To help meet the increasing demand for cremation and add value to the community and families they serve, Beatty-Peterseim Funeral, Cremation Care and Monument Services of Kalona, Washington and Wayland recently purchased and installed their own crematorium in July 2021.

The crematorium was placed at a new cremation center located at the Beatty-Peterseim Funeral Home at 107 South 15th Avenue in Washington.

Meg Nagel and Mark Beatty, both licensed funeral directors, were trained in the operation of the electronically controlled crematorium and have been designated CCO (Certified Cremation Operators).

“If your family has chosen cremation we offer cremation services that help celebrate the life of your loved one while giving you several options for a public gathering, and a final resting place,” said Beatty.

Meg Nagel pointed out that if you do choose cremation, three options are available.

Traditional Funeral Service

followed by Cremation

With a traditional service combined with cremation, you can still choose to have a final viewing, visitation or wake and a funeral service. However instead of in-ground burial, the funeral will be followed by cremation. Depending on your wishes, the cremated remains may be either returned to your family for storage in an urn, scattered, or interred in a columbarium.

Memorial Service

The memorial service can be held in Beatty-Peterseim’s chapel, a church, or any other venue the family chooses. Beatty-Peterseim will work with families to design a service that honors their loved one with stories, music, or scripture.

“We also have life celebrants that lead services where clergy may not be chosen. Our celebrants are trained in creating experiences that help start the healing process,” Nagel said.

A graveside or committal service is typically held immediately following the funeral service, but it can also be a small intimate gathering of those closest to you.

Urn

Beatty noted that it is a common choice to take the urn home and families can select the perfect urn for their loved one.

Many families find comfort in having a final resting place that they can visit by placing the ashes in a niche, also known as a columbarium

Other families choose in-ground burial. Similar to a casket, the in-ground burial of the urn allows for a final resting place.

Crematorium

The crematorium occupies a small space in the cremation care area at the Washington funeral home. Electronic controls allow operators to monitor and adjust the internal environment of the cremator, Beatty said.

The hearth is the floor of the cremation unit. Refractory brick made to withstand high temperatures lines the inside of the cremator. Temperatures can reach as high as 1,900 degrees Fahrenheit. That is why the cremator must be properly spaced from the walls and ceiling to prevent any fire hazard.

It takes about three to four hours for a cremation to be completed, depending on the size of the individual, according to Beatty.

Burners are positioned above the body in the primary chamber and are the primary source of heat during the cremation process. The primary chamber is where cremation takes place. The heat and air are mixed here, creating combustion.

The secondary chamber holds the unburned combustion materials from the primary chamber until complete combustion is achieved.

Beatty pointed out that any metal body parts recovered following the cremation are sent to recycler and proceeds donated to Hospice of Washington County.

The stack (chimney) is the final discharge point where the products of combustion are released into the environment. Beatty shared that 40% of families are requesting cremation.