No. Only under rare and extraordinary circumstances is embalming required. Outside of a very few countries (including the US) it is not done in most of the rest of the world and some European countries forbid it by law. In Texas, the law does not require embalming. But most carriers will require a body to be embalmed prior to shipping. Because [...]
In all states, including Texas, it is legal to have your loved one’s body at home after they die. Texas does not require you to involve a licensed funeral director in making or carrying out final arrangements. However, Texas regulations require anyone who assumes custody of a body to file a “Report of Death” form with [...]
No. Once again, refrigeration is easily accomplished to keep the body stable within the time frame allowed by law.
No. Outside burial containers are not required by law in any state. Regulations requiring the use of them are set by individual Cemeteries, not the government. Cemeteries certified by the “Green Burial Council” permit burials only without outside containers.
No. Caskets are not required by law in any state. A simple burial shroud is allowable if one wishes. Once again, individual Cemeteries set the regulations in these matters.
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 [...]
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.