Did you know that about 20% of people have the ashes of a loved one sitting at home? Often, people keep the ashes of a loved one at home because they aren’t sure what else to do with them.

While this can seem like a good idea shortly after a loved one passes, it is important to consider what happens later. If there isn’t a public spot to visit, what will other family members do when they want to visit their loved one? How will future generations connect with their heritage? What if you move? And what happens once you yourself pass away?

You may think that once your loved one has passed away that it is too late to memorialize the cremated remains, but that is not the case.

Cemeteries are a wonderful place to memorialize cremated remains. Giving your loved one a final resting spot in a cemetery is helpful for several reasons. First, it keeps your loved one’s ashes safe and secure. It also gives the rest of your family a spot to visit to honor your loved one. And it will give grandchildren and great-grandchildren a way to learn about their own family history.  

There are quite a few options these days for how cremated remains can be memorialized in a cemetery. Urns can be buried in the ground with a marker, just the way a casket can be buried. Most cemeteries also have a building called a columbarium where the urns can be placed in a niche with a name plaque. Glass front niches are a great option because they also allow you to place special mementos in the niche along with the urn, such as jewelry, service medals, photographs, instruments or religious items. Ashes can be scattered in a large field called an ossuary and your loved one’s name can be inscribed on a marker near the field.

Choose a cemetery nearby where you would like to inter the ashes of your loved one. Then, coordinate with the cemetery to hold a memorial service. Cemeteries are very willing to accommodate families who are choosing to hold memorials to inter the ashes of a loved one, even if quite a bit of time has passed. You can even pick a special day such as an anniversary, birthday or holiday to hold the memorial service to make it more special.

Just remember, it is never too late to celebrate and honor your loved ones.