Cremation Services
Service We Provide
At Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home, we believe cremation is more than a decision about final care, it’s a doorway to honoring a life in ways that feel meaningful to your family. Some find comfort in the familiarity of tradition. Others prefer to celebrate a life with something fresh, personal, and unique. Whichever path you choose, we are here to help you imagine and create a service that feels right.
Overview of Cremation Services
Mattingley-Gardiner Funeral Home and Cremation Services, P.A. operates our own crematory, on-site in our Leonardtown funeral home, the Mattingley-Gardiner Crematory, L.L.C. This enables us to control the entire cremation process from start to finish. Our Licensed Crematory Supervisor and all of our Licensed Crematory Operators are Maryland Licensed Morticians (Funeral Directors) who have committed their lives to the sacred trust of caring for the dead.
These individuals have all completed Mortuary College, served apprenticeships, passed state and National Board Examinations and been licensed by the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene of the State of Maryland to practice mortuary science in the State of Maryland.
The crematory staff has completed additional classwork and passed a certifying examination, in addition to receiving professional training by the crematory manufacturer and certification by the State of Maryland. Our team of professionals handles each cremation with the utmost care.
Learn about our 14 Point
Mattingley-Gardiner Cares Cremation Policy
Plan your Tribute
Choosing cremation neither eliminates nor does it require a funeral service. Traditional or contemporary services are often planned before or after the cremation process. A funeral service followed by cremation may be similar to a funeral service followed by ground burial. They can be elaborate or simple and traditional or nontraditional.
Here are some common examples of cremation services chosen most often by the families we serve in Southern Maryland. These services can be held over multiple days or can be accomplished on the same day if desired. We can tailor any of these options to meet your individual needs.
- Traditional viewing or visitation hours (with body present), followed by cremation
- Cremation followed by memorial visitation (without body) at the funeral home
- Cremation followed by a memorial service or life celebration at your church, our chapel or reception center.
- Private family goodbye, followed by cremation
- Cremation followed by burial or interment of cremains
- Simple cremation with no ceremony
- Accompany to crematory for cremation
What to Do With the Cremated Remains
Cremation services in Southern Maryland allow families many choices for memorializing a loved one. Some families choose to keep the cremated remains with them at home, inter them in a cemetery, or to scatter the remains over land or water. The Catholic Church and some other religious groups have their own guidelines about cremated remains and may limit options available to their members.
Our staff can assist you with the following memorialization options, among others, for cremated remains:
- Outdoor Niches – The cremated remains may be safely held in an above ground columbarium niches.
- Urn Garden – Many cemeteries have areas designated specifically for the interment of cremated remains.
- Family Plot – If you already own a burial plot or have space in a family plot, you may choose to inter the urn there.
- Scattering – Your loved one’s remains may be scattered in a meaningful location that can be appreciated by future generations.
There are also certain services which offer scattering among the sea or the stars. - Personalized Memorialization – Inscribe your family member’s name and a special saying on a tree plaque, park bench or other special memorial. We also have custom, unique urns and keepsakes, perfect for displaying inside your home.
- Parting Stones/Solidification – Your loved one’s remains may be compressed into stone.
Personalizing Your Experience Memorable Tribute Services
Our expert staff is here to help you plan a truly memorable Celebration of Life for your loved one. Whether you are planning a burial or cremation, we encourage you to consider our Tribute Services. These offerings will forever personalize your service.
Memory Tables and Memory Collages
Remember your loved one with a memory table display. You can include significant items from your loved one’s life, including a bicycle, golf clubs, gardening tools, hunting and fishing gear, a musical instrument, a motorcycle helmet or jacket, knitting or sewing equipment…the possibilities are endless. Display special photos, certificates, achievement awards and other significant items in a customized memory collage.
Life Tribute Memorial Videos
There is no better way to remember your loved one than with a special personalized DVD tribute. Our Life Tribute video program incorporates your family’s pictures with music into a presentation that can be played at the visitation, during the service or at the conclusion of the service. You can post the video online for family and friends around the world to see and purchase additional copies to share with generations to come.
Personalized Music
You are not limited to traditional funeral music during your loved one’s service. Customize the visitation or service with your loved one’s favorite tunes. We are happy to help your family compile special music selections to play during the services from a CD or iPod.
We can hire a wide variety of musicians, including pianists, harpists, violinists and others to play special music for your visitation or service.
Certified Celebrant
A Celebrant is a professional who is trained and certified to meet the needs of families during their time of loss. This expert can help your family create a personalized tribute service to celebrate your loved one’s unique life. You may choose to use a Celebrant alone or in conjunction with clergy. If you want an uplifting service that pays tribute to your loved one’s life or if you are not affiliated with a church, a Celebrant service may be the perfect option.
Bagpiper
The bagpipe provides a solemn, powerful song, making it the ideal instrument for funerals and memorials. For hundreds of years, people far and wide have bid farewell to their dearly departed with the music of the pipes. We can help you commemorate a loved one with this noble music tribute.
Pallbearers
Friends, relatives, church members or business associates may serve as pallbearers. Pallbearers may each wear a boutonniere, team jersey, matching tie in a special color, or other similar item or attire to honor the deceased and further personalize the service, as well as making them easily identifiable. Our Urn Arc allows families to use pallbearers even after a cremation has already taken place.
Military Honors
We can help you honor your military member or veteran with a flag presentation ceremony and other military honors, as available. We work with all branches of the military and can make all the proper arrangements easily and efficiently.
Wildflower Keepsakes
We can distribute ornaments or pouches of wildflower seeds during or after the service. Because wildflowers are perpetual, they can provide an ongoing tribute to your loved one’s life. Guests can choose to plant their wildflower seeds in a garden, planter, meadow or any other special location.
Reception
We can coordinate and arrange an off-site reception at any venue of your choosing. Whether it be a restaurant, banquet center or golf club, this gives your family and friends an opportunity to gather and reminisce after your loved one’s service.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a funeral service still possible with cremation?
Yes. Choosing cremation services in Southern Maryland does nont limit your options but rather, it expands them. You can hold a traditional service with the body present before cremation, or plan a memorial or celebration of life afterward. Services can be formal or casual, religious or non-religious, and as unique as the individual being honored.
Can we have a viewing or visitation with cremation?
Absolutely. Many families choose to have a public or private visitation before cremation. This allows loved ones the opportunity to gather, reflect, and say goodbye in a meaningful setting.
What can be done with cremated remains?
Cremated remains—often referred to as “ashes”—can be honored in many meaningful, respectful, and even creative ways, depending on your preferences, religious faith, personal beliefs, and local regulations. Common options families consider include burial or interment, keeping or displaying them at home, scattering in a meaningful location, eco-friendly memorials, and a variety of creative or symbolic tributes. One of our Cremation Specialists would be happy to discuss these options with you in more detail.
Is cremation more affordable than burial?
Cremation services in Southern Maryland are often a more cost-effective choice, especially if a traditional casket or cemetery plot is not required. We offer several affordable cremation packages, with or without memorial services, to accommodate your needs.
Do you offer eco-friendly cremation options?
Yes. We support sustainable choices, including green burials for cremated remains and biodegradable urns. If environmental impact is important to your family, we’ll help you explore thoughtful options.
How do I begin the cremation planning process?
Start by calling us at (301) 475-8500. Whether you need immediate assistance or want to plan ahead, our experienced and compassionate staff is here to guide you through every decision.
