At-need: When a death has occurred and services are needed.

Autopsy: a pathologist’s medical examination of the organs of dead human remains to determine the cause of death.

Celebration of Life: an informal type of memorial service celebrating the deceased’s passing.

Cremains:  the remains which is left after the cremation process that primarily consists of bone fragments.

Cremation: the technical heating process that reduces human remains to bone fragments. This reduction takes place through heat and evaporation.

Cremation Container: is the container human remains are placed in when placed in the cremation chamber for cremation.

Cremation Chamber: is specially constructed to with stand high temperatures and yet protect the surrounding structure, it is the mechanical unit for the actual cremation process.

Columbarium: a structure above-ground which accommodates cremated remains.

Embalming: removal of bodily fluids from human remains arterially, together with the replacement of artificial preservatives intended to delay decomposition and color of the skin; intended to permit viewing of the body and safety concerns; required by law in certain circumstances.

Entombment: disposition of the body by placing them in a mausoleum, crypt, or other above ground structure. Embalming of the human remains is required for this final disposition.

Final Disposition: the final resting place for human remains (e.g. burial plot, scattering of cremains, niche, tomb, etc).

Funeral Service: a formal service marking a person’s death to celebrate a life with the body present with an open or closed casket.

Graveside/Committal Service: a service conducted at the side of the grave, tomb, or mausoleum at which the remains of the decedent or decedent’s cremains is buried.

Interment: is the act of placing human remains into the ground.

Inurnment: disposition of cremains above or below ground in an urn buried, or by being placed in a niche.

Memorial Service: a formal or informal service to mark a death and celebrate a life without the presence of a body; may be held several weeks after a death; need not follow any format. The urn may or may not be present.

Niche: a chamber in a columbarium where an urn is placed.

Preneed/pre-planning: arranging a funeral in advance before the time of need. This can include planning the service, determining method of viewing and final disposition.

Pulverization: the process of reducing the size of the bone fragments after cremation.

Society Mortuary/Memorial Society: a society that people join to obtain dignity, simplicity, and economy in funeral arrangements through pre-planning.

Urn: This is the receptacle into which the cremated remains are placed. There is a wide variety of urns varying in size, style and composition. The choice of the type of urn often depends on where the urn will eventually be located.

Vault: a structure placed within a grave to receive the casket or urn. It may be used to prevent crushing of the remains/cremains, to protect the casket or urn and prevent settling of land.