 | Tom Morris
is president of Downing & Lahey Mortuaries and Crematorium. He joined the family business as a funeral director and embalmer in 1986-the fourth generation to do so.
There are two Downing & Lahey locations in Wichita-one on the east side at 6555 E. Central, and another on the west side at 10515 W. Maple. Tom can be reached at his office at (316) 682-4553, by fax at (316) 685-8624, or by e-mail at info@downingandlahey.com. You can also visit Downing & Lahey on the Internet at www.downingandlahey.com |
Final Arrangements
2002-01-01 14:20:00
Timing of services
Question: How soon after death must one be buried? Are there any laws? What if the body is cremated? Can the memorial service happen at any time?
Answer: Briefly put, the law in Kansas states that a dead body must be buried, embalmed or cremated within 24 hours of death, or held in such a manner that it is not a nuisance to public health. Refrigeration is the most common manner of holding a body that has not been embalmed.One does not have to be embalmed to be buried, but Kansas law does require embalming if the body is to be placed in a mausoleum crypt. Along these same lines, embalming is not required if the body is to be cremated, but most funeral homes will require embalming if there is to be a public viewing of the deceased.It is customary in our area to have a funeral service two or three days after the time of death. Many factors can come into play when deciding the actual day of the service. The distance out-of-town relatives may have to travel is a common one. We have also experienced setting funeral dates to avoid specific birthdays or anniversaries of family members. Holidays and weekends can also cause the date to be extended or quickened depending on the circumstance. Also, the time of day for the service can be dictated by customs of the church.The cemetery may also be a factor in setting the time and date for a service. Most of the larger cemeteries require a minimum of 24 hours notice. The majority of cemeteries also charge overtime fees for late afternoon burials and weekend burials. It is uncommon to find a cemetery that will allow a burial on Sunday or on a holiday.With cremation, there can be more leeway in setting the service time. The actual process of cremation will generally occur 24 to 48 hours after the time of death unless the family chooses to have public viewing of the deceased or to have the body present at the funeral service. Memorial services are sometimes delayed to try to make the service time more convenient for family and friends. I will often caution families about delaying a service too long because convenience should not be the deciding factor in setting the service time. It has been my experience that friends would generally prefer to attend memorial services soon after the death, even if that means taking time off from work.It is always advisable to confirm the service date and times with both the clergy and the funeral home before they are set. Sometimes their schedules can make it necessary to adjust the exact times of the funeral or the memorial service.
