THE HAVEN
Memorial Services
Make Your Final Act a Gift of Conservation
A memorial service provides an opportunity to acknowledge how important the loved one was in our lives. At THE HAVEN, we’re here to support you every step of the way to make your loved one’s ceremony personal and memorable. We can facilitate the entire memorial, or we can support your chosen officiant.
Play music, sing, pray, read poetry, read bible passages, or simply let the heartbeat of the forest comfort you as you say goodbye. Having a memorial service offers the opportunity to be hands-on in the burial which helps provide closure in the grieving process. Our goal is to enable you to carry out a very personal experience during a very difficult occasion.
In a typical year, ground conditions allow memorial service reservations from mid-April to mid-November. Funeral director, clergy, or celebrant onsite fees are charged independently by those parties.
Memorial Service in the Forest
$500*
This is your family's time to define what's meaningful - whether the experience is small and intimate, or the forest is filled with family and friends.
*Customers receive a $200 discount if their funeral home representative is present for the ceremony.
Unattended Burial
$100
Unattended burial of cremated remains is a simple process. Send or drop off the ashes, and we take care of the interment with care and respect. We will share pictures with you when the burial is complete.
What to expect
The Day of the Memorial Service
On the day of the memorial, a member of our team will welcome you to the forest and share what to expect. You will be invited to mix the ashes of your loved one with a pH-balanced soil amendment. This special soil makes the ash bioavailable for trees and plants so it can become integrated into the forest ecosystem. You are invited to be as involved as you like depending on your comfort level.
After the ash and soil are mixed, we will make our way to the prepared site where we will place the mixture into the cradle of the earth. Then we will cover the ash mixture with forest soil. This can be a very powerful experience. With every scoop, you see and feel and touch. The earth is there beneath your feet supporting you and sheltering someone who was so dear to you. Your sadness lingers, but the active nature of the experience somehow lightens the load.
We will take care of these steps if the family chooses not to participate in this aspect of the burial.
In addition to gathering pine cones, pine needles, and other forest detritus, guests can bring fresh flowers to decorate the space. Family and friends can share eulogies, memories, poems, readings, and music. Just as each of us has unique characteristics, that difference can and should be reflected in this special ceremony.
After the service, our team will provide other guidance as requested and allow your family to have private time for reflection.
Getting Here & What to Wear
Before the memorial, we’ll make sure you have directions and a weather update so you know how to dress accordingly. In all cases, we suggest wearing appropriate shoes for walking/hiking**.
Parking and Access
Parking is offered for about 10 vehicles plus additional parking on the road next to the driveway entrance (about a 1-2 minute walk).
**Trees, forest glade plots, and the cremation garden are all accessed by walking trails. Although the trails are well maintained, visitors should expect uneven ground and, depending on the location of your spot, perhaps a short walk off the trail. We have walking sticks available for guests who would like them.
Burial Options
Forest Glade Plot
A clearing with the forest wrapped around you provides a sense of expansiveness.- Cremated remains burial rights for one person.
- 100 square feet of private space in an open area within the forest.
- GPS coordinates to your plot.
- Perpetual access to your plot.
- One reforestation seedling planted.
- Certificate of tree planting.
- Name added on our website registry.
Mature Trees
Your own special tree as a final resting place is a truly moving experience.- Cremated remains burial rights for one person.
- GPS coordinates to your tree.
- A grove of reforestation seedlings planted.
- Certificate of reforestation.
- Name added on our website registry.
The Cremation Garden
A designated site in the forest where cremated remains are co-mingled.- One communal cremation burial in the cremation garden.
- GPS coordinates to the garden.
- Perpetual access to the garden.
- One reforestation seedling planted.
- Certificate of tree planting.
- Name added on our website registry.
Still have questions?
To start your journey and understand how THE HAVEN can be a powerful source of healing and joy for your family, book a discovery meeting so we can be sure to answer all your questions. Schedule Now