Texas law requires you to file the death certificate with the local registrar within ten days after the death and before final disposition. (Texas Health & Safety Code § 193.003.) The deceased person’s doctor, the medical examiner, or a justice of the peace must supply the date, time, and cause of death within five days after [...]
Unless you are crossing state lines, in Texas, a copy of the Report of Death (described above) serves as a permit to transport and bury the body within the state. (25 Texas Administrative Code § 181.2.)
No. Texas has no law requiring that a licensed funeral director be involved in making or carrying out final arrangements.
The answer depends on the circumstance under which a person has died. If the death was unexpected then you will need to contact the police, as the coroner may need to be involved. If the person dies at home without hospice care, call 911, and have in hand a do-not-resuscitate document if it exists. Without one, paramedics will [...]
Green burial is the simple act of returning a deceased body to the earth in its most natural state – without toxic embalming chemicals or a concrete vault. The body may be wrapped in a special shroud, or if a casket is used at all, it is made of biodegradable materials, such as bamboo or wicker. [...]
A natural burial is the act of returning a body as naturally as possible to the earth. To achieve this, we recommend that the body not be embalmed or cremated, but instead buried in a simple casket or shroud, in a protected green space. Making the choice for natural burial means you are choosing a low [...]
A natural burial is usually less expensive option than a conventional burial. What makes a natural burial different from a financial perspective is that the costs are better allocated, with money carrying on the legacy of the deceased by protecting green space instead of the mark-up on expensive, unnecessary materials and procedures. READ MORE
This is different from cemetery to cemetery. Many families choose not to have any marker at all, but some prefer a marker, to memorialize the deceased. However, our memorial park grounds allow engraved flat stone markers, or engraved granite marker. Shrubs and wildflowers can also be used on graves but must be appropriate for the location [...]
No. Burial is one of the oldest technologies. Animals simply do not dig into graves. This is one of those “old-wives-tale” myths popular in scary stories.
No. Natural land actually produces cleaner water than urban, suburban, or agricultural areas.
Chrysta Bell Zucht
Chrysta Bell Zucht is an internationally known Actor, Musician and the Steward of Countryside Memorial Park. She has always shared her father’s passion for Natural Burials, and upon his unexpected death in 2009 had the soul-satisfying experience of giving him the green burial he had always wanted. She remains deeply dedicated to Countryside and has vowed to continue to offer it as a serene, peaceful place for eco-conscious families to bury, memorialize and celebrate their Beloveds.
Learn more about Chrysta in our News & Information section: News & Information
Sunny Markham
Music adds a memorable and deeply moving element to any ceremony, especially if it is music that your Loved One loved.
Sunny Markham is a professional singer who truly loves singing at weddings and funerals. She knows some of the finest musicians and vocalists in the San Antonio and Austin areas, and is pleased to help you create the perfect, unique ceremony for your Loved One.
Sunny also offers beautiful, one-of-a-kind hand-engraved natural stone markers.