Common Questions:
What kind of people are Neptune Society members?
The membership of the Neptune Society of Northern California is a broad and diverse group. People from many different walks of life; different faiths and philosophies; different ethnic backgrounds and lifestyles have joined Neptune Society of Northern California for the simple purpose of letting loved ones know that when their time comes, their choice is cremation.
What motivates someone to choose cremation?
Many members have expressed environmental concerns as a motivation for their choice, using phrases such as “I want to become part of the earth,” “I want to be scattered in a place I love” and “burial is wasteful – we’re running out of land.” Many others see conventional embalming and burial as unnatural and are drawn to the finality and simplicity of cremation. Whatever your reason for choosing cremation, the Neptune Society of Northern California is proud to support you in your decision and to help you make plans for your wishes to be realized.
Why Choose Neptune?
- Cremation is our main business – not a side line.
- We own and operate our own crematories.
- All of our convenient Northern California locations ensure a swift response, day or night.
- Our complete range of services allows you to customize services to match your personality – from the most basic memorial to the most elaborate.
- We offer unique options such as scattering at sea, or interment in the beautiful and historic Neptune Society Columbarium in San Francisco, the last final resting place in the city of San Francisco open to people of all faiths.
- Services tailored and customized to meet individual needs.
What are the advantages of Membership?
- A written plan provides certainty that your wishes will be known and honored.
- Planning relieves those you love most from the responsibility of making arrangements for you at a time when their bereavement is most acute.
- Your plans are kept on file with us so that they’ll be easy to find.
- We maintain the information required to file a death certificate for you.
- Your membership documents give us the legal authority to perform services as you have instructed.
- We provide you with a membership card for your wallet to ensure that there is no confusion regarding your desire to be cremated.
- A single phone call to our 24-hour phone number (800) 445-3551 puts your plan into action.
- Membership gives you the opportunity to prefund your arrangements to lock-in guaranteed costs at today’s prices and relieve loved ones of a financial burden.
What kind of services does Neptune provide?
As a member of the Neptune Society, we can provide you with a unique range of services that will be consistent with your choice to be cremated. From the most basic memorial to the most elaborate, only Neptune can offer the options you prefer including scattering at sea from our private yacht, the Naiad, or interment in the beautiful and historic Neptune Columbarium, the last final resting place in the city of San Francisco without a religious affiliation.
Why is it important to have a memorial service?
A memorial service or gathering provides friends and families with a chance to share memories and support each other as the healing process begins. Noted psychologists suggest that a memorial service, secular or sacred, provides a significant benefit for friends and family by providing a ritual "closure" that helps survivors recognize the reality of death and adjust to their loss.
What are the steps between notice of death and cremation?
In the event of death, loved ones call us toll-free at (800) 445-3551. We coordinate with the attending physician or medical examiner to secure a complete signed death certificate before cremation takes place. We then contact the appropriate authorities to obtain the permits necessary for cremation. If the deceased is a Neptune Society of Northern California member their wishes for cremation are on file. For non-members, we must obtain authorization to cremate from next of kin or someone with the legal right to authorize cremation. When a death has been established, a single call placed to our toll-free number (800) 445-3551 sets the plan in motion. We provide swift, professional response 24 hours of every day. We gather basic information on the phone. The deceased will be respectfully transported to our nearest location. We then contact their designated next of kin to schedule a convenient time and office location for them to complete the final arrangements. During the arrangement meeting we will assist family members and loved ones with the completion of services selected. If pre-arrangements do not exist, our counselors will provide information so that families are able to make informed decisions and choices that honor their loved one. We will prepare necessary information, obtain physician signatures, and file the death certificate with the Department of Health. If the family wishes to have a viewing or funeral service, it will be scheduled at this time. The cremation will be performed at one of our own crematories. The cremation is performed after the legal requirements are met but usually seven to ten days after a death. The cremated remains will then be placed into an urn and the selected disposition completed.
Are special cremation containers and caskets available?
Neptune Society of Northern California offers caskets, urns and alternative containers to accommodate a broad range of tastes. When you contact us, one of our caring and professional counselors will be available to discuss selection options with you.
Are the services held before or after cremation?
The timing of services is determined by the family or written instructions left by the deceased. Those who choose to have a memorial service after cremation often do so in connection with a sea-scattering of the cremated remains from our yacht the “Naiad” or at the Columbarium prior to inurnment (the placement of the urn in a niche).
What happens to the cremated remains?
Cremation creates many options to consider. Remains may be buried in a cemetery (“interred”), placed in a niche in a columbarium (“inurned”), stored and displayed at home in an urn or scattered at sea or on land in a place special to the deceased. Restrictions on scattering remains must be reviewed and permission must be granted for dissemination of remains on both public and private property.
When a death occurs, what should the family do?
In the event of a death after you have contacted the proper authorities; please contact the Neptune Society of Northern California toll-free at (800) 445-3551. We are prepared to respond to your call 24 hours of every day. Once you contact us we will make the necessary arrangements and notifications to take the deceased into our care. You are under our professional care every step of the way.
How much does a Neptune Society of Northern California service and membership cost?
A Neptune Society of Northern California service is available for a just a fraction of the average price of a traditional funeral and burial service. Naturally, the price of any funeral varies depending on the type of services and merchandise selected.
Neptune membership is only $30. Your membership fee is an extraordinary value since you are immediately eligible to take advantage of the full range of Neptune advantages which include:
- Certainty. We help you develop a written plan that provides certainty that your wishes will be known and honored and relieves those you love most from the responsibility of making arrangements for you at a time when their bereavement is most acute.
- Inclusion in our plan archive. Your plans are kept on file with us so that loved ones don’t need to struggle to find them.
- Assistance with legal requirements. We maintain the information required to file a death certificate for you so that loved ones don’t need to search for information during their time of grief.
- Pre-authorization. Your membership documents give us the legal authority to perform services as you have instructed. You have absolute certainty that your wishes will be followed. No one can second guess your decision.
- Identification. We provide you with a membership card for your wallet to ensure at the time of your death there is no confusion regarding your desire to be cremated.
- Convenience. A single phone call to our 24-hour phone number (800) 445-3551 puts your plan into action to make things easier for loved ones.
- Opportunity. Membership gives you the opportunity to prefund your arrangements to lock-in guaranteed costs at today’s prices to beat inflation and relieve loved ones of a financial burden.
Can I prearrange my service?
Prearrangement and prepayment are very popular options. Prearranging gives you a chance to make sure that your service matches your preferences. It also gives you the peace of mind that comes with knowing everything has been taken care of and that your family won’t have to cope with a big emotional and financial burden. Making arrangements in advance also locks in today’s prices for service so you don’t need to worry about inflation. There are many ways to prearrange and prepay, and one of our experienced staff would be happy to help you explore options, value and most critically, superior service.
How do I know the cremated remains I receive are those of my loved one?
Positive identification of the deceased is verified throughout each stage of the cremation process. Over thirty years ago, we pioneered the use of a stainless steel identification tag system. The tag bears a one-of-a-kind alphanumeric sequence, and accompanies the deceased throughout the entire time they are in our care. The identification system, together with our individual documentation for each cremation, constitutes the best guarantee of positive identification that any funeral or cremation provider could give.
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