Downing & Lahey offers a fully licensed crematory, and was the first Kansas funeral home to offer cremation services in 1958.

Simply put, cremation is the process of reducing the body to bone fragments through the application of intense heat. The practice dates back to ancient times, and is becoming widely accepted in the United States and Canada as a common form of final disposition.

If you are considering cremation as an option, you may wish to learn more about the process and the services available to you.

1. Can there be services when cremation is chosen?
   Of course. Cremation actually provides more choices, and in no way does it affect your funeral options. Optional services may precede or follow the actual cremation, with either the casketed body or a receptacle containing the cremated remains present. Regardless of the order of events, it is for the benefit of the living that arrangements for a ceremony are made.
   
   
2. Are there choices available for final disposition?
   The decision regarding final disposition of cremated remains is usually influenced primarily by the type of memorialization desired. Usually cremated remains are placed in some type of permanent receptacle or memorial urn before being committed to a final resting place. The urn can be buried in a family plot or urn garden, where a marker or headstone may be used to mark the site. Sometimes the urn is kept in the home. The urn can also be placed in a memorial niche at a cemetery, where it may be viewed through a protective glass or sealed behind a memorial plaque.
   
   In areas where it is permitted by law, cremated remains may also be scattered over land or water. Yet the emotional value of establishing a permanent memorial site is also quite worthy of consideration.
   
   
3. What costs are involved in cremation?
   Cremation costs can range from several hundred to several thousand dollars, depending on the type of services desired. Like anything else, the more elaborate the funeral, the more it will cost. So it can often be beneficial to pre-plan your services, allowing you to control costs at the outset.
   
   The Downing & Lahey crematory, by Kansas law, requires a closed container to protect the health of the operator and for the dignity of the deceased. There are several cremation caskets and containers to choose from based on your needs, as well as a variety of memorial urns for final disposition of the cremated remains.