Designing a Roadmap for the Business of Cremation

4/22/2026

In 1980, my brother and I were joining my father in our family traditional funeral business in South Minneapolis. Like many funeral home families, we lived in the apartment upstairs. upstairs.

We were a small funeral home in comparison to the competition in our city. The first time we even served more than 100 families a year was in 1976. The cremation rate in the early 80s was under 6% of all deaths.

In Minnesota, we did not have anyone to learn from or copy what they did. Knowing we needed to meet people who were in this type of business, we joined CANA, where we not only learned about some of the processes itself but were able to meet a lot of people involved in the business.

East Coast

Every year in January, my brother Mark and I would meet up with Jerry Sullivan (CANA Past President and president and owner of the Cremation Society of Illinois who died in February) in a different area of the country where there were more cremations taking place than in our own market area. We went to the west and east coasts, where the cremation rate was higher than ours to learn what they were doing there.

When we arrived in Florida, we went to National Cremation Society to meet up with Les Dyer, a CANA past president. Les introduced us to the manager of the location and explained how they served families. This was just after the National Cremation Society was purchased by Service Corporation International.

West Coast

When we went to California, we visited the Telophase Society of Southern California. Before going, we had several conservations with Tom Weber, the founder of Telophase. Tom was very open with us, offering to help with any questions that we had about how he started the business and the difficulty he had when his own father had died, including the problems he ran into getting his father cremated. It was interesting to hear Tom's stories about fighting traditional funeral homes and getting licenses for his business when he was first starting. Some of the ideas Tom shared with us are still in use today.

Heading up the California coast, we toured Neptune Society of Northern California in San Francisco. It was owned and operated at the time by Richard Johngorden. The interesting concept that Richard had was to provide a boat that families could travel on to scatter the ashes in the ocean. State regulators required him to go three miles off shore to scatter. Although he had a large business, Richard did not offer any extra items for sale to these families. There were no register books or cards or anything to help with a service.

The one thing we had that the businesses we visited did not was a chapel for services. The people we visited with did not like the idea of working out of a funeral home. They all had store fronts with only offices.

Homegrown Growth

In 1982, we installed our first crematory in our chapel. Being the first to install a crematory in the city was no problem at the time. However, shortly after we put ours in, the city changed the ordinance to restrict crematory installation to either cemetery or industrial locations.

Over the years we experienced steady growth. When we sold the business to Foundation Partners in June of 2017, we had grown to five locations, all with chapels to serve families. We had crematories at three facilities, with one remote location for our overload cases, and a total of eight retorts for us to use.

In those forty years, we grew the business to 5,500 families served a year. Our growth was consistent year-over-year, with a large prearrangement base.

This would not have been as successful as it was without a great group of people working with us. Also a lot of advertising in Minnesota. The goal was to have Cremation Society of
Minnesota be the name people thought of when choosing cremation.

CANA Past President and cremation pioneer Kevin Waterston shares a look back at the development of his ground-breaking cremation business. The 150th anniversary of modern cremation is a chance for all of us to reflect on where we've come from and where we're headed. You're invited to share your own reflections and you might see your story in a CANA publication!

Looking for a trip with innovative ideas and inspirational colleagues? CANA's 108th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention heads to Minneapolis this August 12-14, 2026, welcoming cremation professionals from across the continent and hosting inspiring speakers, innovative suppliers — and even a tour of local facilities! See what we have planned and register today for CANA's 108th Convention.

This post originally featured in Volume 62, Issue 1 of The Cremationist, CANA's members-only magazine. Not a member yet? Your firm can become a CANA member for just $539 to access all that CANA has to offer. Learn more and join today!

Kevin Waterston is a lifelong resident of Minneapolis, Minnesota. He attended the University of Minnesota Department of Mortuary Science and lived above the family funeral home until he was 21 years old. Along with his brother, Mark, he founded the Cremation Society of Minnesota in the early 80s, which they sold to Foundation Partners Group in June of 2017. Kevin is a past president of CANA. He currently serves on the advisory board of Worsham College of Mortuary Science in Chicago. Kevin is also on the Community Advisory Board of Foundation Partners Group.

Value: Driving Cremation Choice

4/8/2026

When modern cremation was introduced 150 years ago, it was seen as a sanitary innovation — a cleaner, more dignified alternative to the slow decomposition people were accustomed to. Early advocates spoke of purification by flame, emphasizing health, hygiene, and progress.

As the practice took hold, its meaning shifted. The Memorial Idea emerged, and cremation became intertwined with artistry and remembrance. Cremated remains were placed in beautifully crafted urns, displayed in glass‑front niches, and housed in columbaria designed to inspire awe and reflection. Cremation wasn’t just a method of disposition; it was a way to honor a life with intention and beauty.

Over time, as cremation gained popularity, it also became more standardized. Arrangements moved out of cemeteries and into funeral homes, making it more accessible to both families and professionals. Government regulation introduced the term “direct cremation,” reinforcing a perception of simplicity — even when families’ needs were anything but simple.

From there, price became the dominant narrative. But the truth is far more nuanced. While cost plays a role for some families, many choose cremation for reasons that have nothing to do with affordability. They’re guided by practicality, by personal values, by a desire for flexibility, by the wish to gather in spaces that feel right to them, or by experiences like living funerals that shift the timeline of ceremony.

Price matters — but not always in the way we assume

For some families, the financial constraint is real and immediate. They simply cannot exceed a certain budget, and direct cremation with no services becomes the only viable option. That reality deserves respect and sensitivity.

But for many others, the decision isn’t about affordability — it’s about alignment. They have the means to choose something else, but they want to spend their money in ways that feel meaningful to them.

A family might skip a newspaper obituary or a floral spray not because they can’t afford it, but because they’d rather invest in catering for a gathering. They’re not rejecting ceremony; they’re redefining what matters most.

Value is the real driver

Consumers don’t always seek the lowest price. They seek the highest value — the choice that feels right, reflects their priorities, and gives them confidence in their decision.

This is especially true for women, who drive the majority of purchasing decisions. Research consistently shows that women gravitate toward brands that are practical, trustworthy, and make life simpler. They will pay more for services that help them care for their families and feel supported.

In this context, cremation isn’t a “budget choice.” It’s a values-based choice.

Families are redefining where and how they gather

Consumers seek memorable and personal ways to honor their loved ones. With the advent of the Celebrant movement, families are interested in personalizing how they come together to remember, memorialize, and celebrate their dead.

Another shift shaping cremation decisions is the growing number of venues offering memorial experiences outside the funeral home. Hotels, event spaces, and even long-term care facilities now provide celebration-of-life packages, catering options, and modern, flexible spaces.

Families who choose these venues aren’t necessarily looking for a lower price. If a venue offers what they want — and the funeral home doesn’t — families will follow the value. They’re looking for an ambience that matches their sentiments, functional space that meets their needs, catering that serves their palettes, and those other personal touches that elevate a service to an experience that honors their loved one.

Families aren’t opting out of ceremony. They’re choosing ceremony on their own terms.

Every family’s “why” is different

Cremation is not a single decision with a single cause. It’s a reflection of:

personal values
cultural shifts
emotional needs
logistical realities
and yes, sometimes cost

But above all, it’s a reflection of how people want to honor a life.

When we approach cremation with curiosity instead of assumptions, we open the door to deeper conversations — ones that help families feel seen, supported, and confident in their choices.

Cremation has never had just one meaning. It has been a sanitary solution, a memorial movement, a practical option, a cultural shift, and a deeply personal choice. Understanding that complexity — and listening closely to what families are really seeking — helps us serve with greater empathy, clarity, and confidence.

If this resonates…

The Cremation Choice course from CANA begins with a simple but powerful learning objective: explain at least six reasons why people choose cremation. Because when you understand the “why,” everything else — your conversations, your recommendations, your service options — becomes more meaningful and more effective.

It’s a foundational part of the CANA-Certified Cremation Specialist (CCS) program for that reason. Created for practitioners who view funeral service as both a profession and a calling, CCS moves beyond procedures and compliance to focus on the human elements that shape families’ experiences. The program helps professionals strengthen how they listen, how they communicate, and how they guide families choosing cremation with clarity and compassion.

Registration is open now through July 31. Learn more and enroll today.

The Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is the only association dedicated exclusively to cremation. We meet where every aspect of this diverse profession intersects, representing cemeteries, funeral homes, crematories, industry suppliers, schools, students, and consultants among our more than 3,700 members. Since our founding in 1913, we’ve championed cremation as preparation for meaningful memorialization and supported professionals across every corner of this diverse field.

Designing a Roadmap for the Business of Cremation

East Coast

West Coast

Homegrown Growth

Value: Driving Cremation Choice

Price matters — but not always in the way we assume

Value is the real driver

Families are redefining where and how they gather

Every family’s “why” is different

The Cremation Logs Blog

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