Home Funeral Choices

Residents of the Crestone area have for many years been exploring options for home funerals, and in recent years the Crestone End of Life Project has worked to develop and spread awareness of these possibilities.  A wealth of knowledge pertaining to this area exists in our community.

There are a variety of options for people to deal with part or all of the process of caring for their loved one’s body after death.

The Crestone End of Life Project supports area residents in any of the following choices:

• To take terminally ill individuals who so desire out of medical facilities in order to die at home
• To transport the deceased home rather than to a mortuary
• To refuse to have the deceased embalmed
• To have friends and family prepare the body and create a beautiful and peaceful home environment for visitors wishing to be with the deceased (for up to 72 hours)
• To privately transport the deceased to:
  • A mortuary for cremation
  • A mortuary or cemetery for traditional burial
  • A legal open-air site for cremation
  • A chosen site for green burial

A function of the Crestone End of Life Project is to assist the families and friends of the deceased in planning meaningful, personalized rituals to mark the death of their loved one, and to assist, if necessary, in bringing those rituals to fruition.

Importance of Personalized Ritual

Ritual can be a profoundly meaningful act for the bereaved, whether while caring for the body or enacting a burial or cremation.  Our experience is that conceiving and performing personalized ritual often serves as a deeply nourishing activity for those experiencing the grief of loss.

In addition, the process of discussing the wishes of a terminally ill loved one for the care and disposition of their body – and the celebration of their life – can be healing for all involved.

To learn more about home funeral choices, contact Informed Final Choices about its Family-Directed Home Funeral workshop.

Local Artisans and Businesses

Shrouds

Maha Lakshmi Gift Shop
Offering a range of silk and natural sari fabrics, oils and incense.
719.256. 4108
info@babajiashram.or

Coffins and Stretchers, Memorial Plaques

Blue Earth Design, Adam Kinney, Proprietor
Hand-built pine coffins and stretchers for green burial or conventional cremation.
Memorial plaques and other custom laser cut work in a range of materials.
719.256.4889 / 719.480.2121
blueearthdesign@gmail.com

Studio Moresca, Shahna Lax, Artisan
Unique and skillfully crafted memorial plaques and copperwork illuminations.
719.256.5442
moresca.copper@gmail.com
www.studiomoresca.art

Oils for anointing

Floracopeia
Highest quality aromatic oils
floracopeia.com