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Funeral home adds its own crematory
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| Staff photo by Hillary Wundrow Daley, Murphy, Wisch and Associates Funeral Home Business manager John Murphy stands outside the new crematory. Cremation now accounts for almost 33 percent of the home’s funerals. |
Business now offers fully local service
By Hillary Wundrow
Daily News staff writer
Those at Daley, Murphy, Wisch and Associates Funeral Home, 2355 Cranston Road, are all fired up about their newest acquisition. The funeral home became home to Rock County's first crematory in November.
“This way a loved one continues to stay in our dignified care from start to finish,” said Jerry Murphy, owner and funeral director.
Cremation is increasing, according to business manager John Murphy. In 1990 cremations accounted for 10 percent of business and today it accounts for 33 percent of funerals.
“Statistics show by the year 2025, between 45 and 50 percent of families will choose cremation over traditional burial,” John Murphy said.
Getting the crematory in the funeral home was no easy task. It took about five hours for a crane to lift the five ton oven off a semi-truck. The funeral directors realized the importance of having a special room for the machine after a family with a different faith requested to be present during the cremation.
Each family has their own reasons for using cremation. Often times families find the memorial type atmosphere more comforting than a traditional service with a burial.
“Cremation goes back to the late 1800s and 1900s in many parts of the country. Basically in the United States cremation was not as popular as traditional burial until the 1970s and 1980s where it started to increase in certain areas of the country,” said John Murphy.
Often more cost effective, cremation can be more convenient for families with relatives living far away from each other. Once the loved one is cremated, the family can have more time to schedule and plan a memorial service.
“In my experience people have a lot of reasons why. Primarily it's a matter of convenience. We live in a fast-paced society. Parents today select cremation so it will help their children have time,” Jerry Murphy said.
While a traditional service will be held right away and span four to five days, a cremation and memorial service could take place months later.
“It's not uncommon. For one out of every 10 cremations we might wait three, four or five months,” Jerry Murphy said. “That's why some people are choosing cremation. It's mainly for families that have moved outside the Beloit area. We have a lot of memorial services around holidays because that is when families tend to get together.”
Although many people are opting to use cremation, more than 50 percent using it have a traditional service with cremation taking place afterwards.
Although cremation can be less expensive than burial, the price of urns can be more than caskets depending on their style. The Murphys said 15 percent of families do not bury cremation remains in a cemetery. They may opt to keep them in an urn at home or disperse them at another location.
While the funeral home used to send the cremations to Milton Lawns Memorial Garden Cemetery, the Murphys can now perform cremations in house. Although the Murphys were pleased with their relationship with Milton Lawns, Jerry Murphy said it's important for the industry to make sure cremations are dignified.
“There are few state and federal laws as to how a crematory is regulated. Some crematories don't use tracking techniques,” Jerry Murphy said. “The industry needs to be regulated throughout the country, even if it causes us a hardship.”
Daley, Murphy, Wisch makes sure each cremation has a metal identification tag.
“There is one number for every person and it will never be duplicated,” said Tim Gentry, service assistant.
Gentry often assists with using the crematory. He said the process usually takes an hour-and-a-half to three hours. After the process is finished a broom-like tool sweeps the ashes into a drawer in the back of the machine for collection.
John Murphy said the process is clean and odorless.
Although many people are opting for convenience in funerals, John Murphy said baby boomers in particular request more personalized services. It's not uncommon for lawn tractors or Harley-Davidson motorcycles to pull into the funeral home for display during a service. Daley, Murphy, Wisch and Associates also customizes photo DVDs of loved ones.
Louis Paul Murphy purchased the Daley Funeral Home in 1960. Former owner Ed Daley had purchased his funeral home in 1922.
By Hillary Wundrow
Daily News staff writer
Those at Daley, Murphy, Wisch and Associates Funeral Home, 2355 Cranston Road, are all fired up about their newest acquisition. The funeral home became home to Rock County's first crematory in November.
“This way a loved one continues to stay in our dignified care from start to finish,” said Jerry Murphy, owner and funeral director.
Cremation is increasing, according to business manager John Murphy. In 1990 cremations accounted for 10 percent of business and today it accounts for 33 percent of funerals.
“Statistics show by the year 2025, between 45 and 50 percent of families will choose cremation over traditional burial,” John Murphy said.
Getting the crematory in the funeral home was no easy task. It took about five hours for a crane to lift the five ton oven off a semi-truck. The funeral directors realized the importance of having a special room for the machine after a family with a different faith requested to be present during the cremation.
Each family has their own reasons for using cremation. Often times families find the memorial type atmosphere more comforting than a traditional service with a burial.
“Cremation goes back to the late 1800s and 1900s in many parts of the country. Basically in the United States cremation was not as popular as traditional burial until the 1970s and 1980s where it started to increase in certain areas of the country,” said John Murphy.
Often more cost effective, cremation can be more convenient for families with relatives living far away from each other. Once the loved one is cremated, the family can have more time to schedule and plan a memorial service.
“In my experience people have a lot of reasons why. Primarily it's a matter of convenience. We live in a fast-paced society. Parents today select cremation so it will help their children have time,” Jerry Murphy said.
While a traditional service will be held right away and span four to five days, a cremation and memorial service could take place months later.
“It's not uncommon. For one out of every 10 cremations we might wait three, four or five months,” Jerry Murphy said. “That's why some people are choosing cremation. It's mainly for families that have moved outside the Beloit area. We have a lot of memorial services around holidays because that is when families tend to get together.”
Although many people are opting to use cremation, more than 50 percent using it have a traditional service with cremation taking place afterwards.
Although cremation can be less expensive than burial, the price of urns can be more than caskets depending on their style. The Murphys said 15 percent of families do not bury cremation remains in a cemetery. They may opt to keep them in an urn at home or disperse them at another location.
While the funeral home used to send the cremations to Milton Lawns Memorial Garden Cemetery, the Murphys can now perform cremations in house. Although the Murphys were pleased with their relationship with Milton Lawns, Jerry Murphy said it's important for the industry to make sure cremations are dignified.
“There are few state and federal laws as to how a crematory is regulated. Some crematories don't use tracking techniques,” Jerry Murphy said. “The industry needs to be regulated throughout the country, even if it causes us a hardship.”
Daley, Murphy, Wisch makes sure each cremation has a metal identification tag.
“There is one number for every person and it will never be duplicated,” said Tim Gentry, service assistant.
Gentry often assists with using the crematory. He said the process usually takes an hour-and-a-half to three hours. After the process is finished a broom-like tool sweeps the ashes into a drawer in the back of the machine for collection.
John Murphy said the process is clean and odorless.
Although many people are opting for convenience in funerals, John Murphy said baby boomers in particular request more personalized services. It's not uncommon for lawn tractors or Harley-Davidson motorcycles to pull into the funeral home for display during a service. Daley, Murphy, Wisch and Associates also customizes photo DVDs of loved ones.
Louis Paul Murphy purchased the Daley Funeral Home in 1960. Former owner Ed Daley had purchased his funeral home in 1922.
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