Unclaimed cremated remains is a growing dilemma for funeral homes.  For various reason, families will choose not to pick up the remains of their loved one after cremation.  Despite our best efforts to contact the next-of-kin / informant, our funeral home probably houses about 50 such unclaimed cremated remains (larger funeral homes may have upwards of a couple hundred unclaimed remains).

Many states allow funeral homes to bury/scatter/dispose of unclaimed cremains after a couple years of holding, but — as you can imagine — it just doesn’t feel right to “get rid” of unwanted cremains.  So, like the picture below from the Oregon State Hospital, we just hold them in storage, awaiting a family member to claim them.

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