Cremation, the way it ought to be done.
About half the families we serve now choose cremation — the same as anywhere else in Pennsylvania. The trend has been moving that way for thirty years, and we don't think it makes one bit of difference to how the service feels or how a family is held. It is one kind of disposition; the funeral and the gathering and the remembering are something else.
What follows is plain about what we do, what it costs, and where the cremation happens. If you've read the same paragraph on a dozen other funeral-home websites and not actually learned anything specific, you'll forgive us for being direct.
What's included
- Care
- Care of the deceased on our premises until cremation.
- Permits
- Filing of all required Pennsylvania permits and the death certificate.
- Cremation
- Cremation through our partner facility (off-site — see below). We drive your loved one there ourselves.
- Return
- Return of the cremated remains in a temporary container, or in an urn you've chosen.
- Service
- Memorial service in our chapel, at the cemetery, in the garden, or at your home — included in the full-service price.
- Urns
- Urns from $215 in our catalog, or supply your own.
Where the cremation happens
We do not have our own crematory. Hearth is small — about one and a half services a week — and the volume that justifies an on-site crematory would change what we do for the worse. We've used Wakefield Crematory in Williamsport since 1985. They are family-owned (the third Wakefield runs the place now). They are forty miles east of us, off Route 220.
We drive your loved one there ourselves. We sit with the cremation. The certificate comes back to us, and from us to your hand. We will tell you the day. We will tell you the time. If you want to be present at any stage of the process, we will arrange it. Nothing happens behind a curtain.
We don't have our own crematory. We have a partner we've trusted for forty years.
Pricing
Our General Price List is posted in the front parlor and is available at any time on request — this is required by the FTC's Funeral Rule and we'd give it to you anyway.
- Direct cremation — no service, return of remains in a temporary container: $1,650
- Full cremation service — chapel visitation, service, cremation, return of remains: $4,200–$5,800 depending on choices
- Veterans — full military honors at no markup, for any veteran of any branch
↓ Download the full General Price List [PDF]
Frequently asked questions
Where does the cremation happen?
At Wakefield Crematory in Williamsport. We drive your loved one there ourselves; we don't subcontract the drive.
Can we hold a service with cremation?
Yes. Visitation in our chapel first, cremation afterward, and a memorial later if you'd like. Plenty of families do all three.
Can we supply our own urn?
Yes. Our catalog has urns from $215 if you'd rather pick from us. There is no charge or markup for using your own.
Is witness cremation possible?
Yes. By appointment with Wakefield. Mike will go with you.