By Alyssa Schnugg
News editor
alyssa.schnugg@hottytoddy.com
Garden of Memories Oxford is giving families the opportunity to secure a free, final resting place for their cremated loved ones.
A free Cremains Preservation Ceremony will be held at 11 a.m. on Oct. 1 at Garden of Memories.
“We want to give families the peace of mind that their loved one will always be secure,” said Matthew Malone, director of Cemetery Services at Garden of Memories Oxford.
The service, beginning with opening remarks from Malone, will give each family a chance to properly memorialize their loved one. During the service, all cremated remains will be placed on a table at the front of the gathering pavilion.
The cremains will be buried shortly after the ceremony.
Once the service is concluded, all cremated remains will be placed at the Garden of Memories Oxford office until burial.
All urns or containers will be placed into an outer burial container before burial in the Everlasting Garden at Garden of Memories. A granite monument will be placed at the gravesite containing the names of each of the deceased.
Although many people keep the ashes of a loved one for sentimental value, Malone says as ashes are passed down through generations, permanent memorialization can become a
concern.
“As families move from home to home and generations pass, the ashes of a loved can be forgotten,” Malone said. “This event gives the Oxford community a chance to find their cremated loved one a more permanent final resting place.”
Garden of Memories Oxford is located just north of Oxford off of Highway 7, next to The Orchard church.
Ashes will not be accepted by cemetery staff before or after this event.
For more information, visit www.gardenofmemoriesoxford.org, or call 662-234-1323.
