Does A Body Have To Be Embalmed Before It Is Buried?

Embalming is the process used to preserve the human body post death to delay any decomposition. Some people prefer to not have the body embalmed as it doesn’t fit into their religious or personal beliefs. A body wouldn’t really need embalming if the funeral is held on the day after the death.

Some Aspects To Keep In View

However, if relatives are coming from out of town and you need the funeral to be deferred, you may want to consider getting the body embalmed. Families are often concerned about how long the body can be kept after death. This depends on a number of aspects such as:

• The condition of the deceased
• The illness that caused the death
• For how long the person has been deceased
• Medication that the departed was on
• Climatic conditions

Some bodies deteriorate at a faster rate than others, and the embalmer would be able to provide a time estimate after looking at the body and taking these factors into consideration. Refrigeration will not help prevent the body from decomposing. It will only help slow down the process. During events such as an open viewing casket ceremony, it is best to get the body embalmed.

When Embalming Would Be Required

If you are carrying out a pre-funeral event such as a wake, you need to have the body embalmed as families and relatives will visit. Since there are various aspects involved in the embalming process, it’s a good idea to speak with a funeral director about it.

We at Willowbrook Cemetery are a non-for profit cemetery, offering a range of interment alternatives including family estates, burial plots, communal mausolea, and cremation niches. For any information on the services we offer, feel free to call Willowbrook Cemetery at 203-222-8646 or contact us through our online form.