Consumer Help

Burials / Cemeteries

Burial Traditions

The concept of “traditional” burial has evolved over time. Earlier in America’s history, the family cared for the body after death, wrapped it in a shroud or placed it in simple wooden coffin, and buried it at home or in a nearby cemetery. Today, for most Americans, it is considered “traditional” to use a funeral home, embalm the body, and bury it in a casket and vault in a public cemetery. But few of these traditional elements are required by law, and families do have a wide range of choices. Below you will find information about many available options. PLEASE NOTE: Vendor information here does not imply nor represent an endorsement. We provide the contacts to facilitate exploration of choices, and encourage consumers to do comparison shopping. Please inform us of any omissions, errors, or needed updates in the entries here. Thanks!

Casket Options

The Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule requires that funeral homes permit the consumer to acquire a casket from a separate source without imposing any additional charge for doing so. Some retail stores sell caskets. It is wise to check whether the retail outlet is, in fact, charging less than the funeral home would charge for a comparable item. For details about your legal rights re third-party caskets, read this article written by the national Funeral Consumers Alliance. There are additional casket options, including build-it-yourself, hire a carpenter to make one, or buy from a source that specializes in providing caskets for certain purposes (e.g., oversize caskets, biodegradable caskets for “green” burial, artisan caskets, or caskets for burial-at-sea).  Here are some examples of casket providers:

  •  Florence Casket Co., Florence, MA., manufactures environmentally friendly caskets. 413-584-4244. website.
  • Biodegradable cardboard caskets are available via Green Burial Massachusetts or Bury Me Naturally, Arlington, MA.
  • Willow caskets woven in western Massachusetts by Mary Lauren Fraser can be acquired from Fraserbaskets.com.

See also

  • Caskets by Design (wood caskets made in Oregon, shipped direct to the public)
  • See also Titan Casket “We coordinate with the funeral home and ship it there on time, guaranteed.” Over 1000 designs.
  • For inspiration (and entertainment) watch this 4-minute video of The Coffin Club (New Zealand) showing elders building their own boxes.

Shrouds

Shrouding is an ancient rite that is returning to wider practice as people reconsider options for after-death care.  Not all burials require a box! Direct burial in a shroud is possible, depending on the rules and regulations of the cemetery.  Shrouds can of course also be used within a casket.

Fabrics that have had special meaning for the loved one can be used for a shroud, or incorporated into a custom-made shroud. Consider a family quilt or a favorite tablecloth or bedspread.

A demonstration of shrouding, with dolls illustrating different styles, was presented by Dina Stander at an FCAWM program in 2019 titled, “Caskets and Coffins and Shrouds, Oh My!”

  • For more information see Last Dance Shrouds by Dina Stander, Shutesbury, MA. 413-237-1300

Cemeteries

There are many types of cemeteries in Massachusetts: municipal, private, religious, or historic. Rules and regulations, and costs of plots, vary depending on the ownership of the cemetery and policies made by its governing body, frequently a board of cemetery commissioners.

As with all death-related costs, shop around ahead of time. Consider the convenience of the location, and whether the cemetery meets your family’s religious requirements, if any. Visit several cemeteries, ask for a tour of various burial areas, and get a printed, itemized price list for all services and merchandise. Check restrictions, including the type and size of monuments, whether vaults and markers can be purchased elsewhere, and the type of grave decorations allowed.

When you buy a grave, you haven’t actually bought a piece of property. You’ve bought the right to be buried in a particular space. In addition to the cost of the grave, the cemetery will charge an opening and closing fee at the time of burial. This covers the cost to dig the grave and fill it in again, or to entomb a casket or urn in a mausoleum or columbarium. The rate may vary according to the size of grave, and time of day, week or year. The national FCA website provides an informative pamphlet (which you can download): Consumer’s Guide to Cemetery Purchases. See also the Federal Trade Commission webpage about Buying a Cemetery Site.

Here are some directories to cemeteries in Massachusetts: