Cremation

If you are considering cremation, we strongly encourage you to do your research when choosing a cremation provider. Not all funeral homes are created equally. Please be sure to ask exactly how your loved one will be handled, from the place of death to the very end of the cremation process. This is a question worth asking and one that we believe demands a thorough answer. We are proud to have the most experience with cremations than any other funeral home in Lancaster County as we have owned and operated our own on-site crematory since 1992.

Kearney A. Snyder Funeral Home
7 Step Cremation Process

*We follow these steps for EVERY cremation we perform

1. Direct transfer from place of death to funeral home
Once given permission to transfer your deceased loved one into our care, we will go immediately to the place of death and then directly back to our funeral home. There will be absolutely no stops in between (e.g. another hospital to retrieve another decedent). If death occurs at a care facility (retirement community, nursing home, etc.) we require the staff at the facility to document all personal items (if any) which will be accompanying the deceased (e.g. jewelry, pictures, stuffed animals, etc.) to our funeral home.

2. Entry into our care
When your loved one first arrives at our funeral home we use a double check entry system. We document the deceased’s arrival with a personalized name card which is kept with them as well as verify the personal effects with the personal effects form signed by the care facility (retirement community, nursing home, etc.). This ensures proper identification as well as guarantees all of their personal items are accounted for. The family of the deceased then has the opportunity to decide if these personal items will remain with their loved one during the cremation process, or returned.

3. Optional private family viewing of the deceased
Not to worry, the cremation will not take place until you have had your chance to say your final goodbyes. You will be given the opportunity to see your loved one at our funeral home prior to the cremation. Their features will be set (eyes and mouth closed); we will place them on a rollaway bed with a pillow, dress them or cover them with a sheet and quilt, and then place them in our chapel.

4. Verification of paperwork and permits
Prior to the cremation taking place, one of our certified crematory operators along with another member of the funeral home staff will verify the match between the paperwork, name card and permits to ensure accuracy. The decedent’s identification card is then secured to the outside of the cremation chamber door during the cremation process.

5. Cremation by Certified Crematory Operator
Our On-Site Crematory is operated by Certified Crematory Operators. Our operators, certified by the Cremation Association of North America, is a mark of distinction, which ensures the most current crematory operating standards and proves our commitment to safe cremation practices with the utmost respect and caring for your loved one. We only cremate one decedent at a time.

6. Retrieval of cremated remains
Once the cremation is complete and the cremated remains have been properly processed at our crematory; we will secure them in our funeral home in preparation for the memorial service or place of disposition (e.g. cemetery or church columbarium).

7. Assistance on further methods of final disposition and commemoration.
As with families who bury their loved ones, Kearney A. Snyder Funeral Home are able to assist those who cremate with all suitable methods of further disposition including burial of ashes in a family lot, entombment in a columbarium, division and distribution of ashes, scattering of ashes, burial at sea, and other methods of disposition and memorialization.