Sacred Crossings Alternative Funeral Home

A home funeral is a family or community-centered response to death and after-death care where families may prepare the body (bathing, dressing, anointing), plan and carry out after-death rituals or ceremonies such as laying out the deceased for visitation, file death-related paperwork, transport the deceased, and facilitate final disposition.

A vigil or 'wake' is a period of time, usually 1-3 days, when the body is laying in honor while family and friends visit to pay their respects and say goodbye. The funeral service most often takes place in the home on the 3rd day of the vigil before the body is taken to the crematory or cemetery.

Home funeral guides are advocates for family-centered and family-led funerals who impart knowledge families need to exercise their right of caring for their own dead. They are guides and educators, not directors, seeking to minimize involvement of anyone other than family and friends. They encourage and educate on minimal, non-invasive, and environmentally-friendly care of the body.

During a home funeral the family remains in charge from the moment of death until burial or cremation. A family can take as much time as they need to personally care for their loved one according to religious or cultural beliefs and traditions, and the body can be viewed without being embalmed.

Yes. In almost all 50 states, families have the legal right to care for loved ones after death, including taking the body home from a hospital, nursing facility, or coroner (provided you have the necessary permits). However, Alabama, Connecticut, Illinois, Iowa, Indiana, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, New Jersey, and New York have various restrictions. For specific state information, visit the Funeral Consumers Alliance at www.funerals.org.

A death midwife is one who assists an individual and their family through the transition of death, just as a birth midwife assists the baby and mother through birth. Sacred Crossings death midwives incorporate the roles of spiritual counselor, death doula, home funeral guide, funeral planner, and celebrant. They shepherd individuals toward a conscious dying experience, guide loved ones in after-death body care, and empower families to create personal and meaningful funerals at home.

The body is carefully washed, dressed (or shrouded), and preserved with dry ice to prevent decomposition. This natural, non-invasive technique is safer than compromised, chemically-treated bodies.

The process includes: in-home consultation by a home funeral guide, arrival of guide within 3 hours of death notification, education and support with body preparation, body laid 'in honor' on a bed or table, body preservation with dry ice during 1-3 day vigil, cremation casket or pine box delivery and decoration by friends/family, completion of necessary paperwork, funeral service in home or other venue, and body transportation to cemetery or crematory.

No. In almost all states you have the legal right to act as the funeral director on behalf of your loved one, including completing and filing necessary paperwork. A Sacred Crossing Guide can support you through the entire process. Please call 800-805-5561.

Yes. Children are naturally curious about death and look toward adults for guidance in embracing this natural event. Having the body prepared by caring relatives in the home is comforting for children and helps them accept and integrate death. Decorating the cremation box can be therapeutic, providing a creative outlet for feelings and words.

Although we can assist a family at any time, it is advisable to make an appointment for a home consultation a few weeks or months before death is expected. A Home Funeral Guide will come to your home to discuss wishes, answer questions, and help make necessary preparations.

Home Funeral Guide education, support, and ministerial services range from $500 to $2500 depending on family needs and vigil length. The cost of a home funeral is considerably less than traditional funeral homes because you save costs of refrigeration, embalming, mortician fees, and parlor and chapel rentals.