Cremation Services in Harford County, Maryland
Choosing cremation is a personal decision, and every family has different reasons for considering it. At McComas Family Funeral Homes, our goal is to make the process easier to understand by clearly explaining your cremation options and helping you create arrangements that reflect your loved one, your family's wishes, traditions, beliefs, and budget.
Cremation does not limit how you can remember or celebrate someone's life. Families may choose a traditional funeral and visitation before cremation, a memorial service or celebration of life after cremation, a private family gathering, or a simple cremation without a formal ceremony. Cremated remains may later be kept in an urn, buried in a cemetery, placed in a columbarium, scattered in a meaningful location, or incorporated into a personalized memorial.
Our experienced funeral directors will explain each option, answer your questions, and help you create cremation arrangements that are meaningful for your family.
How Much Does Cremation Cost?
The cost of cremation depends on the services and merchandise your family selects. A simple direct cremation will generally involve fewer services than a cremation with a visitation, funeral ceremony, memorial service, upgraded cremation container, urn, or other personalized selections.
Rather than focusing only on a single advertised cremation price, it is important to understand exactly what is included. Our funeral directors will clearly explain the available cremation options, services, merchandise, and associated costs so your family can make an informed decision.
Families are entitled to receive a General Price List outlining funeral and cremation charges. We encourage you to ask questions and compare both the services provided and the level of care included when considering cremation providers.
McComas Cremation Memorial Center & Private Crematory
Our Bel Air location is home to the McComas Cremation Memorial Center and our private, secure crematory. Having our own crematory allows McComas Family Funeral Homes to directly oversee the care of your loved one throughout the cremation process rather than relying on an outside cremation provider.
The Cremation Memorial Center also provides a peaceful and private setting where families can spend time with their loved one before cremation. Families may choose a private goodbye, identification viewing, gathering, or another personalized moment of remembrance.
We understand the trust families place in us when choosing cremation. Our team follows established procedures throughout every step of the process to provide respectful care, proper identification, security, and peace of mind.
Why Do Families Choose Cremation?
There is no single reason families choose cremation. The decision is personal and may be influenced by family traditions, religious or spiritual beliefs, environmental considerations, simplicity, flexibility, cost, or the wishes of the person who died.
One of the benefits of cremation is the flexibility it can provide when planning a meaningful tribute. A funeral or visitation may take place before the cremation, or a memorial service or celebration of life can be held afterward. Services can be held soon after the death or at a later date when family and friends are able to gather.
Our funeral directors can help you compare cremation and burial options so your family can make an informed decision without feeling pressured.
Traditional Funeral Service followed by Cremation
Many families find meaning and beauty in a traditional funeral service. With a traditional service combined with cremation, you can still choose to have a final viewing, visitation or wake, and a funeral service. However instead of in-ground burial, the funeral service will be followed by the cremation process in our private crematory. Depending on your wishes, the cremated remains may be either returned to your family for storage in an urn, scattered, or interred in a columbarium. This option will include fees for the funeral services as well as the fees associated with the cremation itself.
Memorial Service
Cremation takes place before the service, and family and friends gather afterward for a memorial ceremony. The urn may be present during the service if the family wishes.
Graveside Service
A graveside or committal service is typically held immediately following the funeral or memorial service but it can also be a small intimate gathering of those closest to you.
Can You Have a Funeral Before Cremation?
Yes. One of the most common misconceptions about cremation is that choosing it means you cannot have a traditional funeral.
Families can have a visitation or viewing followed by a complete funeral ceremony before cremation. The funeral may be held at one of our funeral homes, a church or place of worship, or another appropriate location. After the service, your loved one is cremated instead of being buried.
This option provides the traditions and opportunities to gather associated with a funeral while still honoring a person's wish to be cremated.
Options for Cremated Remains
Keeping an Urn at Home
This is a common choice and families can select the perfect urn for their loved one's ashes.
Placing the Urn in a Columbarium (aka, a “niche”)
Many families find comfort in having a final resting place that they can visit.
Burying the Urn
Similar to a casket, the in-ground burial of the urn allows for a final resting place.
Scattering of the Cremated Remains
Some families find comfort scattering the cremated remains(ashes) in a place that was special to their loved one.
What is Cremation?
Cremation is a process that uses intense heat to reduce the body to bone fragments. After the cremation is completed and the remains have cooled, the bone fragments are carefully processed into what are commonly referred to as cremated remains or ashes. The cremated remains are then placed into a temporary container or an urn selected by the family.
Choosing cremation is simply a choice about what happens to the physical body after death. It does not determine whether your family can have a funeral, viewing, visitation, memorial service, religious ceremony, or celebration of life.
In fact, many families who choose cremation still want an opportunity to gather, say goodbye, share memories, and honor the life of someone they love.
What Happens When Arranging a Cremation?
When you meet with one of our funeral directors, we will guide you through the necessary arrangements and explain each decision that needs to be made.
This typically includes obtaining the necessary information and authorizations, discussing the type of cremation service desired, deciding whether there will be a viewing, visitation, funeral, or memorial service, selecting an appropriate cremation container or casket when necessary, and discussing what you would like to do with the cremated remains afterward.
We will also discuss opportunities for personalization and answer any questions you have about the cremation process.
Our responsibility is to make sure you understand your choices so you can make decisions that are right for your family.
What Happens During the Cremation Process?
Before cremation can take place, the required authorizations and documentation must be completed.
Your loved one is carefully identified and prepared according to established procedures before being placed into the cremation chamber. During cremation, intense heat reduces the body to bone fragments.
After the cremation is complete, the remains are allowed to cool and are carefully processed. The cremated remains are then placed into the selected urn or an appropriate temporary container and prepared to be returned to the family.
Because McComas operates its own private crematory at our Bel Air location, our team is able to directly oversee this important process.
What Can You Do With Cremated Remains?
There are many meaningful options for the final placement of cremated remains. There is no single choice that is right for every family.
Cremated remains may be:
- Placed in an urn and kept by the family
- Buried in a cemetery
- Placed in a columbarium niche
- Interred in an existing family burial space when permitted
- Scattered in a meaningful location where legally permitted
- Divided among family members in keepsake urns
- Incorporated into memorial jewelry or other keepsakes
- Memorialized through another personalized option
Our funeral directors can explain the different possibilities and help your family choose an option that provides a meaningful and lasting place of remembrance.
Frequently Asked Questions About Cremation
What is a crematorium or crematory?
A crematorium or crematory is a venue for the cremation of the deceased. Modern crematoria contain at least one cremator (also known as a crematory, retort, or cremation chamber), a purpose-built furnace or an oven. A crematorium can also be attached to a funeral home, like in our case as we operate one on-site. Sometimes, the terms crematory and crematorium are used interchangeably. In some countries, a crematorium can also be a venue for open-air cremation, like in the Hindu religion. In many countries, crematoriums contain facilities for funeral services or memorial ceremonies, such as a chapel. Some crematoriums also incorporate a columbarium, a place for interring cremation ashes or remains. We have an on-site crematory located at our cremation memorial center, located at our Bel Air location.
How long does the cremation process last in a crematory or crematorium?
The duration of the cremation process in a crematory or crematorium can vary depending on several factors, including the size and weight of the body, the type of cremation equipment used, and the specific protocols followed by the crematory. Some crematories are more efficient than others, so it takes less time for the cremation process. On average, the cremation process typically takes anywhere from 1.5 to 3 hours. However, it's important to note that this is an estimate, and the actual duration may vary. Some cremations may be completed in a shorter period of time, while others, particularly for larger individuals, may take longer. It's best to consult with one of our crematory specialists for more precise information regarding our processes and estimated timeframes.
Does choosing cremation mean we cannot have a funeral?
No. Cremation and a funeral are two separate decisions. You can have a traditional visitation and funeral with your loved one present followed by cremation. You may also choose a memorial service or celebration of life after the cremation.
Does McComas have its own crematory?
Yes. McComas Family Funeral Homes operates a private, secure crematory at our Bel Air location as part of the McComas Cremation Memorial Center. This allows our team to directly oversee the cremation process and the care of your loved one.
Can our family see our loved one before cremation?
Families may choose to spend time with their loved one before cremation. Our Cremation Memorial Center provides a peaceful, private environment for an identification viewing, private goodbye, or other meaningful gathering. Your funeral director can explain the options available based on your family's wishes.
Can we have a viewing before cremation?
Yes. A viewing or visitation can be arranged before cremation. Families may choose a traditional visitation followed by a funeral service and cremation or a more private viewing involving only immediate family members.
Can we have a memorial service after cremation?
Yes. Memorial services and celebrations of life can be held after cremation, with or without the cremation urn present. This also provides greater flexibility when family members need additional time to travel or coordinate schedules.
What is direct cremation?
Direct cremation generally refers to cremation without a formal viewing, visitation, or funeral ceremony beforehand. Choosing direct cremation does not prevent your family from holding a memorial service, celebration of life, scattering ceremony, or gathering afterward.
Do we have to purchase an urn?
Your funeral director can explain what type of container is provided and the many urn options available. Families often select a permanent urn when they plan to keep, bury, place, or display the cremated remains.
Can cremated remains be buried?
Yes. Cremated remains may be buried in a cemetery, placed in certain existing burial spaces when permitted, or interred in other designated areas. A funeral director can help you coordinate the cemetery requirements.
Can cremated remains be scattered?
Scattering is an option for many families. Where and how cremated remains may be scattered depends on the location, property ownership, and applicable rules or regulations. Our team can help you understand your options before making plans.
Can cremation be preplanned?
Yes. Cremation services can be planned in advance. Preplanning allows you to document your wishes, select the type of services you prefer, make decisions about the disposition of your cremated remains, and discuss funding options. It can also reduce the number of decisions your family needs to make at the time of death.
Compassionate Cremation Care You Can Trust
Choosing a cremation provider means placing someone you love into another person's care. We believe families deserve to know who is caring for their loved one, where the cremation will take place, and what options are available to them.
At McComas Family Funeral Homes, our experienced funeral professionals will guide you through every step, from the initial arrangements and opportunities to say goodbye through the cremation and return of the cremated remains.
Whether your wishes include a traditional funeral followed by cremation, a memorial service, a celebration of life, a private family goodbye, or simple cremation, our goal is to provide compassionate guidance, personalized options, and the peace of mind your family deserves.
