skip to main content

The Kitchen Table

Okay I have a question- A Person dies and

18 years ago

the family cannot pay for the burial,cremation,etc....

What happens to the body?

I looked on google but I can't get a straight answer. I know I am just not plugging in the right combo of words.Anything I google comes up with religious things about where you "go" That is not what I am talking about....

A very distant family member had a death in the family but she spent all the money there was to bury the man. The body is at the funeral home and she is taking "donations" to bury him. They were giving her until today and then ???

What will they do with the body? Some people told me there is a holding area with a freezer to keep the body for _______ long and then the State would bury the body after so many days, months,etc. This sounds a little far fetched to me but then again ?

What will happen to the body? I've never thought about this and I am curious....

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (6)

caroline1947
18 years ago
My step father was a doctor,,,he said they received cadavers for medical school that were often un claimed or the person couldnt pay and they became state custody....but that was some time ago so I dont know about now....
jayokie
18 years ago
If you're not in the same town, call one of the local funeral homes & ask if they have a few minutes to answer a question that's been bothering you. No need for details...just tell them it's something that has come up in conversation recently & it's bugging you. If in the same town, maybe call a FH other than the one the relative is using or in a neighboring town.

They may tell you about pre-planning, etc...just tell them you're aware of that service & will keep them in mind. Maybe you'd NEVER use them, but you can still 'keep them in mind' (one in our town I don't want anywhere near me even if I am deceased!) Just thank them politely for answering your questions, etc.(I'm sure you will)

Now I'm curious :-) but not enough (yet)to make a call.
Related Discussions
Okay, so I now have 3 new raised beds
Q
Comments (6)
Your profile indicates you are in zone 2b. You are going to struggle with canteloupes. When you say canteloupes, do you mean traditional French canteloupes or American muskmelons? Muskmelons require a ton of heat, water and sun. Canteloupes are a little more forgiving, but not by much. Spacing: WAY too crowded. The root systems on a melon plant is approximately mirrored by the vine system. When you see the vines sprawling, the roots are trying to do the same. If you need the vines to sprawl out of the bed because you don't have enough space, how are the roots to have enough space? Personally, I grow my melons 4' on centre, with rows 4-5' apart. That may be a bit extreme, but I don't like watering every other day. I would not consider growing closer than 3' between plants. So in other words, no more than 5 plants per bed based on your dimensions.
...See More
Okay violet aficionados.... I have a question.... :)
Q
Comments (1)
well, it's violet season in australia and perhaps not so much in your hemisphere, so i'll try to answer.... part of the way violet species can be divided up is 'stemmed' and 'unstemmed' or caulescent and acaulescent in botanical latin. in caulescent plants/species, the flower stems, (peduncles) arise from the joints between the stems and leaves, or axils. in acaulescent plants, the flower stems arise directly from the crown on the plant. a stipule is an appendage at the base (or insertion) of a petiole. (a petiole is the stem part of a leaf.) the leafy part associated with a flower is a bract. it could be called a bractlet when, as in sweet violets and others, it appears on the flower stem or peduncle. pedicel seems to be interchangeable with peduncle. i have seen and heard both words used. there are some good pics and a brief dictionary in doretta klaber's 'violets'. (so, can i ask for some seed now?!) ;) ) rob...
...See More
Okay, I have spring fever, anyone up for a spring fever swap
Q
Comments (15)
This sounds like fun and I think I could have just copied missindia's answers! lol I think we are long lost twins! But I am going to pass this time, as I have several projects in the works. Missindia, usually partners will email each other first to get to know each other better. Then you fill up a box with things you think your partner would like... something they collect, candles, candy, items from your state or area, windchimes, handmade and seasonal items.... some people also send things for the rest of the family and/or furbabies. I have sent (and received) vintage things too! We've never had price limits. You can get a flat rate box at the post office. I think it is $7.95?? and you can fill it with whatever you want with no weight limit. You guys have fun! Maybe I will join the next one?
...See More
Okay, I have paint chip pics now-- your votes, please!
Q
Comments (12)
I saw a lovely kitchen on the hgtv forums that had cabinets similar to yours. Their paint color was BM 'Toasted pecan'. I liked it so much I went and got the paint strip because I was thinking about it for my kitchen (only to find we're being relocated in a month or two). It looks awfully dark on the paint strip, so I was thinking about the one up from it, 'Tuscany'. I just held that strip beside SW Whole Wheat (don't have a Tobacco Road) and either one looks like a good complement. It's a reddish-brown, "terra cotta-like", very similar to another of my favorites, BM 'Audubon Russet'. It would look great too. Tracey
...See More
share_oh
18 years ago
Try looking up "indigent". I work for a city that owns several cemeteries. We get a few calls a year about indigent cases.

In my experience, the coroner's office will do their best to track down any relatives. If they find any but no one will claim the body, or if they don't find any, within a certain period of time they will have the body cremated.

Since this person is already at the funeral home I'm not sure what will happen. I find it hard to believe a funeral home would've picked up a body without a relative to give them the details on what was going to be done. Just in picking up a body there are costs involved in transportation and the container to put them in. If your relative just planned to get donations for the burial she must not've told the funeral home that. They are, after all, in the business to make money.
dances_in_garden
18 years ago
Here is you die with no money or estate or in arrears, the city (or some facet of the government) will dispose of the body. Either a burial in an unmarked grave (in a carboard coffin, and I am not kidding) or a very low cost cremation. I believe somebody can take custody of the ashes in that case at no cost.

No funeral or anything, mind you.
janie_ga
18 years ago
The state will pay for a pauper burial. You get a cloth casket and a plot in a specific section of a cemetery. No visitation and only a gravesite service- if that. In WV, the family can sign a piece of paper stating they do not have the money to pay for a burial- the state doesn't investigate the legitimacy of the claim. The family is still responsible for half but it is much less. For the state to help, the family must accept the state's rules of the cloth casket, no visitation, no service, etc. They cannot agree to pay the difference between a fancier funeral and what the state would pay, make sense?

I am not sure about the rules in GA- Eric wasn't involved in as many there as he has been here.

In GA if a child under 18 dies, the funeral home/crematory will usually offer free cremation. Don't think that is offered in WV.
Vickey__MN
18 years ago
I know, I know...just went through this with my Grandma (In August)...go to the county social services and see what they can pay. Often they will pay for the cheapest coffin and a plot, no headstone I think, minimum visitation. Total of $2,500 here in MN. IF you want an upgrade at all, they figure you have money, and you no longer qualify!

Vickey-MN

Related Stories

WORKING WITH PROS 8 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Meeting With Your Designer

By Kelli Kaufer Designs

Thinking in advance about how you use your space will get your first design consultation off to its best start

ORGANIZING Pre-Storage Checklist: 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Store

By Laura Gaskill

Wait, stop. Do you really need to keep that item you’re about to put into storage?

WORKING WITH PROS 12 Questions Your Interior Designer Should Ask You

By Mike Dietrich

The best decorators aren’t dictators — and they’re not mind readers either. To understand your tastes, they need this essential info

ORGANIZING 4 Questions to Help You Organize Your Favorite Photos

By Jennifer Phelps: Organize. Design. Reinvent!

Organize your keeper photos with a system that's just right for you, whether it's in the cloud or you can hold it in your hand

KITCHEN DESIGN 9 Questions to Ask When Planning a Kitchen Pantry

By Susan Redman

Avoid blunders and get the storage space and layout you need by asking these questions before you begin

GREEN BUILDING Considering Concrete Floors? 3 Green-Minded Questions to Ask

By Melanie Loftus

Learn what’s in your concrete and about sustainability to make a healthy choice for your home and the earth

REMODELING GUIDES Considering a Fixer-Upper? 15 Questions to Ask First

By Sarah Phipps Design

Learn about the hidden costs and treasures of older homes to avoid budget surprises and accidentally tossing valuable features

GREEN DECORATING 8 Questions to Help You See Through Green Hype

By Laura Gaskill

With the ecofriendly bandwagon picking up some dubious passengers, here's how to tell truly green products and services from the imposters

WORKING WITH PROS 10 Questions to Ask Potential Contractors

By Ventana Construction LLC

Ensure the right fit by interviewing general contractors about topics that go beyond the basics

GARDENING GUIDES No-Regret Plants: 5 Questions Smart Shoppers Ask

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Quit wasting money and time at the garden center. This checklist will ensure that the plants you're eyeing will stick around in your yard

Sponsored

More Discussions

Friday/Weekend Quiz

5

Weekend Music - Rock & Roll

35

I have never had a Pumpkin Spice Latte

49

Sunday Brain Game

4

FedEx and Chewy

10