Q.Q Funerals??? Morbid Monday, Light hearted.

There is a non religious funeral place near me, it is where we had Nan's funeral. It was beautiful.

http://colneywoodlandburials.co.uk/park-gallery/

Some kind of simple send off in a public burial/cremation space.

Boy has strict instructions to do whatever is most ecologically sound with me.

My grandad was a staunch athiest and he had a non religious funeral at the crematorium. The funeral director led the service, my dad read a poem which my auntie had written and they played his favourite song on a CD player. It was over 10 years ago now so I can't remember all the details but there *may* have been a very short blessing read by a minister.

My nana had a humanist ceremony at her funeral. She was a very unreligious person especially for her generation (she was 94 when she died) and we were sure she wouldn't have liked a religious ceremony.

I've been to a few humanist funerals as many members of my family aren't religious.

Humanist funerals spend time talking about the person, their interests, their achievements and their families. Or at least the ones I've attended did. All times they were at a crematorium.

When my friend died he was cremated, I dont think that funeral had any religious references to it, its hard to remember.

I asked this the other day as I dont want people to pray for me when Im dead, chuff all use it would be then anyhow.

I've been to a couple of humanist funerals recently and that is totally the way I want to go. All about the person which is, IMO, the way it should be.

My dad was atheist but my mum is CofE, so she had him cremated with a few hymns. I counterbalanced this religious intrusion by playing the Beatles for him ? The officiant was a friend of mum's, and some type of preacher bod rather than a full on vicar/minister. He kept it more spiritual and talked about my dad's life and family (and also called him by his twin brother's name a few times by accident which was quite a shock for my uncle sitting there!)

Since OH refuses to talk about our deaths, it is impossible to get a plan sorted, but I think I would like every possible organ donated and then a cremation, ashes scattered wherever anyone fancies. Take me on a picnic or something up in the wild moors of Bronte Country. I should probably write this somewhere official rather than Hitched!

Oh that was a lot more straight forward then I was thinking.

Thanks all Hitched once again ever the wealth of knowledge!

Hmm now that's made me think. If an atheist wants to be buried, not cremated, what are the options? As far as I know, cemeteries are on consecrated ground. I've never been to a non Christian burial. Do atheists have to be cremated? Don't they have a choice?

I think that you can be buried in public cemeteries, which are owned/run by the council rather than a church, with a non-religious ceremony, usually organised through a funeral director. This is what my council says about it: http://www.southwark.gov.uk/info/200032/deaths_funerals_and_cremations/162/arranging_a_burial

Canley Cemetary isn't a religious cemetary (not that I'll be burnt or buried there, but it's a reference point you might recognise).

Thanks both. I've never been to a non churchy burial funeral, so genuinely didn't know this. Personally I want to be buried in the little church graveyard where my grandparents are and where I think my parents will have ashes buried (I think they both want cremation but not sure about Dad) so it doesn't relate to me, but the thread got me thinking!

Your wishes are something I've pondered over. Not everyone can buried with parents and with partners. My grandparents are paired together and buried in their hometown cemetaries (and therefore in my individual parents' hometowns). I should ask my parents really, whether they want to be together in one of those places, separated, or together in an entirely new place. Bit of a difficult topic to bring up though.

My Step Dad wasn't religious. We had a non religious service for him, at a crematorium. His ashes were burried in a church remembrance garden. We weren't asked or told they would be burried there, we assumed his ashes would be burried in the council run cemetery. My Mums house backs on to the cemetery, and she says that when she dies, I should just throw her over the fence. ?

Brookwood Cemetery near me has sections for types of faith so everyone can choose between coffin burial, woodland burial or scattered ashes.

I didn't realise they buried ashes all the cremations i have been to scattered the ashes in the wind so to speak. I remember feeling mortified when the priest ask me if I wanted a turn with the giant pepper pot type thing.

I think it depends on the crematorium - my grandad's ashes were scattered on top of the grass in the shape of a cross so they blew away gradually. My other grandparents had their ashes buried in a specified plot.

I want all my organs that are not knackered donated, then it'll be a service in my church. Hopefully I'll be buried in the local graveyard but I'm not sure how many spaces are left!

I've already chosen the music!

My friend and his siblings received an envelope from their Gran one Christmas - they thought yay a cheque - but it was actually their plot she'd bought them in the cemetary!!!

Not at all helpful but I read this as 'bum' him.

I've been to a couple of humanist funerals and they were lovely (well as funerals can be).

I'd have a C of E funeral, and would like them to sing Abide with Me (it's my fave) and All things bright and beautiful (as it was sung as my nan's).

But then I'd be dead, so if that didn't happen there's not a lot I could do about it!

? no bods not into necrophilia

My mum is very keen on a humanist ceremony and she has said if we pay for a coffin to cremate her, we are fools!

for a while she was keen on the idea of donating her body to medical research. not sure if she is still considering this.

I know I would want a humanist ceremony too but Ive no idea what i want done with my body. might leave it to who I leave behind to surprise me! It's not like i'll know or care!