The "Tombstone Tourist"~ A Hundred Years of Funeral Costs.

Introduction

Now here is one lady I would love to meet!  Her knowledge and love of wine combined with her passion for cemeteries make her my ideal companion to while away a sunny afternoon.  Add to the mix her skill as a trained Improv. Comedian and you have the perfect combination.  Joy Neighbors is a Professional Freelance Writer and describes herself as an avowed "Tombstone Tourist" and in addition to her regular columns has been writing her blog "A Grave Interest" for in excess of five years.  You can read Joy's full biography here.

Blog

Mankind has held funeral ceremonies since ancient times. Every culture has had specific rites and customs that would be followed for the burying of their dead.

The Neanderthals decorated their graves with flowers and antlers as far back as 60,000 BC. Ancient Egyptians began a form of body preservation now known as mummification – the first embalming - in 3400 BC. Egyptians along with Native Americans buried their dead with tools, pots, jewelry and other items that might be needed in the next life.

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Throughout the ages, a constant theme has emerged in regard to death: There was always a ritual or ceremony held when someone died. Then the remains were entombed, placed or scattered at a specific place considered sacred by the community. Then a memorial or some type of monument, rock or plant was placed on the grave as a way of showing remembrance and respect. We continue those traditions today.

Today is no different. We now have funerals at a funeral home or funeral “parlor” where, once again a ritual or funeral service is held before the body is consigned to a sacred space or place where the family erects a monument, plants a tree or marks the grave with a stone or token of remembrance.

Civil War Embalming

But during the 19th and early 20th centuries, the process of burying the dead changed. Embalming became accepted during the Civil War as a manner in which soldier’s bodies could be preserved long enough to send them back home to their families for burial. The deceased was usually wrapped in a shroud or blanket and buried in a homemade wooden coffin. 

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But then caskets began to replace these burial ampules. At first these were made of wood or cloth-covered cardboard but by the 1960s metal caskets were gaining popularity. By the turn of this century only two casket makers remained; accounting for over 60% of all caskets made in the U.S.

Steel Casket

And there are other ways which we have changed our burial methods as this comparison listing shows for the past 100 years.

Average Cost of Adult Funeral & Burial in 1915

Burial Details                           Prices USD         GBP  

Casket with handles & plate      $45           £30.33
Painted pine box                            $ 8            £ 5.39
Embalming                                      $10           £ 6.74
Laying out, shaving, dressing   $ 3            £ 2.02
Delivering box to cemetery        $ 1.50       £ 1.01
Four pairs of grey gloves             $ 1            £   .67
Three dozen chairs                       $ 1.50       £ 1.01
Four newspaper notices              $ 2            £ 1.35
Opening grave                                $ 3            £ 2.02
Shirt, tie, collar, cuffs                  $ 1            £  .67
Hearse to cemetery                      $ 8            £ 5.39
Four coaches to cemetery          $24           £16.18
Attendance, assistance 
and removal of remains             $ 5            £ 3.37

Total Amount                              $113         £ 76.17

Average Cost of Adult Funeral & Burial in 2015

Burial Details                                             Prices USD                 GBP

Non-declinable basic service fee           $1,975               £1,331.27
Casket (metal)                                             $2,300               £1,550.34
Embalming                                                   $700                  £   471.84
Preparing the body                                    $225                   £   151.66
Refrigeration                                               $50 per day      £     33.70
Use of funeral home for visitation       $400                  £  269.62
Use of funeral home for service            $495                  £  333.66
Media notices                                              $300                  £   202.22
Printed memorial cards                           $150                   £   101.11
Grave site/plot                                            $1,000               £   674.06
Opening grave                                            $600                   £   404.44
Grave liner or vault                                   $1,300                £   876.28
Headstone                                                    $1,500                £1,011.09
Hearse to cemetery                                   $295                    £   198.85
Family cars to cemetery                          $225                    £   151.66
Visitation Attendance                              $325                    £   219.07
Removal of remains                                 $285                    £   192.11

Total Amount                                             $12,125*             £8,172.98
*Per National Funeral Directors Assoc. (NFDA) and The Funeral Site

And, there could also be additional costs including burial clothing ($210/£141.55) flowers ($260/£175.26), flower car ($225/£151.66), clergy ($200/£134.81), death certificate ($12/£8.09 each), musician ($150/£101.11), guest book ($50/£33.70), etc.

Where 100 years ago an average funeral and burial for an adult could run between $100/£67.41 and $200/£134.81. Today that number can easily range from $9,000/£6066.54 and up. Statistics given for an adult funeral usually average around $7,300/£4920.64 but this does not include the gravesite, vault, opening and closing fees, gravestone and other cemetery-related expenses which must be considered if the remains are to be buried.

Gravesite & Headstone NOT included!

The days of the $100/£67.41 funeral have gone the way of the horse and carriage. But you can still control how much you want to spend by pre-planning, and shopping around. This could be the perfect way to save your family from the sticker shock of an at-need funeral.  

Links

Keep up to speed with Joy and her various interests by following her at the following:-

A Grave Interest on 
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/aGraveInterest
Twitter @ https://twitter.com/#!/aGraveInterest

Joy’s JOY of Wine on
Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/JoysJoyofWine?fref=ts
Twitter @ https://twitter.com/#!/vnogrl

And on Google+ @ https://plus.google.com/+JoyNeighbors