Casket Lowering in a Conventional Cemetery Burial 

Did two myself back to back a month ago

That means you have a heart. It would be very difficult for me to do that as well.

Seems like those being smaller, they would be easier.

😢. Espero que você fique bem! 🫂 desde São Paulo city/BR

Oh, I am so sorry to hear that. My condolences.

I am sorry to hear that. It's a lonely feeling, but you will be ok

6 ft I think

I think the 6 foot standard was established before burial vaults so animals could not dig up the remains.

That's also why I'm afraid of being buried. Also I would prefer if my family wanted to visit me they don't have to go in public do it.

I’m gonna get cremated and probably have my urn buried at a cemetery

No the vault bottom that was put in the grave that they didn't show, has ribs formed in the bottom that raise the casket just enough to pull the straps out.

There are a wide range of options for funerals and memorial services, based on the deceased and the family's preferences, religion (or lack thereof), disposition method, etc. You might want to check out my book, A Good Goodbye: Funeral Planning for Those Who Don't Plan to Die, which covers many of your questions.

It doesn't always happen like that. When the casket containing my mom's remains(which also contained my dad's ashes), we stayed until the casket was lowered and it looked exactly like this.

If Something goes wrong:)

Thats the fun part.

Sometimes it can be a not-so-pretty process like if the hole was dug in a bad spot. Maybe that spot is wet, lots of rock, caving in etc. maybe the casket goes in cockeyed and one of the guys goes “hey jerk if toward the left a little” and you hear a loud thud. Just not the prettiest look when paying for a premium funeral. Deaths aren’t cheap, and most funeral homes cemeteries etc often try to sell a luxury appeal. The lowering wouldn’t necessarily fit that appeal. Death is supposed to be a gentle and delicate time, and lowering the body could be not pleasant especially with how rough it’s handled, which is inevitable. It also gives us more privacy when doing our job which helps with concentration. We’re not heartless, I promise that. Imagine if you had an extremely upset and grieving family watching you while you worked. That kind of pressure could potentially lead to someone screwing up. It all really just comes down to a safety thing

Equipment most time are old the maintenance is not up to date so to prevent the casket from falling and strap’s giving away the just wait for everyone to leave

The vault or liner helps hold up the earth as the casket and body decompose. It prevents graves from sinking or collapsing over time, keeping an even surface in the cemetery grounds.

@@GailRubin Oh wow

@@GailRubinHow long have they been using burial vaults? I’m guessing about 70 years.

@@johnblaesel5493 They've been in use a lot longer than that.

Each bar rolls up some of the slack on each side. The bars are already several feet apart from each other.

Actually they don’t necessarily bury people 6 feet down anymore because they put the casket in a burial vault. It could be shallower. The 6 foot standard was established before vaults so coyotes or dogs or bears, etc. could not dig up the remains.

@@Lugh444you’d still need six feet on each side if the casket is lowered a full six feet.

❤❤❤❤❤

@@johnblaesel5493 Thanks for sharing this information .

The green carpet covers the dirt that was excavated from the grave. Once the funeral attendees leave, the workers remove the carpet and replace the earth.

Astetic just to cover the dirt so you don't see it. Plainly just for looks and keep your shoes clean.

Sumple to hide the ugly dirt from people DA

That's a great question - I didn't see an electrical connection. Not sure - will try to find out.

The poles turn, unraveling the support therefore lowering the casket into the grave

It can either be lowered by a hand crank or the self lowering mode. I think the self lowering mode is used when the casket is on the straps and the worker flips the switch to unlock the moving parts and the weight of the casket pushes the straps causing the poles to turn and allow the straps to go lower until the casket reaches the bottom

I bet if they pulled the trigger more, the casket would go faster. I lost my great uncle recently and went to his funeral and looked closely at the machine that lowered him to the ground and there was a small trigger on the end that unlocked the machine. His casket lowered fast. That casket in that video either moved slowly because the machine triggered wasn’t pulled enough, or it was pulled enough but the casket weight wasn’t that high causing the machine to lower the casket more slowly.

And if a family member or friend of yours was in the casket, just wanted to say I’m sorry for your loss. I get the feeling. Like I said I lost my great uncle who was like a second grandfather to me and always said that I was his main man. I was very close to him and I will miss him like heck. 2022, 2021, and 2020 were not the greatest years for me. 2020 was the worst for the world. But if that was a person close to you, that person would want you to stay strong in the tough times and keep going on, doing the right thing. That’s what my great uncle would want for me. I’m just trying to say that I am sorry for your loss.

Yes, there are lots of caskets these days. Not sure I understand the question.

@@GailRubin It's the right question

@@thomastrainsmore2010What do u mean “Do they have caskets in 2023”? Of course they do. Cremations and urns are becoming more popular but caskets and wakes will never go completely out of style.

Yes the one pictured looks like the ones manufactured at Angola prison in Louisiana. If you don't believe me look up caskets made at Angola

@@paulroy9148 Jewish burials tend to use plain caskets, which will return to the earth.

Actually, this is in a Jewish section of a memorial park. The tradition is to leave a stone rather than flowers.

@@GailRubin I realized from the star in the casket/coffin.