NJ’s Funeral Directors Discuss the Difference Between a Crematorium and a Funeral Home

 In Services, Family Resources

After a loved one dies, you have many options for the final funeral or memorial service. In New Jersey, funeral homes, crematoriums, and mortuaries are all names for places where you may coordinate your loved one’s final wishes. What do those words mean, and what is the difference when you plan a funeral in New Jersey?

Is There A Crematorium, Morgue or Mortuary at NJ’s Funeral Homes?
First off, let’s tackle the easy terms: morgue and mortuary. These two terms are mostly interchangeable these days, with morgue being used more often in medical or hospital settings and mortuary being used more often in private or separate settings. These terms refer to places where human remains are handled, stored, and preserved for the future, such as the embalming process. Crematoriums, on the other hand, refer to the places where remains are held until they are cremated, as well as the cremation process itself. You can think of all three terms as the “workspaces” for your funeral directors.

Is a Funeral Home Different From A Crematorium?
When you visit a funeral home in Dover, NJ, you usually don’t go into the crematorium or mortuary—that’s where the funeral directors do their work behind closed doors. What you visit at a funeral home is the mourning spaces, the visitation spaces, and the place for memorials. The funeral home may offer in-house embalming or cremation, but your visit to the funeral home will be focused on the grieving and remembering process.

Should I Choose A Funeral Home or Crematorium?
Now that you know what the terms mean, which should you choose for your loved one’s final event? If you plan a traditional funeral with memorial services and visitation, you should find a funeral home in New Jersey to hold that funeral. If you know your loved one wouldn’t want to make a fuss, a crematorium will be able to dispose of the remains in a safe and compassionate manner.

For more information on funeral services in New Jersey, don’t hesitate to call the Smith-Taylor-Ruggiero Funeral Home.

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