Private On-Site Crematory

In 2011, in response to our growing unease when using an off-site crematorium, Colonial Chapel opened our own state-of the-art crematory. In fact we are the only funeral home in Orland Park with an on-site crematory.

Because our crematory is located within our funeral home facility your loved one will never be turned over to the care of a crematory miles away, where they will be attended to by people you've never even met.

And to best serve the families and individuals within Orland Park, Tinley Park, Oak Forest and surrounding communities, we chose to operate our crematory privately. This means it is used only for the loved ones of the families we serve.

 

 

All Crematories are Not the Same

When making the decision to cremate, it's important to recognize that there are some very important things to consider when selecting the crematory you will entrust with the care of your loved one.


First, will the crematory provide truly personal and prompt care?

This is not always possible for most crematories, because they were built with the intention to serve as many funeral homes and cremation societies as possible.  What this means to your family is simple: since your family member is just one of many bodies transported from locations around the region, you can't be confident your loved one will undergo the cremation process quickly. After all, these facilities can complete only a limited number of cremations each day. That means the chances are very good your loved one's body will be kept under refrigeration–often for days–until the cremation can occur.

Here at Colonial Chapel Funeral Home, we only serve one family at a time. This means your loved one is taken care of by us from the very moment we are entrusted to escort their body to the funeral home, until we meet with you to turn over their cremated remains to your family. There is no other body waiting for cremation while we are caring for your loved one. This is what we mean by "private" cremation service.


Second, how long will it take to have the cremated remains returned to you?

When a crematory operates in such a way that they must receive, keep track of, and cremate many bodies each day, your loved one's cremated remains may not return to you for safekeeping for a minimum of ten (10) days–sometimes as much as two (2) weeks will pass before this "homecoming" can occur.

Because our private on-site crematory serves only one family at a time, your family will not have to wait longer than a few days to receive your loved one's cremated remains. While obtaining the necessary paperwork can delay a cremation–for example, when the death occurs on a Friday or over the weekend–most commonly families can pick up their loved one's cremated remains in five days or less.

Third, are the crematory operators committed to on-going education?

You may not realize that the State of Illinois requires all crematory operators to have certification through recognized agency. This requirement, as stated in Section 22 of the Crematory Regulation Act (410 ILC 18/), "provides them with the necessary technical, operational, and scientific education to perform their tasks in a way that supports the respectful care of all those served."

But certification alone does not necessary guarantee that your loved one, and your family, will receive the highest level of care and attention. That's where the active pursuit of continuing education courses provided through a recognized agency becomes critically important.

Not only are the crematory operators at Colonial Chapel Funeral Home certified by either the Illinois Cemetery & Funeral Home Association or the Cremation Association of North America, they are also licensed funeral directors with years of experience. And since Illinois law requires all funeral directors to obtain 24 hours of continuing education every two years. This means you, your family–and your loved one–will receive the level of care you truly deserve. In addition, as a member of the Cremation Association of North America, our funeral home is committed to serving families according to the CANA Code of Ethics.


Doesn't Your Family Deserve a Higher Level of Service?

We believe so. That's why we're committed to giving you and your loved one the kind of personal, respectful attention we would provide members of our own family.

You can be as involved in the cremation of your loved one as you wish to be. Since our crematory is located in our funeral home, your family can comfortably choose to have a private viewing prior to the cremation, or actually witness the initial stages of the cremation process. If you then wish to wait for the completion of the cremation, you can adjourn to our comfortable coffee lounge for refreshments and quiet conversation.

And the fact that ours is a state-of-the-art cremation retort means we provide Orland Park, Tinley Park, Oak Forest and the surrounding communities with energy-efficient, environmentally-safe cremation services.

 

An Open Invitation

Our fully-transparent business practices mean that we welcome your cremation and crematory-related questions. In fact, we encourage you to call us at 708-532-5400 whenever you are ready to discuss the private cremation services we provide. Not only that, we invite you to take the time to inspect our crematory facility. Stop by our location, or if you prefer, call 708-532-5400 to set an inspection appointment.