The James T. Callow Folklore Archive

CREMATION RITES

MRS. OTT, AN EMPLOYEE OF ROSELAND PARK CEMETERY, CONTACTED ME
ON THE ABOVE DATE REGARDING BURIAL OF MY FATHERS REMAINS.
MY FATHER DIED ON DECEMBER 22, 1981, AND HIS REMAINS HAD
BEEN CREMATED BY ROSELAND PARK CEMETERY. MRS OTT INFORMED ME
THAT CREMATED REMAINS ARE SOMETIMES ONE INCH BY ONE AND ONE HALF
INCH IN SIZE, AND THAT THEY SHOULD BE PLACED IN A VAULT IN HER
MAUSOLEUM OR BE BURIED AT THE CEMETERY. I TOLD HER THE FAMILY'S
INTENTION IN THE MATTER, WHICH WAS TO PLACE HIS REMAINS AT
ANOTHER LOCATION, OUTSIDE, ABOVE GROUND. SHE SAID THAT BONES
SHINE IN THE SUN, AND FLOAT ON THE WATER. SHE ALSO SAID A RATHER
MACABRE THING, THAT WE WOULDN'T WANT OUR FATHER TO BE PLAYED
WITH BY SOME KID ON A BEACH, WHERE THE REMAINS WOULD WAS UP
EVENTUALLY, OR HAVE HIM RAKED UP EITHER. THE CONVERSATION WAS
DEFINITELY DETERIORATING, SO I CEASED TALKING TO HER.

Submitter comment: I WAS HIGHLY ANGRY THAT SHE WOULD TRY TO SELL ME A CEMETARY PLOT
BY TRYING TO SCARE ME WITH HER MACABRE STORIES OF WHAT HAPPENS
TO PEOPLE WHOSE REMAINS ARE NOT DISPOSED OF ACCORDING TO HER
STANDARDS.

Where learned: MICHIGAN ; ROYAL OAK