Pine Boxes & Backyard Burials | 4M #172

Welcome to the hundred-and-seventy-second edition of Morticians’ Monday Morning Mashup, 4M #172, where we’ll serve up bite-sized, easily-digestible nuggets of the deathcare news you need to crush conversations in the week ahead. Bon appetit!

Buried in the backyard?

A Washington state lawmaker is hoping that the latest revision of his bill will pass, allowing residents to bury loved ones on their own private property. But before you imagine folks digging a hole for grandma in their vegetable gardens, you should know that the law would include thoughtful parameters that would ultimately prevent burials in small lots (like residential subdivisions), commercial sale of plots and more. The bill was inspired by the burial traditions of local Native American tribes — some of whom, the lawmaker says, are resorting to burying their loved ones on their private properties without legal approval until the law changes.

Steal this idea!

An Ohio funeral home is among several who are providing community members the opportunity to pay their respects to the late former President Jimmy Carter without making the trip to Washington, DC. Staton-Borowski Funeral Home in Warren, Ohio has set up a memorial to Carter, complete with a photo, the presidential seal, memorial cards, and a guestbook, which will be mailed to the Jimmy Carter Presidential Library.

Veterans showing interest

A few weeks ago the Department of Veterans Affairs announced the creation of dedicated green burial spaces at three of its national cemeteries. The opportunity to be buried in a national cemetery, but still enjoy the environmental and economical benefits of natural burial, is already gaining traction with veterans. Last week, the military publication Stars and Stripes spoke with veterans and family members who are happy about the new option, including an Iraq and Afghanistan veteran who said, “Just put me in a pine box where my body can decompose and return to nature.” This positive response could lead to an expansion of the program’s trial run!

The OG memorial product

A few years ago, archaeologists discovered evidence that the ancient Mayans incorporated human cremated remains into rubber balls used for tournament play on an I-shaped court. The ashes made the rubber “stronger and bouncier” and added “an extra layer of durability and toughness “ to the ball. If it weren’t for fireworks, tattoos, and vinyl records that people now fill with cremains, this might seem a little more shocking. Instead, it’s probably just a matter of time before someone creates an ash-and-rubber pickleball.