Wishes of remains *after* death

My head is filled to the brim with grisly thoughts these few days...

Hopefully our wishes are respected to whatever family and friends it may fall upon to look after our remains once we no longer inhabit them. But ideally...what would you like to have made of your body after death?

Some say they leave it up to their families/loved ones to do with as they please - whatever brings them greater comfort.

Personally I want a cremation - what becomes of the ashes is irrelevant to me. Ideally sprinkled along the Sardinian coast though.

In the majority of Asian cultures open casket funerals and body viewings are de rigueur - nothing makes me cringe more. Families and relatives will often take photos with the body as well....I'm sorry I think it's just disgusting. Nothing could really be in worst taste than having people (regardless of whom) come up to my dead body and snap photos with it like some amusement park mascot makes my skin crawl.

In Indonesia they have a ritual called Ma'nene: They exhume the mummified body of a relative and dress him/her up in new clothing as a way of honoring the soul:

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/mummies-new-
wardrobe-part-ma-nene-ritual-indonesia-gallery-1.1143923

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mourning_portrait
Victorian Era mourning portraits I find quite gruesome as well. I don't understand the desire to preserve/be near the physical remains - it's a empty vessel, it's resident has vacated - it's a organic compost matter that is beginning to decay. But of course...Diff'rent strokes for diff'rent folks.

I'm not really sure. I do think it would be nice to not be embalmed and just buried in a plain pine box in a quiet cemetery, but I think that might be illegal. I just know what embalming entails and no thank you. I also wouldn't mind being cremated and having my ashes mixed in with the ashes if pets and loved ones. From there I'd he fine being kept somewhere or spread in the Smoky Mountains.

My grandma had a Russian caretaker and she said the norm there was for the body to be kept in the living room of a family member for three days (in a casket) and people would come pay their respects and view the body.

Ugh. I'll pass. I couldn't even go see my dad's body before the funeral. I want to be cremated.

I don't care. They can sell me to science, cremate me, bury me after a lavish funeral...whatever is going to be least trouble for them all. My philosophy is that I'll be dead and gone - the burial process is to help those who are grieving. And I don't want to cause more grief by choosing what I want to happen with my body when I die, the people mourning me can choose what would comfort them most.

I'd like to be sent to the body farm.

My co worker and I just had this convo last night.




He said Catholic burial , I said chop my body into little pieces and feed it to the Gators!


seriously though Chris and I are looking into a family tomb in the cemetary here.


Most can fit two coffins and 4 to 6 urns.
I love that we can have our family for generations all buried here.
He has a spot in his moms family tomb , but he wants to be with his kids.

I want every part of me donated that can be.
After that, whatever is left.. cremate me and let me turn into a tree using the Bios urn an oak preferably. In a park or anywhere people will read/hang out under me

They are biodegradable and good for the environment.. plus.. more trees!




I've always really liked oak trees

I honestly don't care much. I don't like the thought of being embalmed and buried though in a cemetery. Maybe cremated. I don't know, I'll be dead so I doubt I'll care either way.

I don't really like the idea of either. Being burned or buried in the ground? Hmmm... lol. Not the greatest choices. Like said above, I won't be here anymore, so whatever everyone wants to do with me is fine!

Cremated and spread somewhere, possibly in the mountains.

Cremated cremated cremated!

I've always wanted to be cremated, too. That tree urn that Fran posted looks AWESOME! Like sillysally said, having my ashes mixed in with my loved ones (human and animal) is something I'd like

That's in my neck of the woods It backs up to a parcel of property the Knox County Sheriff's Dept. uses as a recreational/training facility that Sheriff Buck (not his name, he got tagged with that after the American Gothic series) set up. There's been a lot of speculation as to how many odd bodies came in from the other side of the fence.

StephyMei summed up my feelings on it too. I want to slap people at funerals who photograph the body. Seriously? WTF???

My dad's parents and my parents have donated their bodies to LSU NO 's medical school. My brothers don't like it, but I'll admit I got a little bit of peace knowing my Dad's cancer-ridden body would be used to teach future doctors. Hopefully some more understanding of his rare type of cancer was gained from examining and studying his body.

We will get his ashes back when they're done.

I have a weird-ish disease, so I can't donate organs, unfortunately--that's what I'd really like done.

Since that won't be happening, I don't really care much. I don't want to be embalmed, though. I like the idea of going back into the hearth and nourishing plants.

Dare I ask what a body farm is?

Miakoda I have family whom also donated there body. It really is such a great thing.

edit : nevermind i googled it. intresting.

Donate what organs can be used... After that whatever method brings my family the most comfort. I would like to be cremated but honestly I will be dead so I don't really care.

I want whatever if cheapest and easiest. I don't want an expensive funeral and don't care if I get a funeral. It's just a deteriorating shell imo. I've made sure none of my family will have to pay out of their pocket when I die so I'm leaving it to be whatever makes them feel best.

I forgot to mention that I do want my organs donated. I tell DH to "scrap me for parts."

I'm an organ donor and what's left I want to be cremated. After that it's up to whoever I've left behind. Whatever makes them feel good.