In the funeral trade they're known as Direct Cremations and Cremations with burial. What has been hurting the morticians has been the move away from traditional funerals with burial--which can involve expensive caskets--to direct cremations in a cardboard container--which costs about $50. Direct cremations also dispense with embalming and prepation of the corpse. A direct cremation, even in California, only costs about $1,500, not $4,000-$6,000, as implied by the article.

Many families who had settled on direct cremation are starting to consider the benefits of the traditional memorial service, which involves viewing and visitation for a couple days or so. It is therapeutic, and is a fitting memorial to the deceased. But traditional memorial services need not involve burial--which in expensive areas of the country can cost as much or more than preparation of the corpse and casketing. That is, a family can cut almost half of the typical cost of a traditional funeral by having the corpse cremated after the memorial service. This is particularly true in those states which allow families to "rent" caskets.

This would seem to me a happy medium between the dignity (but cost) of the traditional funeral with burial plot and the economy of the direct cremation. The statistics may imply a worse fate for funeral homes than is actually the case.

There is not a need to spend thousands of dollars for a funeral with a cremation.

I agree a memorial service is fitting and helps the grieving process. It also gives friends and neighbors an opportunity to say goodbye and to share their grief with the deceased's survivors. But the funeral industry has gone overboard with its pricing structures and in most places they have little to no competition.

Mine own sister in law recently died suddenly. She and my brother both struggled through severe medical issues and their family had exhausted their resources on medical bills. A cremation beforehand with a simple yet respectful container holding the ashes can be tastefully displayed with photos and small memorabilia. With a cremation the service can be scheduled in a church or other type structure at the convenience of the family to allow folks to travel with more convenience.

Still the cost should never have to be more than 1500 to 2000 dollars. When there are serious medical bills to consider its senseless to waste precious resources for a funeral that lasts one or two days.