TERRAMATION SERVICES
SERVICES TO HEAL FAMILIES
Cremation Services
For many families, cremation is a dignified and respectful way to remember and honor loved ones that have passed away. Once in our care, your loved one is our highest priority and will remain with us throughout the entire process, as we own and operate our own crematory. Memorial Mortuaries and Cemeteries has decades of experience providing cremation services to Salt Lake City and Utah families.
Chapel Service
When there is no viewing and funeral service involved, next is the cremation and the ashes will either be scattered, returned to the family or buried in a family cemetery.
Memorial Service
The funeral service can be held in a church or any other venue the family chooses. We work with our families to design a service that honors their loved one with stories, music, or scripture. We also have life celebrants that lead services where clergy may not be chosen.
Graveside Service
A graveside or committal service is typically held immediately following the funeral service but it can also be a small intimate gathering of those closest to you.
A NEW, NATURAL PATH FORWARD
Terramation Services in Utah
- Terramation, also known as human composting or natural organic reduction, is a gentle, eco-friendly alternative to traditional burial and cremation that gently transforms the body into nutrient-rich soil. As a trusted name in terramation (natural organic reduction) Utah families are turning to, we walk alongside you from the very first phone call through the day your loved one's soil is returned home.
- Because this natural organic reduction process is not yet legally permitted in Utah, we personally coordinate every detail with a licensed, accredited terramation partner in Seattle, Washington. Your loved one is respectfully transported to their facility, where the transformation unfolds over several weeks inside a dedicated vessel with organic materials like wood chips, alfalfa, and straw. Afterward, approximately 25 pounds of nutrient-dense soil is returned to your family, while the remaining soil is lovingly laid to rest in the partner facility's dedicated scatter garden.
Private Farewell Viewing
Before your loved one is transported for terramation, we welcome your family into our chapel for a private viewing, visitation, or full funeral service, giving you meaningful time together to say goodbye in a familiar, comforting space.
SERVICES TO HEAL FAMILIES
Cremation Services
For many families, cremation is a dignified and respectful way to remember and honor loved ones that have passed away. Once in our care, your loved one is our highest priority and will remain with us throughout the entire process, as we own and operate our own crematory. Memorial Mortuaries and Cemeteries has decades of experience providing cremation services to Salt Lake City and Utah families.
Chapel Service
When there is no viewing and funeral service involved, next is the cremation and the ashes will either be scattered, returned to the family or buried in a family cemetery.
How Does Terramation Work?
Once your loved one arrives at our partner facility in Seattle, they are gently placed in a reusable vessel with organic materials such as wood chips, alfalfa, and straw. Over the following weeks, naturally occurring microbes break the body down at the molecular level through the natural organic reduction process, transforming it into rich, healthy soil.
Memorial Service
The funeral service can be held in a church or any other venue the family chooses. We work with our families to design a service that honors their loved one with stories, music, or scripture. We also have life celebrants that lead services where clergy may not be chosen.
Soil Return & Memorial Service
So, how long does terramation take? From transport to the return of soil, the full process typically takes 6 to 10 weeks. Once approximately 25 pounds of soil arrives back in Utah, we welcome your family for a graveside, memorial, or celebration-of-life service to honor your loved one and decide how you would like to use or memorialize the soil.
Graveside Service
A graveside or committal service is typically held immediately following the funeral service but it can also be a small intimate gathering of those closest to you.
Terramation vs. Cremation
Many families weighing terramation vs. cremation appreciate that terramation returns nutrient-rich soil that can nourish trees, gardens, or memorial plantings, rather than cremated remains. Cremation remains a wonderful, deeply personal choice for many, and our team is happy to walk you through both options. With terramation vs. cremation, the biggest differences are environmental impact, the physical outcome (soil versus ash), and the added time the natural organic reduction process requires. Whichever path you choose, our five beautiful cemeteries offer meaningful ways to memorialize your loved one, including memorial gardens, benches, and personalized plantings using returned soil.
Terramation Near Me: Your Local Utah Guides
Our dedicated Utah team has been trained on the terramation process and can be trusted to handle every detail with compassion, from the first phone call to the day soil is returned home. As a leading local resource for terramation Utah families rely on, we personally manage the entire process on your behalf, including:
- Coordinating transport of your loved one to our licensed terramation partner in Seattle, Washington
- Arranging a private viewing, visitation, or full funeral service beforehand
- Death Certificate and transit permit processing
- Managing all paperwork and communication with our partner facility throughout the natural organic reduction process
- Returning approximately 25 pounds of nutrient-rich soil to your family
- Hosting a memorial or celebration-of-life service once the soil comes home
Utah's Trusted Guide to Terramation & Natural Organic Reduction
Memorial Mortuaries and Cemeteries leads Utah in safety, quality, and service, now extending that same dedication to families choosing terramation. We are honored to help you begin the healing process with dignified, personal care and are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to answer your questions.
