When you're trying to find the right headstone to honor the life and memory of a loved one who has recently passed away, there are a number of things to consider. While you'll want to give careful thought to the size, shape, and color of the headstone, you'll also want to think about the wording that is engraved on its surface. It's conventional, of course, to have the person's name and his or her dates of birth and death, but you can also include a scripture verse on the headstone.

Preplanning your funeral is a way to ease the burden on your surviving loved ones. One of the things that you'll need to decide at this time is what you want done with your body. Burial and cremation are two common options, but a third choice may be appealing to you. Some people opt to have their bodies donated to science. The body will then be used for training by medical students at a local medical school or hospital.

While cremation is most commonly associated with humans, many crematoriums can also cremate your family pet after it passes away. Whether the animal dies at home of natural causes or you need to have the pet put down at the vet's office, you can then take the animal's body to the crematorium to have it cremated. Afterward, you can pick up the remains in an urn and decide exactly how you'll proceed.

There are many different reasons that people choose direction cremation for there loved ones, and it's important to know all of your options before you select cremation services for your loved one. Here are some things you should know about direct cremation for your loved one. What Is Direct Cremation? Direct cremation involves having the deceased cremated without a viewing or funeral service. The cremains are returned to the family in an urn after the services are complete.