than you can know.

Keep your words simple.

“I’m sorry for your loss” may be all that is needed.

Share your story.

If you have a brief anecdote about how you interacted with the deceased, share it. Knowing how her sister lit up her workplace may just be the most comforting thing a mourner can hear.

Use the deceased person’s name.

“Mary always made me laugh.” “John had the longest drive, too bad it wasn’t always straight.” “We always knew when Big Bad Byron was in the plant, everyone was on their toes.” “Nobody made better chocolate chip cookies than your mother.”

Avoid using common platitudes.

Resist the temptation to tell the bereaved how they must feel -- “grateful that he is in a better place,” “relieved that his suffering is over,” “grateful for a long life,” etc.

We don’t know how that wife, husband, mother, son, or daughter actually feels. Just say you’re sorry for their loss.

Let them tell you how they feel and accept it with a nod or hug.

Don’t forget about listening.

Listen to understand, not just to hear. Listen to show you care, not to judge. Listen with love, even when you’ve heard the story before.

www.beanfuneralhomes.com

What Do Funeral Directors Do?

kevin@beanfuneralhomes.com (Kevin Bean) — Tue, 02 Jul 2024 15:05:48 GMT