Humans have been burying their dead for approximately 200,000 years. Here in the U.S., prior to the Civil War and the advent of embalming, burial was primarily handled by families and religious communities. With the art of embalming to temporarily preserve a body, a whole new industry arose to care for the dead. Then, burial with emblaming and open-casket viewing became the norm. However, it is possible to have burial without embalming for those who choose not to have it.
Orthodox Jews, Christians, and Muslims continue to practice burial for religious reasons. For others, burial is simply a personal preference. In recent years, people have returned to the practices of families caring for their own dead at home, as well as burial without any chemical preservation or concrete cemetery vault or liner. All of these options are available in Washington State. To learn more, visit the page Green Options.
Keep in mind that burial involves not only funeral home costs, but also cemetery expenses.
For a better idea of funeral home prices, see the website section Why be a Member?. For information about cemeteries, see the section below.
Full body burial at sea is a legal option for anyone, although it is more commonly associated with deaths occurring on at sea. Burial at sea is regulated by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and requires a permit, detailed procedures, and notification to the EPA within 30 days.
Veterans may qualify for numerous benefits that can greatly reduce these costs, including free cemetery costs at a state or national veterans' cemetery. Some veterans benefits also apply to their spouse. Visit the Veterans section of this website for more information.
