FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Before you reach out for a consultation, start here. Most people have a few basic questions and you might not even need me once you have them answered! My goal is to empower YOU to take end-of-life planning and funeral service into your own hands as much as you choose to. My mission will be accomplished when I am the least needed!

If you've read through the FAQs and you still have unanswered questions, then contact me!

CAN I HAVE A NATURAL BURIAL IN THE SAN ANTONIO AREA?

YES! Natural, or green, burial is legal in all 50 states and can be accessed at any funeral home if you know what to ask for. To have a natural burial using a funeral home, you need the following things:

A funeral home that can perform the services you are looking for without embalming
Biodegradable funeral merchandise (shroud, casket, carrying board, etc)
A cemetery that doesn't require cement linings in graves

For a list of places where you can access these services in the San Antonio area, visit our Local Resources page.

IS ESTABLISHING A FAMILY CEMETERY RIGHT FOR ME?

I'm going to be honest...probably not. But it might be!

Cemeteries are regulated by the state, but they can also be regulated by counties and municipalities. If you are in San Antonio city limits, you can't establish a family cemetery. If you own rural property that is several miles from the nearest town, then you might be a good candidate. Check with your county registrar or research local ordinances to find out for your specific location. Here's a list of the websites for every county in Texas.

Here are a few questions to consider before establishing a family cemetery.

Am I okay with my property value potentially being affected, and having to disclose to any potential buyer that there is a cemetery on the property? Not everyone will want to take on a property with a cemetery, so it could affect the market for who is even interested in your property if you decide to sell.
Am I okay with people having access to my land to visit those buried there? Keep in mind, they only have access to the cemetery during "reasonable hours" and they don't have access to the rest of your land. This is why placement and even a road to your cemetery is important. But still, you are forever changing the nature of your "private property" by establishing a cemetery.
Am I okay with the cemetery potentially falling into disrepair? Public cemeteries in Texas have to have a perpetual care fund to manage cemeteries "in perpetuity" once they are filled and no longer generating income. Family cemeteries don't have this requirement, but that means that if you are the cemetery caretaker, there might not be another person that picks up the torch after you.
Am I prepared for more complicated burial arrangements when the time comes? If you intend to be buried in a family cemetery, pre-planning is ESSENTIAL. If you don't intend to work with a funeral home, you will need to arrange for the opening and closing of the grave which usually requires heavy machinery depending on your soil and geography.

WHY ESTABLISH A FAMILY CEMETERY?

1. Land Conservation. Cemeteries have unique protections in Texas. Once a cemetery, always a cemetery. There are exceptions to this, of course, in instances of Eminent Domain. Just because you establish a cemetery, that doesn't mean you'll be able to stop the construction of a new highway through the middle of your property. What you will be able to do, however, is go to the media and make a big stink about it.

2. To avoid the cost of a burial plot. It is impossible for burial to compete with the price of cremation when you factor in the cost of a cemetery plot. They are EXPENSIVE, and can range in price from $2,000-$50,000 depending on the cemetery. If you have a cemetery for your friends and family, you can help them avoid this cost.

3. To become part of your land. I'm all for anything that makes you even slightly less afraid to die, or brings you some comfort when contemplating your own death or the death of a loved one. For many people, the idea of literally becoming part of the soil, plants, and overall ecosystem on their land is a beautiful one. The ability to tend the space can also be meaningful for families.

4. You don't like red tape. There is a lot of paperwork, expense and bureaucracy involved in dying. Family cemeteries are a way of cutting back on some of that.

AM I REQUIRED TO USE A FUNERAL HOME?

No! In Texas, you are not required to use a funeral home. However, most families are not prepared to file the paperwork and make arrangements themselves, particularly in the case of a unexpected death. Some states have a "home burial packet" you can request with all necessary paperwork. Texas does not have this unfortunately, so you have to track down all of the paperwork yourself. For resources on how to plan a home funeral, check our our local resources page or the National Home Funeral Alliance. The NHFA Home Funeral Guide is available on their website on a pay-what-you-can basis.

IS A HOME FUNERAL RIGHT FOR ME?

Home funerals were how we handled death until fairly recently in human history. Funerals started to move out of the home around the time of the Civil War with the invention of embalming, and this trend continued with urbanization. Within a couple of generations, we've lost the knowledge we used to all hold about how to care for the dead in our own homes. That doesn't mean it isn't possible, though. Washing, dressing and preparing the body for burial can be an incredibly meaningful ritual. Texas requires final disposition or refrigeration within 24 hours of death, but this can be accomplished at home with ice packs or even dry ice. Here are some questions to think about before planning a home funeral for a loved one.

1. Do I have someone that will help me? The work of shifting a body for dressing and cleaning can be awkward, especially if you've never done it before. It's much easier with two people, not only for emotional support but to help lift.

2. Am I the sort of the person that's okay with bodily fluids? Death isn't always messy, but it can be. You know yourself better than anyone else. If you're not the right person for this part, find someone in your community that is willing to help.

3. Do I have a method of transportation to the place of final disposition? Whether you are opting for burial or cremation, the body will have to be transported from the place of death to cemetery or crematory.

4. Am I prepared to file all the proper paperwork? You are still responsible for the following the law and filing and paperwork within the required timeframe. Funeral Directors have access to an e-filing system for entering Death Certificates and generating all necessary paperwork. County clerks may not be prepared for your request, or even know how. This doesn't mean it isn't possible, just be prepared for officials to be potentially less educated than you are about these highly specific laws.

CAN I HIRE YOU TO BE MY FUNERAL DIRECTOR?

Maybe one day. I graduated from Mortuary Science school and took my licensing exam, but I have not yet fulfilled the provisional licensing requirements to be fully licensed. Right now, I am focused on outreach and education. I plan to become licensed in Texas within the next four years, but I am in no rush.

The journey into deathcare has been a long and winding one. I know it is my life's work, but I am open to that looking however it needs to. That might be one day owning my own burial ground, funeral home or another death-focused brick and mortar location. For now, I am happy to give advice and share knowledge through classes and consultation, but I am not able to make arrangements for you at this time. For recommendations on local funeral homes and resources, check out our local resources page.