Family Wants Co-Mingling Cremains Vault At Oakwood
February 4, 2021 at 11:59 p.m.
By Jackie [email protected]
Sexton Hal Heagy said a family would like to do an co-mingling cremains vault. He described it as a full-sized vault on a lot with tubes. “It’s going to be ash funerals, and they want to dump their ashes in this vault,” Heagy said. As a family, their name would be put on the vault.
Since it’s co-mingling, the only rule at the State Board of Health is that for each person that goes in, a letter needs to be signed that it’s OK.
Board member Ellen Hoffer asked if it would be mixing two different people. Heagy said yes.
Jerry Frush, City Council representative, asked if the letter had to be signed by the person while they’re still alive. Heagy said no. The person who is in control of the deceased person at the time would sign the letter.
Hoffer asked if the letter was required to be notarized. Heagy said at this time, it is not required.
Frush asked if other cemeteries have this. Heagy said as far as he knows, there are no co-mingling cremains vaults in the area. However, he did say some cemeteries do have scatter fields and the rules regarding the scatter fields are different than for co-mingling cremains vaults.
Heagy said the reason he brought the idea to the Board was because it is a new idea. He said he thought it was a good idea since it will save space for the cemetery.
Frush said he didn’t see a problem with it if the family agrees with it. Hoffer said she thought it was a good idea, as well.
No decision was made as not all members were in attendance. Heagy said he also has questions he has to get questions to, including what happens if a person wants to go in to the vault that is not family.
In other business, the Board:
• Learned there were five loads of wood in December and three loads of wood in January given away to those who need it in.
People can get vouchers from Combined Community Services for the wood. The cemetery will give the person a truckload of wood a month to heat their homes.
Heagy said that the cemetery has a lot of wood left and CCS is aware of it.
• Learned the cemetery had to take down a tree because it was where a foundation was for “a lady and her significant other,” Heagy said. There was no way to save the tree and put the foundation in and the person wanted to be near family. Heagy said he didn’t want to take down the tree, but had to.
• Learned Heagy is also planning on adding a 20-by-20 cold storage area for cemetery equipment to the shop area. It will be on the northeast part of the shop, Heagy said.
Staff have to store equipment in different places and Heagy said he wants to store everything at the cemetery shop. Heagy said city engineer James Emans has the plans and is putting together the criteria for bids.
Heagy said he put $80,000 in the budget to do it, but should be under that estimate. The storage area will be insulated, but will be limestone. Getting bids to do it will be the next step.
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Sexton Hal Heagy said a family would like to do an co-mingling cremains vault. He described it as a full-sized vault on a lot with tubes. “It’s going to be ash funerals, and they want to dump their ashes in this vault,” Heagy said. As a family, their name would be put on the vault.
Since it’s co-mingling, the only rule at the State Board of Health is that for each person that goes in, a letter needs to be signed that it’s OK.
Board member Ellen Hoffer asked if it would be mixing two different people. Heagy said yes.
Jerry Frush, City Council representative, asked if the letter had to be signed by the person while they’re still alive. Heagy said no. The person who is in control of the deceased person at the time would sign the letter.
Hoffer asked if the letter was required to be notarized. Heagy said at this time, it is not required.
Frush asked if other cemeteries have this. Heagy said as far as he knows, there are no co-mingling cremains vaults in the area. However, he did say some cemeteries do have scatter fields and the rules regarding the scatter fields are different than for co-mingling cremains vaults.
Heagy said the reason he brought the idea to the Board was because it is a new idea. He said he thought it was a good idea since it will save space for the cemetery.
Frush said he didn’t see a problem with it if the family agrees with it. Hoffer said she thought it was a good idea, as well.
No decision was made as not all members were in attendance. Heagy said he also has questions he has to get questions to, including what happens if a person wants to go in to the vault that is not family.
In other business, the Board:
• Learned there were five loads of wood in December and three loads of wood in January given away to those who need it in.
People can get vouchers from Combined Community Services for the wood. The cemetery will give the person a truckload of wood a month to heat their homes.
Heagy said that the cemetery has a lot of wood left and CCS is aware of it.
• Learned the cemetery had to take down a tree because it was where a foundation was for “a lady and her significant other,” Heagy said. There was no way to save the tree and put the foundation in and the person wanted to be near family. Heagy said he didn’t want to take down the tree, but had to.
• Learned Heagy is also planning on adding a 20-by-20 cold storage area for cemetery equipment to the shop area. It will be on the northeast part of the shop, Heagy said.
Staff have to store equipment in different places and Heagy said he wants to store everything at the cemetery shop. Heagy said city engineer James Emans has the plans and is putting together the criteria for bids.
Heagy said he put $80,000 in the budget to do it, but should be under that estimate. The storage area will be insulated, but will be limestone. Getting bids to do it will be the next step.
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