Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions About Cremation Services in Ohio
When someone you love passes away, it is natural to have questions about what happens next. Angel Cremation is here to provide clear answers, compassionate guidance, and affordable cremation services for Ohio families.
Browse the topics below for quick answers about direct cremation, making arrangements, death certificates, cremated remains, veterans benefits, pre-planning, and more.
Is Angel Cremation a cremation society?
No. Angel Cremation is not a membership-based cremation society. Families do not need to join, enroll, or pay membership fees to use our services. Our affordable cremation services are available to every family we serve.
How is Angel Cremation different from other funeral homes or cremation providers?
Angel Cremation focuses on making cremation arrangements simple, transparent, and compassionate. Our team guides families through the process, clearly explains available services and costs, and provides flexible arrangement options. Depending on your preference, arrangements may be completed online, by phone, or with assistance from a member of our staff. We believe every person entrusted to our care deserves dignity and every family deserves clear, compassionate support.
What does my family do when they need Angel Cremation’s services?
Your family should contact Angel Cremation and tell the appropriate medical professional or authority that Angel is the selected cremation provider.
If no medical professional is present, call 911 or the local authorities. If a hospice nurse, physician, hospital employee, or nursing facility staff member is present, that person will provide instructions and complete the required pronouncement or release process.
After authorization is received, Angel Cremation will coordinate transportation and guide the family through the arrangements.
Keep Angel’s contact information and a copy of the pre-planning documents in a place your family can easily find.
General Cremation Questions
What is cremation?
Cremation is a process that uses high heat to respectfully reduce the body to bone fragments. Those fragments are then carefully processed into what are commonly called cremated remains or ashes. Cremation is not a funeral or memorial service. Families may still choose to hold a viewing, funeral, memorial service, celebration of life, or private gathering before or after cremation.
What is direct cremation?
Direct cremation is a simple cremation option in which the person is cremated without a formal funeral or public viewing beforehand. It generally includes transportation into the provider’s care, required documentation, an appropriate cremation container, the cremation process, and the return of the cremated remains in a temporary container.
Direct cremation is often the most affordable cremation option. It also gives families the flexibility to hold a memorial service or celebration of life at a later date.
Angel Cremation offers an array of arrangement options to meet the needs of families who need services now, in the future, or desire to pre-plan arrangements.
Are there any laws governing cremation?
Yes. Cremation is regulated by state and local laws. Requirements may include written authorization, permits, identification procedures, waiting periods, and rules governing how a crematory operates. The specific requirements vary by state and may also vary based on the circumstances surrounding the death.
Angel Cremation will help your family understand and complete the required documents.
What if death occurs at home or a hospital?
Angel Cremation is able to provide transportation if you do not have arrangements. Once you have submitted a complete form for arrangements, you’ll be able to select transport options with a professional on our team.
How long does the cremation process take?
The timeline depends on required authorizations and county processes, but we work efficiently while maintaining the highest level of care. In many cases, 7 days at the most to complete your request and deliver the ashes of your loved one.
The cremation timeline can vary depending on:
- Required authorizations
- Death certificate completion
- County or state requirements
- Crematory scheduling
In many cases, cremation may occur within several days after all legal documentation and permits are completed. Families are updated throughout the process so they understand what to expect.
Our Cremation Services & Process
What areas do you service?
Angel Cremation serves families in multiple communities throughout Ohio that are within 39 miles of Columbus, Ohio, Franklin, Richland, Hamilton County, and Clark County.
For these communities, we can handle transportation. Additional mileage or transportation charges may apply when a loved one is located outside that area. Once you request has been submitted to us, we will confirm availability and explain any applicable transportation fees before arrangements are finalized.
How can I make arrangements with Angel Cremation?
Angel Cremation makes the arrangement process as convenient as possible by providing direct cremation services. With Angel Cremation, you are able to make cremation arrangements online from the comfort of your home at any time.
Step 1: Visit www.AngelCremationOhio.com
Step 2: Select Start Arrangements Online
Step 3: Fill out the form and hit SUBMIT
Step 4: Check your email for next steps
If you need help or prefer to speak with a team member to make arrangements, we are available 24/7 by phone at (614) 372-5442.
We will help you gather the necessary information, complete authorizations, select services, and understand what happens next.
When I call, will someone come right away?
When immediate transportation is authorized and requested, our team will begin coordinating the transfer.
If the death occurs at home and your family would like a short period of time to say goodbye, please tell us. When legally and practically possible, we will work with you to make the transfer at an appropriate time.
Transportation from a hospital, nursing home, coroner’s office, or other facility may depend on that facility’s release procedures.
Do I have to come to your office to pick up my loved one’s cremated remains?
Depending on your location and the services selected, several options may be available:
- An authorized person may pick up the cremated remains.
- The legal authorizing agent may provide written permission for another approved person to receive them.
- Cremated remains may be shipped using an approved service and packaging.
- Local delivery may be available.
Shipping, delivery, identification, and signature requirements may apply.
Is a funeral or memorial service included in the basic cremation package?
A funeral or memorial service is not included in a basic direct cremation package.
Direct cremation is designed to include the essential services required for cremation without a formal ceremony beforehand. Families may choose to add a private viewing, memorial service, urn, keepsake, obituary assistance, or other personalized options.
Our team will clearly explain what is included before you make a decision. If you decide to have a viewing or want Angel Cremation to assist in planning your memorial service. Ask for details.
Can the family witness the cremation?
Angel Cremation offers virtual and in-person witnessing of the cremation in our Columbus, Ohio location. Make your request with our team member, and they’ll assist you.
Our Staff
What does a funeral director do?
A licensed funeral director helps families navigate the practical, legal, and emotional responsibilities that follow a death.
Depending on the services selected, a funeral director may:
- Coordinate transportation of the deceased
- Communicate with hospitals, hospice providers, coroners, and other authorities
- Help complete cremation authorizations and required permits
- Gather information for the death certificate
- Order certified copies of the death certificate
- Assist with veterans, Social Security, insurance, or other benefit paperwork
- Help prepare an obituary
- Discuss cremation containers, urns, keepsakes, and memorial options
- Coordinate a viewing, funeral, memorial service, or burial
- Communicate with clergy, cemeteries, venues, and other providers
- Offer grief-support and aftercare resources
Not every family will need every service. Your funeral director will explain the options that apply to your situation.
When a Death Occurs
Immediate Steps After a Death: What to Do First When a Loved One Passes Away
To learn more about this topic, please follow the link below for additional information and helpful resources.
Planning a Memorial or Burial
Should I choose burial or cremation?
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Do I have to make different funeral arrangements if I choose cremation?
Not necessarily.
Many of the same ceremonies available with burial are also available with cremation. You may choose:
- A funeral service before cremation
- A private family viewing
- A memorial service after cremation
- A celebration of life
- A religious ceremony
- A graveside service for the urn
- A gathering at a church, home, restaurant, event venue, or another meaningful location
Cremation gives families flexibility in deciding when and where the service will take place.
Can I still have a service if I choose cremation?
Yes. Cremation and memorial services can be combined in many meaningful ways. Your family may hold a service before or after the cremation. The body may be present before cremation, or the urn may be present during a service afterward. You may also choose a gathering without the body or urn present. The ceremony can be religious, nonreligious, traditional, casual, public, or private.
Our team members at Angel Cremation are able to assist in the planning of your memorial. We offer vendors who can deliver premium service to help bring your vision to life.
Can I bury cremated remains in a cemetery?
Yes. Most cemeteries offer options for the burial or placement of cremated remains.
Options may include:
- Burial in a traditional cemetery plot
- Burial in a smaller cremation plot
- Placement in an urn garden
- Placement in a columbarium niche
- Placement in a family burial plot
- Placement inside certain mausoleums
Contact the cemetery to learn about its requirements, fees, approved urns, memorial markers, and burial-container rules.
Can I have a service at your facility?
Angel Cremation offers options to host your service at their funeral home sister company for those local to our service areas.
Can family members view the cremation?
Angel Cremation does not currently offer in-person viewing of the cremation process.
Can I personalize my services and cremation?
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Can I have a visitation period and funeral service if cremation is chosen?
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What is the difference between a funeral and a memorial service?
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Cremation and Cremated Remains
What can be done with the cremated remains?
Families have many choices for cremated remains.
They may be:
- Kept at home in an urn
- Buried in a cemetery
- Placed in a columbarium
- Placed in a mausoleum
- Scattered in a permitted location
- Divided among keepsake urns
- Incorporated into memorial jewelry
- Placed in a memorial object
- Used as part of a private family ceremony
The right choice is personal. Consider your loved one’s wishes, local regulations, family preferences, and whether you want a permanent place to visit.
Is embalming required for cremation?
No. Embalming is generally not required for direct cremation.
Embalming or other preparation may be recommended or required if the family selects a public viewing, if there will be an extended delay, or if other circumstances make preservation necessary.
A brief private family viewing may sometimes be available without embalming, depending on the person’s condition, applicable law, and the provider’s policies.
What is memorialization for a cremation?
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Can we scatter the cremated remains?
Yes, cremated remains may be scattered in many locations, but permission and regulations may apply. Before scattering, confirm the rules for the specific property or location. Private property requires the owner’s permission. Parks, waterways, cemeteries, stadiums, and public lands may have separate requirements.
A scattering ceremony may be simple, private, religious, or personalized. Consider wind direction, privacy, environmental impact, and the comfort of others nearby.
Where can I scatter my loved one’s cremated remains?
Cremated remains may be scattered in many meaningful places, but regulations and permission requirements vary.
Possible locations include:
- Your own private property
- Another person’s private property with permission
- A cemetery scattering garden
- Certain national or state parks with approval or a permit
- At sea in accordance with federal requirements
- Another meaningful location where scattering is legally permitted
Before scattering, check the rules of the property owner, cemetery, park, municipality, state agency, or federal agency responsible for the location.
Avoid crowded public areas, trails, recreational spaces, and locations where scattering may disturb others. Always consider wind direction and environmental conditions.
What do I do with my loved one’s cremated remains until I scatter them?
You may safely keep the cremated remains in the temporary container provided by the cremation provider until you are ready.
You may also choose:
- A permanent urn
- A scattering urn or scattering tube
- A memory chest
- A decorative container designed for cremated remains
Store the container in a dry, secure place where it will not be damaged, misplaced, or opened accidentally.
Is a casket required for cremation?
No. A traditional casket is not required for direct cremation.
A rigid, enclosed cremation container is generally required for safety, dignity, and respectful handling. Depending on the provider, this container may be made of cardboard, wood, or another approved combustible material.
How can I be certain that I get the correct cremated remains back?
Cremation providers follow identification and tracking procedures designed to maintain the identity of each person throughout the process.
These procedures may include:
- Identification placed with the person at the time of transfer
- Written authorization documents
- Identification checks before cremation
- A unique identification number or metal identification disc
- Documentation at each stage of care
- Individual cremation procedures
- Identification attached to the returned cremated remains
Angel Cremation follows its established identification procedures from the time a loved one enters our care until the cremated remains are returned.
Can the body be viewed without embalming?
In some circumstances, yes.
A brief private family viewing may be possible without embalming. The person may be respectfully cleaned, dressed, and prepared before the viewing.
The person’s condition, the time that has passed, whether an autopsy or tissue donation occurred, and applicable health or facility requirements may affect whether viewing is possible.
How are the cremated remains returned?
Cremated remains are returned in a temporary container unless the family purchases or provides another approved urn. The sealed cremated remains, identification information, and identification disc are placed inside the selected container according to the crematory’s procedures. When a compatible urn is purchased, the cremated remains may be transferred into that urn before being returned.
Our Cremation Process
How long will the process take?
he full cremation process may take several business days after Angel Cremation has received all required authorizations, permits, and medical information.
Delays may occur when:
- A family authorization is incomplete
- The certifying physician has not completed the medical portion of the death certificate
- A cremation permit has not been issued
- A coroner or medical examiner is involved
- Government offices are closed
- Additional identification or documentation is required
We will keep your family informed and explain any issue affecting the timeline.
How long does the actual cremation take?
The cremation itself commonly takes approximately two to three hours for an average-sized adult.
The total time may vary based on the person’s size, the cremation equipment, the container, and operating conditions. Cooling and processing take additional time after the cremation is complete.
What happens after the cremation is complete?
After the cremation, the remaining bone fragments are allowed to cool and are carefully removed from the cremation chamber.
Noncombustible materials, such as certain medical metals, are separated according to the crematory’s procedures and applicable law. The bone fragments are then processed into a consistent texture.
The cremated remains are placed in a temporary container or the urn selected by the family, labeled, documented, and prepared for return.
What do the cremated remains look like?
Cremated remains generally have a coarse, granular texture and may range from whitish gray to light gray.
They do not look exactly like fireplace ash. Because cremated remains primarily consist of processed bone fragments, their texture is more similar to coarse sand or fine gravel.
The amount returned varies based on the individual.
Death Certificates
Do I need a death certificate?
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How do I get a death certificate?
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