Making Pre-Arrangements for Yourself or Others – Some Important Things to Consider
While making funeral and/or burial plans for yourself or a loved one is not an undertaking most of us look forward to, it is truly a wise and compassionate decision to take care of this necessity prior to the time of actual need. Selecting a gravesite, determining financing, completing paperwork, and communicating your wishes can all be accomplished well in advance. Not only will this spare family members considerable grief and some decision making at a time when emotions are running high, but making advance decisions assures that your arrangements are in accordance with your own wishes.
It also makes financial sense to prepare in advance for the costs to be incurred at the time of passing. Funeral and burial costs continue to increase, and pre-planning can often be a considerable savings. Informed decisions made with the aid of information obtained from multiple sources can result in savings. We encourage you to take the time to review information and prices so that you can make informed decisions. Surely it will be emotionally and financially beneficial for everyone involved
Grave spaces are available for purchase at
Lake View Cemetery
Please call our office at 716-665-3206, or stop by at
907 Lakeview Avenue, Jamestown, NY.
We look forward to working with you, and helping to make your decisions as simple and worry-free as possible.
A Few Questions for You – And a Few Answers
WHAT ARE YOU DESIRES IN REGARD TO FUNERAL AND BURIAL ARRANGEMENTS?
Obviously only you can answer this question directly, but we can inform you of the choices available to you. In New York State, a licensed Funeral Director must be involved in the disposition of human remains. We urge you to “investigate” — speak with friends, family members, co-workers, neighbors, someone who has dealt with the funeral process, and then consult with several funeral professionals. We cannot speak for them, but you should know that you have many choices.
The most important thing to remember in this regard is that you can select the level of service you desire, and your choices are not limited to only those items or services your chosen Funeral Director can provide. You are free to utilize products and services from multiple sources when arranging (or pre-arranging) funeral services. Burial vaults, caskets, urns, flowers, transportation services – – these and other products and services may be obtained from the provider of your choice. Of course, Funeral Directors are skilled in meshing all these items and services seamlessly, especially at the time of need. However, if you are pre-arranging, it would be beneficial to consult several sources before committing to purchasing any item or service. Please check our price list for further information on products and services available through Lake view Cemetery.
WHAT OPTIONS ARE AVAILABLE FOR THE DISPOSITION OF HUMAN REMAINS?
Full-size (Traditional) Casket Burial
This option is usually the most involved and expensive process, but may be the most common means of disposition in our area. All full-size (casket) burials at Lake View Cemetery require an outer case (concrete vault or graveliner) to contain the casket in the ground. Sealed vaults, which are available through the funeral home, have various features which will greatly affect the total price. Graveliners (which do not seal) are less expensive and are available through Lake View Cemetery; please contact our office for current pricing.
A single grave space must be purchased for each full-size burial at Lake View Cemetery. Cremated remains may be interred on top of a full-size burial (maximum of three (3) sets of ashes allowed in a single grave space). Lake view Cemetery does not have a community mausoleum; however, individuals desiring above-ground interment may purchase and erect private mausoleums through Lake View Cemetery or other sources.
Donate Body to Science
If this option is selected, please keep alternative options in mind, as bodies are occasionally declined for various reasons. Oftentimes, bodies utilized by various organizations are eventually cremated and returned to the family for disposition; or the family may direct the organization to send the ashes directly to the cemetery for burial. Please check with the selected donation organization for specific details.
Cremation
No longer a rare occurrence, this practice has steadily increased in usage. Lake View Cemetery allows up to three (3) sets of ashes (cremains) to be buried in one full-size grave. Only one (1) full-size memorial (marker / headstone) may be placed on the grave. In those instances where cremains are placed in a previously-marked grave, an additional small, flat memorial (maximum 8″ x 6″) may be added in front of the existing memorial. Please consult our staff for further guidance concerning memorials.
Lake View Cemetery presently has no requirement for the type of container in which cremains are buried, but it must be a solid, closed, sealed container. This is considered acceptable for a Lake view Cemetery burial, but many families choose to place the ashes in other types of urns. Although not required, urn vaults, small concrete containers that protect the cremains in a manner similar to full-size burial vaults, are also available through our office, if desired.
Lake View Cemetery also maintains a Columbarium, a structure for the above-ground interment of cremains. Located in an area of the cemetery convenient for viewing and close to one of the cemetery roads, it is located in the Falling Leaf Section, just a few steps from our office. This structure is made of brick, sandstone, and bronze, with a flagstone apron . Spaces are available for singles or pairs. No urn is necessary; the ashes are placed in a molded plastic container made specifically to fit the opening of the niche. The bronze plate (memorial marker) may be purchased separately at the time of need, will include names(s) and dates, and will be installed by cemetery staff.
A number of “ashes only” grave spaces are available at Lake View Cemetery. These spaces, approximately half the length (and cost) of a full-size grave space, are available in selected areas of the cemetery.
The Magnolia Section
Opened in 2019 and located in the area north of Marvin Parkway, this section has been developed specifically for ashes-only burials. The ashes-only grave spaces are available for a maximum of two (2) sets of cremains. Each grave is at least three feet wide, so standard size memorials (flat or upright) may be used. Check with our office staff for further details.
The Shady Rise Section
Located at the east side of Section 25, the Shady Rise Section has been developed specifically for cremation boulders /monuments. This type of memorial, which must be purchased through a monument dealer and set on a poured foundation, will vary in the number of cremains which can be placed in each. Regardless of how many sets of ashes any particular boulder will accept, only two units (boulders) may be placed on a plot.
Please contact the cemetery office for current pricing of both the poured foundation and the placement of ashes into the unit.
ARE GRAVES AND MEMORIALS REALLY NECESSARY?
Obviously graves (or mausoleums) are necessary for full-size interments, but with the increasing practice of cremation in today’s society, this is a questions which deserves thoughtful consideration. The increase mobility and transient nature of today’s society might make the notion of a “family plot” seem somewhat quaint. Actually, it is more relevant than ever. Everyone has a desire to be remembered – to feel a lasting connection to one’s family, social group, or community. Some people accomplish great deeds, publish books, or in some other way create a lasting legacy for themselves. Most of us, however, live out our lives in less newsworthy fashion – no less significant in their own way, but less obvious. Over time, even the lives of the once-famous often fade into history.
Cemeteries can serve purposes beyond simple burial functions. They serve as reminders for the living – reminders of the past, of our loved ones, our connection to nature and to each other. Families scattered over wide geographic areas still come together at Lake View Cemetery to remember and celebrate the life of loved ones whose remains are entrusted with us. Every day, many people come here to walk or jog, take photos, learn a little local history, and generally contemplate nature and their surroundings.
Cemeteries are valuable places of contemplation, beauty and art – places of remembrance and renewal. Cemeteries, by virtue of the history contained in bronze, stone, and written records, are also important repositories of the legacy of those who have gone before us.