CREMATION of a loved one’s remains appears to be a viable and less expensive option for families compared to a traditional ground or crypt burial.
Rogelio Alim, Our Lady of Peace general manager and vice president, has noticed the increased interest in cremations.
“Our cremation cost is as low as $1,240, which already includes transportation of remains from place of death to our cremation facility, documentation and permits, and actual cremation,” he said.
The price saves families about $1,000 in expenses in comparison to a ground burial, which starts for as low as $2,975 for single internment. He said there are several options family members can choose, including ground burial, family niche, or the mausoleum.
“The choice depends on the needs of the family,” he said.
Over at Guam Memorial Park, Funeral Director Len Meyer said most people still choose a traditional burial. But like Alim, Meyer has also seen a hike in cremation requests out of 600 deaths that occur on average each year on the island.
“We are seeing a definite evolution to the end of life celebration and memorialization choices,” Meyer said. “Of the total, approximately 14 percent of individuals are cremated each year. This has increased from 12 percent only a few short years ago when we started to enumerate more detailed statistics. The trend appears to be on the up-swing, mirroring what we see happening in the States.”
A direct cremation with no viewing costs about $1,600.
Ada’s Mortuary Inc. Funeral Home has also seen an increase, said Rick Ada, mortician embalmer. Ada didn’t provide the price for cremation services but said the amount varies based on what is chosen by family members.
