Dignity Memorial Review 2023: The Best Funeral Provider?

Making the final arrangements for your loved one is an important and emotional decision.

Having the backing of a cremation provider that will help you make the hard choices with a sense of professionalism and care is crucial to the entire experience.

Dignity Memorial is one of the largest funeral planning networks in the United States and Canada and they claim to offer the best services when you are dealing with the final arrangements of your loved ones.

Below we review Dignity Memorial, its services, reputation, and decide whether it’s a good option

About The Company

Dignity Memorial is the largest funeral service provider in North America, providing services for the funeral, cremation, and cemetery in the most unique way possible.

They have professionals around the country that can help you plan the perfect service for your loved one based on their final wishes or any special touches you want to include to remember your loved one upon their passing.

They offer both immediate planning services as well as pre-planned services that help you plan for yourself or a loved one upon their passing.

Dignity Memorial Locations

Dignity Memorial currently has around 2,000 locations throughout the United States and they operate in funeral homes, cremation facilities, and cemeteries. You can click here to find the facility closes to you and your loved ones.

Funeral Planning

Dignity Memorial makes planning a funeral easier than ever.

Their funeral planning professionals work with you on every detail to make the event memorable and unique for your loved one. Whether you want a simple service or want elaborate details, they help you through each step of the process.

You can make the funeral services as small or grand as you wish. A few ways others have incorporated special touches in their services include:

Using their loved one’s heritage or passions in the service

This could include things like special music pertaining to the loved one’s life or having special food at the service that commemorates the special time in their loved one’s life.

It could also mean having a specific theme at the service or certain colors.

Special pictures or mementos

Many people want certain items included in their loved one’s casket or at the ceremony itself.

It could be a small memento such as a golf ball or book or something large that is the focal point of the room.

The Dignity Memorial professionals work hard to help every person that walks through their door plan a funeral that is unique to their needs.

They have helped people all over the country plan funerals with themes, honor special cultures, have special music, and even have special traditions.

No detail is too large or small for Dignity Memorial professionals to help you with when planning funeral services.

Cremation Services

If your loved one prefers to be cremated, Dignity Memorial will work with you to put together cremation services plans that memorialize your loved one.

There are no ‘rules’ per se when planning a cremation service. Dignity Memorial offers the option to:

  • Have a service before your loved one is cremated
  • Have a service right in the crematorium
  • Have a special memorial service after the cremation

Direct Cremation

If you’re looking for a low-cost way to memorialize your loved one, direct cremation is your best option.

The largest difference is that there isn’t a memorial service involved in the process. Instead, the Dignity Memorial crematorium will pick up the body and bring it to the crematorium.

The crematorium handles all of the paperwork for you. Once they do the cremation process, you can pick the ashes up or request that the crematorium send them to a specific location based on your loved one’s wishes.

A direct cremation is much less expensive than a traditional service because it doesn’t include:

  • Memorial service costs
  • The cost of a casket
  • The cost of paying for the room for viewing of the body
  • The cost of preparing the body for viewing
  • The cost of a place to bury the body and/or ashes (unless you decide to do so)

Traditional Service

If you prefer a traditional service, Dignity Memorial offers this service as well. The service itself can look however you see fit – their professionals will work with you on all aspects of the service.

In a traditional cremation service, there is typically a viewing of the body prior to cremation.

You’ll need to pay for or hire a casket, and also the traditional embalming services to prepare the body for viewing.

After the viewing, the cremation takes place and you can decide whether you want a memorial service or private ceremony.

Customizing A Funeral Service

Dignity Memorial offers a variety of ways to customize a funeral or memorial service.

Each service that they put together is unique to the individual. A few common areas that they work with clients on include:

Music

Whether you prefer traditional funeral music or you have something in mind that is special for your loved one, Dignity Memorial will work with you.

Oftentimes clients bring a list of their loved one’s favorite songs that they would like played at the service. They can even have live musicians play the songs at the service.

Mementos

Each of Dignity Memorial’s facilities are gorgeous, but if you want to personalize the area to make it special for your loved one, they will work with you to do this.

Think of your loved one’s passions, hobbies, favorite things and how you could implement décor and mementos to make it even more special for them.

Whether you put your loved one’s prized possessions on display or you put small mementos in the casket with him/her, the professionals at Dignity Memorial will help.

Flowers

Flowers are common at funeral and memorial services, but you don’t have to stick to the standard funeral flowers.

Think of your loved one’s favorite flowers and greenery. How do you want them displayed? Do you have special vases or containers that would memorialize your loved one even more?

Dignity Memorial lets you customize each detail of the service to make it special.

Attire

It’s okay to ask your guests to wear a specific color or theme to the funeral service. Dignity Memorial can include the request in the online obituary so that everyone knows the theme or desires of the closest family.

Catering

Food is the language of love, especially during a hard time such as a funeral. .

The professionals at Dignity Memorial will help you choose the menu and style that will best memorialize your loved one. They’ve done everything from serving appetizers to a buffet or a full sit-down meal.

Special Events

Are there special events in your loved one’s life that you want remembered at the services?

Whether it’s a small touch to the casket, a specific song played, or the entire theme of the service will be centered around the event, Dignity Memorial professionals will help you make your idea come to life.

Choosing a Casket

The Dignity Memorial professionals will work with you closely to help you choose a casket that is appropriate and within your budget.

They provide education on the caskets online so that you can know ahead of time what to expect, but they’ll also walk you through the process ensuring that you are happy with your decision and don’t feel rushed.

Burial Services

Dignity Memorial is a part of a large network of cemeteries throughout the United States and Canada. Each cemetery is non-denominational, making it perfect for people from any background or religion.

They offer cemetery properties for in-ground burials, mausoleums, cremation gardens, and Columbarium Niches.

Pre-Paid Funerals

A unique option each funeral home in the Dignity Memorial network offers is pre-paid funerals.

When you pre-arrange your final arrangements, you take the burden off your loved ones as they grieve the loss.

It also helps with the financial burden of financial arrangements, when you pay for the services ahead of time.

Dignity Memorial offers a variety of options for prepaid funerals. You can pay for just the funeral services themselves or include the cost of the casket, burial, and cemetery plot.

You can manage just the financial component or you can set up every detail of your funeral, taking the entire burden off your loved ones upon your passing.

Celebration Of Life

Dignity Memorial professionals specialize in celebrating your loved one’s life story in a way that will provide you and your family with years of memories and spiritual fulfillment.

They oversee every small detail in the process so that you feel you gave your loved on the most amazing send-off possible.

Costs

Funerals today within the Dignity Memorial network cost anywhere from $7,000 to $12,000 and up for a traditional burial.

Traditional cremation services with a funeral are between $6,000 and $7,000, but the cost of either can be greatly increased based on the chosen factors.

Some of the most common fees to watch out for include:

  • Transporting the body to the funeral home or crematorium
  • Preparing the body for viewing (Embalming)
  • Funeral director fees
  • The cremation process (if applicable)
  • Visitation costs and costs for the service itself
  • Cost of the casket
  • Cost of cremation urns
  • Cost of the burial site

Customer Reviews

Customers love Dignity Memorial’s professionalism, attention to detail, and caring demeanor during the tough time of losing a loved one.

There are some unhappy clients that were unhappy with specific locations, but that comes with any business and territory, especially when you’re dealing with something as personal as funeral and cremation services.

Overall, the ratings for Dignity Memorial are good, giving people a loving experience when saying goodbye to their loved one.

Other Cremation Providers

Neptune Society

The Neptune Society is the largest cremation provider in North America. In business since 1973, they have 45 locations and their overall reviews are great, helping people through a difficult time in their lives while providing professional cremation services.

National Cremation Society

The National Cremation Society is the oldest cremation provider in the US. They have locations in just about every state as well as in Canada. They are a full-service cremation provider, helping you have the best services for your loved one upon his/her passing.

Smart Cremation

Smart Cremation is located in the western states and has been in business for more than 20 years. They offer a variety of cremation services and have outstanding reviews from past clients who claim they offer a professional and caring experience.

Get a Quote

Whether you have an immediate need for funeral services or you’re thinking of pre-planning and prepaying for your own final arrangements, you can get a free quote from Dignity Memorial by calling 630-653-7666. You can also email your request by completing the form on this page.

Should You Choose Dignity Memorial?

Planning your loved one’s final arrangements is an overwhelming process. Not only do you have to think of all of your loved one’s favorite things and honor his/her final wishes, but you have to manage the financial aspect of the process too.

Dignity Memorial does a nice job helping you through the process and with their 2,000 funeral home network, there are services in just about all areas of the country to help you make your loved one’s final arrangements something unique, special, and something everyone will remember for many years to come.

2 Comments

  1. Judy Angell November 13, 2021
    • Kar April 10, 2022

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