The number of people in the United States choosing cremation has steadily risen over the past 50 years. Today, over 60% of deaths in the US result in cremation. Many families, however, don’t make plans for themselves or their loved ones beyond the cremation itself. It may initially be comforting for the next of kin to keep a loved one’s cremated remains close after death. Eventually though circumstances change – the next of kin passes away, and those cremains come under the care of the next generation. In many cases those once cherished cremains become an overwhelming responsibility and, in some cases, cremains are packed away in garages or closets and forgotten.
You can prevent placing an emotional burden on future generations and give friends and family a physical place to mourn and remember by choosing a permanent place for your cremains to be laid to rest.
Maplewood Cemetery offers families many options for cremation burials.
Cremation Placement Options
Glass Front Niches
Our glass front niches offer a truly personalized tribute to your loved one. These beautiful bronze Burlwood niches are securely housed inside our chapel. The individual and companion niches have interior lighting and are enclosed with beveled or curved glass fronts secured with decorative bronze rosettes. We can help you select a beautifully crafted cremation urn that will be displayed along with a family photo, memento, or keepsake chosen by the family (and approved by cemetery management). The name of your loved one can be etched onto a bronze nameplate and placed beside the urn.
In-Ground Burial
Cremated remains can be buried in a traditional ground space.
- Burial in Vault: The cremation urn is placed inside a cremation vault (required) and buried in a traditional ground space.
- Scattering: The sod is rolled back on half of a traditional ground space, the cremains are scattered, and the sod is rolled back into place.
- 2nd Right: In many cases a second individual can be buried in the same space as long as one of the burials is a cremation burial. (The second burial must be a cremation burial – scattering or vault.)
Depending on the section of the cemetery and the exact circumstances, markers for cremation burials will be either granite or bronze. Our staff is here to explain your options and guide you through the selection process.
Click image to view gallery
Click image to view gallery
Granite Alcove Niches
An urn containing cremated remains can be placed in an above-ground alcove niche almost anywhere in the cemetery. The alcove niche sits on the space like a traditional monument. Names and dates can be engraved on the individual niche fronts, and the rest of the niche can be personalized as well. Larger alcoves are available for two, three, four, or more individuals (larger alcove niches may necessitate the purchase of additional spaces).
Cremation Garden
In 2015 we set aside a section of Maplewood Cemetery exclusively for cremation burials. The Woods is nestled on the eastern edge of the cemetery and offers three cremation burial options in a beautifully natural setting.
- In-Ground Vault Burial: Ground space is available in The Woods for vault burials. These spaces are smaller than traditional ground spaces and are identified by flush granite markers.
- Ossuary: A beautifully simple granite ossuary marks an underground common vault for the disposition of cremated remains. The names and dates of those placed in the ossuary can be engraved on a central, common monument. With no individual vault required, no ground space to purchase, and no individual monuments, the ossuary is a low-cost burial option in peaceful and serene surroundings.
- Scattering: In the center of The Woods is a tree-covered natural hill that has been designated as a scattering ground. Another low-cost burial option, this is the only area of the cemetery where cremated remains can be scattered on the surface of the ground. The actual scattering can be carried out by the family, or our staff is available to assist with this process. The names and dates of those in our scattering garden can be engraved on a central, common monument.
Click image to view gallery
Click image to view gallery
Natural Burial Ground
Responding to an increasing call for more affordable and environmentally friendly burial options, Maplewood Cemetery opened The Grove in 2024. Situated in a wooded area on the eastern edge of the cemetery, The Grove can accommodate a variety of burial types in a way that helps preserve and protect the natural environment.
We encourage families to pre-pay for the above-mentioned items. Pre-paying – whether in full or in installments – locks in today’s pricing with no finance charge. You don’t need to choose and pay for everything at once. Selecting your space(s) is a great place to start.
Make the Right Decision at the Right Time
Make your arrangements today
There are many difficult decisions to be made in life and normally you have the help and support of your spouse or loved ones. Why should the decision of your final resting place be any different? We can help you and your family make your decision a little easier with the variety of burial options available.