Page 11 - Trending Magazine 2018 Spring

Trans_Funerals_Layout 1 18-03-16 12:24 PM Page 4

number of cremations has gradually increased since One funeral that stands out is the 2015 service of
then. Vince Crisanti, the long-time owner of Cellular
“There’s no downturn in that curve,” he said. “It just Communications Plus Ltd. in Brandon.
keeps on going up.” Pictures were blown-up onto card stock, several feet
Cemeteries are responding by adding columbariums, a in length. They looked like posters.
structure for placing cinerary urns. The City of Brandon Crisanti’s wife Marci didn’t expect the pictures to be
has them at their municipal cemetery. Rosewood that large.
Memorial Gardens, St. Matthew’s Cathedral and “When you started down the aisle of the church and
Central United Church have columbariums as well. you looked up, it just took your breath, but it took your
Late last year Souris’ cemetery made room for 96 urns breath away in a good way,” she said. “It was just like he
above ground. was there.”
“We’ve had individuals ask about it, and we’ve also Though Vince battled cancer for four and a half years,
noticed it’s becoming a growing trend,” said Lisa Greig, his wife said they didn’t talk about his funeral until his
secretary-treasurer for Souris-Glenwood Cemetery last month.
Board. Other rural communities with public storage of When they did, he shared a few wishes: he wanted his
cinerary urns are Virden, Boissevain, Rapid City and family and friends to smile; he wanted his colourful ties,
Neepawa. more than 100 of them, dispersed to family and friends
In 2017, Brandon’s municipal cemetery interred just 37 after his death. Each pallbearer wore one of his ties and
casket burials, significantly lower than the 59 a pair of his silly socks.
dispositions in 2016, or the 112 counted in 1999. He had dozens of flower arrangements. One each was
In total, 22 per cent of the cemetery’s interments in stylized to his favourite sports teams (Brandon Wheat
2017 were of caskets, versus 78 per cent cremations. Kings, Toronto Maple Leafs) and past employers (MTS,
The percentage of casket burials for the rest of this Canadian Tire).
decade averaged 33 per cent of total interments. There were sections for his golf equipment and hockey
Sandy Jasper, the city’s cemetery administrator, said the sticks.
evolving nature of interments has curtailed the urgency They had his guitar, even if he wasn’t much of a
for cemetery expansion. musician. “I used to joke, because I’d say, ‘I hope the
A 2008 cemetery plan pegged the need for an
expansion in 10-15 years; a 2015 report indicated the
same time span.
There are numerous explanations: the city increased Brandon Municipal Cemetery Interment
the number of columbarium units in 1999, 2002, 2006, Statistics 2008‐2017
2011; the 2013 addition of 32 full-sized ground plots; Year Total casket vs. cremation
and the rising frequency of people being interred with
family members rather than purchasing new plots. 2017 168 22% ◊ 78%
When it’s needed, the city has 1200 Aberdeen 2016 189 31% ◊ 69%
Avenue and 900 Balmoral Avenue set aside for 2015 176 26% ◊ 74%
expansion. The firm commissioned to plan for
cemetery growth proposed the development of a 2014 207 32% ◊ 68%
Muslim burial area and room for green burials, 2013 204 36% ◊ 64%
among their recommendations. 2012 184 30% ◊ 70%
———
Mementos of a person’s life are “very common” at 2011 204 40% ◊ 60%
funerals, said Kelly Lumbard. 2010 189 34% ◊ 66%
“We really encourage them to bring things and we try 2009 182 39% ◊ 61%
to stage them in a nice way that is welcoming and really 2008 198 40% ◊ 60%
speaks to who the person is.”
Source: Sandy Jasper, City of Brandon

“It’s not a day in a lifetime,

a funeral is a lifetime in a day.”