A Dying Art: The last of the morticians

We were able to have my uncle cremated for around $800 (Las Vegas, NV) by going direct to the source at the actual crematorium that operates both direct-to-consumer and as a “wholesaler” for many funeral homes.

When my father passed (Savannah, GA), the first funeral home I contacted quoted me around $3,500+ depending on packages, urns, etc. I ultimately settled on another home that quoted me $1,700 but handled all the odds and ends and held my hand through the process. That got me a cheap Temu-tier plastic bag and box “urn” with my father’s ashes which were promptly scattered and returned to the world.

I asked the funeral home why is there such a spread for a simple cremation - they gave me the honest answer, that most homes don’t run their own crematoriums. They take them to a regional one. Higher ends homes that do run their own will have the higher quotes in the $3-5k range.

I know it’s en vogue to call out the predatory nature of then industry and upsells but it all seemed straight forward and fair at that point.

As you say, that would vary by country. Here in France, while I wasn't the one who managed that, I know that for my grandmother someone intervened so that the body could stay in her home where she died until she was taken for burial a few days later. I think it would have been a Thanatopracteur, which can be translated to embalmer. And for my grandfather, if I remember correctly, died after a fall that left him bruised, bruises which were hidden before I went to visit the body before the burial. But neither of those burials were open-casket, I think it's quite unusual here.