Cremation Options: A Permanent Place for Remembrance
With cremation rates rising rapidly, it is more important than ever to ensure your loved one's memory has a dedicated, permanent place of rest. Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum offers complete cremation services—including both Traditional and Flameless Cremation—along with a wide variety of beautiful and affordable final resting places, whether in niches, burial plots, or gardens.
The Need for Memorialization
Nearly 1 in 4 American households has at least one set of cremated remains in the home. Have you considered the fate of the cremated remains on your mantle or how many sets the next generation will inherit? Leaving a permanent memorial is vital. If you do not register a final resting place, your legacy can break your family’s genealogical chain. Bellefontaine helps you provide peace of mind by giving your loved ones a place to be remembered, forever.
Comprehensive Cremation and Memorialization Solutions
Bellefontaine Cemetery and Arboretum is proud to provide Traditional Cremation, Flameless Cremation, and Green Burial services to the families we serve.
As a single, licensed provider, we can assist you with the entire process, from care of the deceased to final memorialization. Your options include:
Niches & Columbariums
Dedicated spaces for placing urns, available in the simple elegance of our historic indoor chapel or our outdoor garden setting.
In-Ground Burial
Cremated remains may be interred at any gravesite available for traditional burials across our 314 acres, often in bio-degradable urns.
Cenotaphs & Memorials
A permanent memorial established in your loved one's honor—such as a tree, boulder, or monument—even if the remains were scattered elsewhere.
Memorial Services
The Hotchkiss Chapel is available for memorial services before or after an interment, providing a beautiful space for family and friends to gather.
Traditional and Flameless Cremation Processes
As a limited licensed funeral establishment, Bellefontaine provides both cremation services on-site, offering convenience and compassionate care.
- Traditional Cremation: This is the conventional, flame-based process that results in cremated remains for inurnment or burial.
- Flameless Cremation: This innovative, water-based process accelerates the natural breakdown of the body over 10-12 hours, using 85% less energy than traditional cremation. This service offers an environmentally conscious alternative to flame, also resulting in cremated remains.
Above-Ground Niche Options
We offer two distinct columbariums for those who prefer above-ground placement in niches, both suitable for more than one set of cremated remains:
Hotchkiss Chapel Columbarium
Located inside our historic chapel, this elegant room offers indoor comfort and features wood and glass-front niches.
Lakeside Plaza Columbarium
This outdoor setting is nestled between Cascade and Cypress Lakes in Wildwood Valley Gardens, featuring niches in limestone walls overlooking a fountain and stream.
In-Ground Cremation Garden Options
Our cremation gardens offer unique, serene, and customizable final resting places:
Common Questions & Funeral Planning
As a limited licensed funeral establishment since 2015, Bellefontaine Cemetery is uniquely positioned to manage every aspect of the Aquamation process and subsequent memorial services.
Yes. It mimics the same process that occurs during natural decomposition in the ground, only accelerated.
No. It uses no harsh heat or open flame, and the total carbon footprint is drastically reduced compared to flame-based cremation.
Similar to traditional cremation, the end result is the return of the cremated remains. Because no fire is involved, the cremated remains from Flameless Cremation are often whiter and more abundant than those from a flame-based process.
Yes. Traditional visitation or funeral services are possible prior to the Flameless Cremation by utilizing standard preparation and a rental casket. Once the process is complete—typically within one week—the cremated remains are ready for burial, niche placement, or return to the family.