No One Here Gets Out Alive: Burying Dead the American Way

Protecting the Dead and Comforting the Living

Options for burial are not as limited as one might think and many states still allow the burial of the deceased on privately owned land with the payment of a fee and proper documentation. For corporations such as SCI or the Loewen Group, a cemetery is an extension of their offerings, as is a mausoleum where the ashes of the deceased may be stored in a niche. In addition, many of the privately-owned cemeteries require the purchase of a bronze plaque in opposition to a traditional burial marker. In doing so, maintenance becomes cost effective as bronze markers allow the lush green grass to be maintained mechanically as opposed to the labor of several men. Finally, a burial vault may be required for purchase by state law or cemetery regulations. Industry giant Clark Grave Vaults established in 1898 sells metal vaults to protect the casket during the settling process succeeding burial. Boasting that their metal vaults provide superior protection to their cheaper counterpart made of cement, Clark advertises that the vaults are not water soluble.[1] In this way, the marketing tactics employed provide comfort to the living who purchase the accouterments to protect their dead. Also, unlike the portrayal of the funeral director as a ruthless profiteer by critics such as Mitford, Walker is quick to discern any Funeral Director who permits false claims for the sale of a funeral. Calling the myth of selling a burial vault or earthly burial for sanitary purposes “absolutely false,” Walker excoriates the misconception of the Funeral Director due to a lack of education among the public and the result of hyperbole from critics of the industry.[2] Last, many funeral homes offer keepsakes such as blankets adorning the picture of the deceased and various items that may include the ashes of the departed. In this way, mourning the death of a loved one is personalized which contributes to the mental health of the bereaved. By personalizing their loss, survivors are better suited to reconcile the death for which they mourn. By replacing their dead with something tangible, the sense of loss is lessened. While most of the chachkies are draped in empathy and celebration to honor the departed, the need to do so is for the bereaved.
            Finally, the most important tool by which a Funeral Director performs his/her duties is that of being of service to the bereaved and the community. Most significant, the bereaved are provided with psychological support through grief therapy. Not only do the funeral directors prepare the body, plan the service, and the logistics of transporting and interring the body, most important, a Funeral Director provides an empathetic ear, a voice of reason, and confidence in a market that most are unfamiliar with. Through his/her services a Director provides support to the bereaved during a highly emotional time. In keeping with tradition, the emphasis is placed on the social, religious, and psychological aspects of the living to detach from the deceased.
 
[1] "Clark Grave Vault: HomePage." Clark Grave Vault: HomePage. Accessed April 04, 2016. http://www.clarkvault.com/clark/.
 
[2] Brad Walker, "Walker Mortuary Interview." Telephone interview by author. April 27, 2016.

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