Many questions arise when pre-planning your own funeral. For example, you may wonder if you can be buried at home. Or if you have to buy a casket. Traditional burial options are no longer the only way to go. Making plans ahead of time gives you peace of mind that your family will have less to worry about when the time comes.
Traditionally, families have buried loved ones in private family cemeteries on their property, church cemeteries, or small local ones. During the 1800s, funeral “parlors” came more into vogue, and many realized that creating their own cemeteries would increase revenues. That changed the types of burials that are now common. Today I’m exploring the lesser common choices, though, so keep reading to find out if you can be buried in your backyard, plus a lot more!
Can I Be Buried In My Backyard?
A hundred years ago, families regularly buried their dead in designated sections of their farmland. Today it is still possible to bury a loved one on rural private property, but laws are strict in suburban areas.
There are rules about how close to water lines, power lines, buildings, and roads bodies can be buried. These setbacks and zoning restrictions limit the placement of backyard burials, making it virtually impossible in a neighborhood setting.
Another thing to think about is the resale of your home. You will probably need to disclose the burial, thus reducing your buyer pool. Having grandma in the backyard is not a positive selling feature.
However, if you have land with enough space, then a private burial ground may prove the perfect solution for your situation. Check with a local funeral director or county planning department to ensure you follow local regulations.
Can I Be Buried With My Spouse?
Let’s start with a common burial question that has a fairly straightforward answer. Many people want to know if spouses can be buried together. The answer is yes! Sort of.
If both spouses are planning a traditional in-ground burial, you will generally purchase a double space. When the first mate dies, their casket is buried lower in the ground than in a single burial space. Later after the second spouse dies, that casket is buried on top of the existing one. Spouses usually share a headstone to memorialize both of them together.
Cemeteries will allow the urn to be placed on the same gravesite if one spouse is buried in a casket and the second spouse is cremated. But, of course, a separate fee is charged for each opening and closing of the grave.
Can I Be Buried In My Parent’s Grave?
This same type of burial occurs when a parent and younger child die together. The family can bury them in the same plot. Infants have been buried with their mothers when both die during childbirth.
Generally, the same arrangement discussed for spouses applies to being buried with your parents. However, if you purchased a double plot, one can be designated for a parent and one for a child (even an adult child).
Can I Be Buried With My Pets Ashes?
While most states do not have specific rules stating that pets and humans must be buried separately, many cemeteries have regulations. Check with the cemetery management for a final understanding, but in most cases, they do not allow pets to be buried with humans.
If a pet has died before you, funeral directors will often turn a blind eye to tucking a small urn into your casket before closing it. But if pets die after you are buried, it is doubtful that your family can bury the animal within your gravesite. Sometimes, family members quietly sprinkle ashes on the grave to get around the regulations.
Can I Be Buried Without A Coffin?
While planning your funeral, you may wonder if you can be buried without a casket or coffin. If you have already chosen a cemetery and burial plot, you likely have no choice but to follow the cemetery’s regulations. Traditional cemeteries have strict guidelines regarding burial, so check with the management team for specific instructions.
There are times when you can be buried without a casket, however. Direct burials in a green cemetery use biodegradable containers, such as cardboard or wood containers. In addition, simple pine boxes are an excellent choice for a green burial. Purchase or build your own container ahead of time to save your family one more decision.
Burial shrouds are another alternative to casket burial. You can even purchase natural fiber burial containers. They aid in speeding the decomposition process by allowing airflow through the container.
Green cemeteries often disallow the use of embalming fluids to keep the grounds chemical-free. Consider this when planning a funeral since it may limit the ability to have an open casket viewing.
So while you don’t necessarily need to purchase a traditional wood or metal casket, you may need some type of container, even for green burials.
Can I Be Buried At Sea?
Burial at sea is an excellent alternative to traditional burial. The United States Environmental Protection Agency has created guidelines specifically for this purpose.
- Human remains must not be buried within three nautical miles of shore and across the openings of rivers and bays.
- No pet remains should be buried at sea.
- Use only biodegradable materials.
- Metal caskets should have a minimum of twenty 2-inch holes drilled into them to facilitate the flooding and sinking of the container.
- If no casket is used, the EPA recommends “wrapping a natural fiber shroud around the body and adding additional weight, such as a steel chain, to aid in rapid sinking.”
- Notify the EPA within thirty days of a water burial.
Can I Be Buried In A Mushroom Suit?
Mushroom suit construction comes from organic cotton with mushroom spores sewn into them. After the burial, the mushrooms assist your body’s decomposition. They naturally turn your body fluids into enzymes that clean toxins from the soil and deliver nutrients to plants. Made only by Coeio, these suits came into widespread notoriety after actor Luke Perry’s 2019 burial in one.
Check your local area for green cemeteries which allow for mushroom suit burial. Suits constructed with mushroom spores are an alternative to traditional burial requiring conversations with your family. Instead, make your wishes known to them so that they will follow through upon your death.
Can I Be Buried In A Tree Pod?
Currently, an Italian company, Capsula Mundi, is still in the proof of concept phase for tree pod burials. A human body will be placed in the fetal position and wrapped in an egg-shaped pod. The pod is buried, and a tree is then positioned over it. As the egg and body degrade, nutrients enter the soil to feed the tree.
While full-body pods are not yet available to consumers, tree pod urn burials for cremated remains are growing more popular. Companies like The Living Urn offer proprietary urns and planting systems for under $200. Your family will combine them with your cremated remains to grow a remembrance tree.
Can I Be Buried Without Being Embalmed?
You can be buried without being embalmed in traditional cemeteries, as well as in green burials. However, remember that refrigeration for your body is required within 24 hours of death. And visitation may be limited, meaning your casket will likely be closed at any service or ceremony.
However, there is no legal requirement for embalming. And direct or immediate burial with no embalming must be offered by all funeral homes. Then, after filing the correct paperwork, the body can be buried with or without ceremony.
Can I Be Buried In My Car?
Technically, you can be buried in your car. And in fact, a Pennsylvania man did just that in 1994. Before his death, he purchased 12 adjacent burial plots so that he could be cremated and then have his ashes buried inside his white Corvette.
Expect a very high price tag and possibly some backlash from family members, but with enough money, you can find a place to be buried inside your car.
Conclusion
Knowing your specific desires is the most important part of pre-planning your funeral. Document your wishes in writing and leave them in a safe place. Or better yet, visit a funeral home to pre-plan and pay in advance for your services.
Informing your family of your desires for a non-conventional burial is the best way to ensure that your wishes are followed. In addition, frank discussions give you peace of mind and provide an opportunity for loved ones to voice any concerns about your decisions.
Alternatives to traditional burial are becoming more common. So do a little homework to determine your best option.
