Scattering Ashes After Cremation Services

Donohue Funeral Home • July 24, 2022
If you want to scatter a loved one’s ashes after their cremation services, Donohue Funeral Home can go over the areas that might work for your family’s process.
cremation services in Downingtown, PA

There are many different things you can do with a loved one’s remains after their cremation services in Downingtown, PA. You don’t have a timeline on that decision, which can be very nice for your family. You can decide what you want to do when you are good and ready, and not before. One of the most popular things people do is have a scattering ceremony and there are nearly endless places you can scatter a loved one’s ashes. Here are some of the things you might want to consider for the process. 


Into The Water 


When you scatter your loved one’s ashes into a body of water, you can call it an ash scattering, or even a water burial. You can cast the ashes out and scatter them, as you would over land. Or, you can place your loved one in an urn that dissolves in water and cast it out into the water. It will float, then sink and dissolve, distributing your loved one’s ashes into the water without harming any of the ecosystems in any way. You might choose a stream, river, lake, or even the ocean for this process. Check into the legalities around the water scatterings before you move forward so you can do things right and according to the regulations that might be in place. 


From A Mountaintop 


If your loved one adored mountains, you might take their remains to the top of one, or even to a big hill, and cast the ashes out into the wind. It can be a nice hike to take with your family and every time you take that same path, you can think about your loved one and the things they adored during their lifetime. 


Within A Park 


If your loved one was born and raised in the same city, and still lived there upon their death, they might have an attachment to local places, like the area park. You might want to scatter their ashes in that park so they can be a part of the city, in a different way, long-term. Again, check into the local rules to make sure you do things right. You may need a permit or have other regulations to follow. 


On Private Property 


It’s certainly possible to scatter ashes on private property, but you are going to want to make sure you ask for permission if you don’t own the property yourself. If your family owns the grounds, you can do as you please. If someone else owns the property, you need to get written permission from the owner before you proceed. You will also want to let the owner know when you are going to do the scattering so they know what’s going on. 


If you aren’t sure where you want to scatter your loved one’s remains after cremation services in Downingtown, PA, that’s okay. You have time on your side and can take however long you want to decide. You can also talk to the professionals who helped you with the cremation services to get ideas and options that might feel right. 

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