Direct Cremation Package

We offer our Direct Cremation Package for those who want a simple, yet dignified final disposition; for those who need or want to keep expenses to a minimum; and for those families who choose to arrange a memorial service on their own.

Any and all cremations arranged by Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home are conducted with the utmost dignity for the deceased; the utmost compassion for survivors; and with careful attention to every detail.

With that commitment as our only method of operation, we list here what is included in our Direct Cremation Package:

1. Basic services of funeral director, staff, and overhead.

2. Local transfer from place of death...24 / 7 availability

3. Attendance of licensed personnel to arrange all aspects of the process 

from place of death to the crematory.

4. Sanitary care and shelter of remains (minimum 2 days waiting period).

5. Positive identification of deceased prior to cremation.

6. If it is necessary for someone to view the deceased for identification purposes you may do it here in the privacy of Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home.

7. 100% assurance of the correct cremated remains being returned.

8. Cremated remains are personally carried by a Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home representative back from the crematory. No cremated remains are returned by mail.

9. We arrange for and disburse the certification fee for the Medical Examiner to conduct the inquiry of death and examination of the body.

10. Completing death certificate and securing necessary permits.

11. Placing obituary notices in local newspapers of your choice. Newspapers will charge you according to the length of the obituary.

12. Filing notice of death to Social Security Office.

13. Filing Veteran's benefit application if applicable.

14. Alternative container (casket) to meet crematory requirements.

15. Transportation to crematory and safe return back here.

16. Payment of crematory fees.

To take advantage of this cremation package the following conditions must be accepted:

1. Full payment must be made prior to cremation.

2. This package does not include any rites, ceremonies, or wake.

3. Responsible next of kin must come to Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home during normal business hours to sign the crematory authorization forms.

4. This package may not be altered without additional expense.

If you want to arrange a Direct Cremation, you can use an alternative container. Alternative containers encase the body and can be made of materials like fiberboard or composition materials (with our without an outside covering).

The basic container included here is made of heavy cardboard.

NOTE: Unclaimed cremated remains are to be scattered by Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home in accordance with CT General Statutes.

Our Direct Cremation Package provides a simple, yet dignified means of complying with all laws for a final disposition of human remains. However, in some instances we find that the families we serve request some additional services; or they may need some items to enhance a memorial service they are arranging on their own.

The list below states some additional activities we may be asked to perform that are above and beyond the contents of our Direct Cremation Package.

1. Register book for people to sign at a memorial service.

2. Box of 100 prayer cards (includes printing of name and dates).

3. Acknowledgment cards to later thank people (25 per box).

4. We have a large selection of urns to hold cremated remains or to use for burial.

5. If you are arranging a memorial service at your church you may find it convenient for Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home to issue checks for the organist, soloist, sextant, ushers, clergy, etc. as the need may be. We will be certain anyone who should be compensated will be paid on your behalf.

6. Arranging the time for a memorial service with your church or clergy.

7. Arranging for an out of town cemetery to receive and bury the cremated remains.

8. Private disposition of cremated remains by a representative of Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home (locally).

9. Packaging and mailing of cremated remains via UPS or USPS.

10. Placement of an obituary in newspaper outside of our local area.

11. Newspaper obituary fees billed through Gleeson-Ryan Funeral Home.

12. Arranging and directing a formal graveside committal service and the burial of the cremated reamins at your cemetery.

13. Ordering a veteran's grave marker.

14. Arranging for an urn to be engraved.

15. Ordering and verifying cemetery stone engraving for date of death.

16. Ordering custom memorial folders, programs, or prayer cards.

17. A cremation burial vault is a concrete container that some people use to hold the urn when having an earth burial of cremated remains.

18. Certified copies of the death certificate are issued from the town clerk in the town where the death occurred.