What I didn't realize about the situation became abundantly clear recently when dealing with a crematory concerning a family member whose ashes went to a girlfriend rather than his children or his present wife of thirty plus years. Apparently they judged that his family would not carry out his final wishes of disposal and there is no regulation that prevented them from doing so. Make no mistake, the mother, son and daughter-in-law we faced off against in this Anchorage crematory not only were quick to point out that they had done no wrong, but when asked about any governing regulations they had to adhere to, they responded there were none, and they seemed proud of that fact.
More perplexing was that within an hour the family run crematory we were dealing with did an about face and produced the ashes they had so quickly defended themselves against having mishandled.
The best take away that I can find here is if any person you care about mentions using a crematory, urge them to carefully select one that will treat all aspects of the process with reverence for the sanctity of the deed.
