TAMPA, Fla. — A trend is emerging in end-of-life decisions: More families are choosing cremation rather than a traditional burial.

In the last 15 years, the number of cremations has nearly doubled to 56%. In Florida, the proportion in even higher with an estimated cremation rate of nearly 70%, according to industry officials.

What You Need To Know

  • In the last 15 years, the number of cremation has nearly doubled to 56% 

  • In Florida, the proportion in even higher — with an estimated cremation rate of nearly 70%

  • Shannon Funeral Home in Bradenton is performing 62%cremations that’s a 20% increase over the last 5 years

Losing a loved one is difficult. Tammy Valenti’s job is to give the best care one family at a time.

“A forever flame. A living memory. A lot of people do candles, we find it is comforting,” said Valenti, with Shannon Funeral Home in Bradenton.

Valenti said it’s the little things like lighting a candle, placing tissues on seats, or customizing a loved one’s final resting place that provides comfort.

Valenti has been helping families for more than 10 years as a funeral home director and has seen the industry change. The frequency of cremations has risen dramatically, she said.

“It used to be a 2 to 3% increase per year but that’s grown over the last 10 years so you are looking at 8%, 10% per year bringing us up to that 60 to 70% overall,” she said.

At Shannon Funeral Home, that 60% mark for cremations is an increase of 20% over the last five years, Valenti said.

“Number one is that the religious personnel now accept cremations as a final disposition whereas 10 years ago the Catholic Church did not accept it," she said. "Another reason is financial concerns, (as) it is a lesser expensive option."

Cremation requests haven't just increased locally, it’s nationwide, according to data from the Cremation Association of North America.

“Over the last three years the current cremation rate over the past three years is 57.5%,” she said.

And a high percentage of those families, are requesting a special kind of urn.

“A scatter tube is utilized for is scattering cremated remains at the end of boats," Valenti said. "So you take the lid off and there is a small portion you puncture and you scatter the remains in a gentle fashion."

These tubes are often used at celebration of life events, if a family wants to spread their loved one’s remains at their favorite beach.

“We have beautiful coastal areas here and people go to the beach often so it’s a beautiful sunset sunrise very calm so a lot of people are now choosing that as their preferred final disposition,” she said.

Those decisions are also saving families thousands of dollars which has changed the funeral home business.

“The numbers are lower for the services because you do not need a casket which is a conservable cost but we wait on more families so at the end of the day you are at exactly where you started,” she said.

Valenti said her company's main concern isn’t profit, adding she just wants to help in any way she can.

“I think it gives everyone the opportunity to do what’s best for their family regardless of their financial ability or their location to other family members,” she said.

Providing closure for families during times of sorrow.