Cremation in Tennessee: Everything Families Need to Know | Spann Funeral Home
Cremation in Tennessee: Everything Families Need to Know (But Are Often Afraid to Ask)
Cremation is now the most common form of final disposition in the United States. According to the National Funeral Directors Association's 2025 Cremation & Burial Report, the U.S. cremation rate has reached 63.4% more than double the burial rate of 31.6%. The NFDA projects that by 2045, cremation will account for 82.3% of all final dispositions.
Middle Tennessee has not been immune to this shift. At Spann Funeral Home, we now see a cremation rate approaching 55% of the families we serve and that number continues to rise. What has not kept pace with this trend is public understanding of what cremation actually involves, what it costs, and how to choose a cremation provider wisely.
This article is my attempt to close that gap. No sales pitch. No pressure. Just honest, accurate information from a licensed funeral director who has been serving Dickson County families since 2001.
The question I hear most often is not 'what does cremation cost?' — it's 'what actually happens?
' Families deserve a real answer to that question.
What Cremation Actually Is
Cremation is a process by which the human body is reduced to bone fragments through the application of high heat typically between 1,400 and 1,800 degrees Fahrenheit in a specially designed cremation chamber called a retort. The process takes approximately two to three hours for an adult, depending on body composition.
After the cremation process is complete, the remaining bone fragments are processed into a uniform, fine consistency commonly referred to as 'ashes' or 'cremated remains.' These remains are then placed in a temporary container or urn chosen by the family and returned to the next of kin.
The cremated remains of an adult typically weigh between three and seven pounds. They are sterile, pose no health risk, and may be kept in an urn, buried, scattered, incorporated into memorial jewelry, or handled in various other ways that reflect the wishes of the deceased and the family.
The Most Important Question: Where Does Your Loved One Go?
This is the question that separates quality cremation providers from discount operations, and it is the question most families never think to ask until it is too late.
When you select a funeral home for cremation services, your loved one's remains must be transported to a cremation chamber. Most funeral homes in Tennessee and across the country do not have their own on-site crematory. They transport the body to a third-party, shared cremation facility. In some cases, this facility may be operated by another company entirely, may serve many funeral homes simultaneously, and may be located significant distances away.
At Spann Funeral Home, we operate the only on-site crematory in Dickson County. That means one thing above all others: your loved one never leaves our care from the moment our team receives them until the moment we return their remains to you. We can account for their whereabouts at every moment of the process. There is no transfer to another company, no shared facility, no ambiguity.
SPANN'S ON-SITE CREMATORY — WHY IT MATTERS
When you choose Spann for cremation, your loved one is cared for exclusively by our staff, in our facility, from beginning to end. We are the only funeral home in Dickson County with this capability. You can ask us where your loved one is at any point and we can tell you exactly.
Your Cremation Options at Spann
Direct Cremation
Direct cremation is the most straightforward and most affordable cremation option. The body is received into our care, cremated, and the remains are returned to the family. There is no formal funeral service as part of this package, though families are absolutely welcome to hold a memorial service independently at a later date, at a location and time of their choosing.
Direct cremation is a meaningful choice for families who prefer simplicity, for those whose loved one had no desire for a formal service, or for families facing financial constraints. It is not a lesser choice it is simply a different one.
Cremation with Memorial Service
Many families choose cremation while still wanting a formal opportunity to gather, grieve, and honor their loved one. A memorial service held either before or after the cremation can be conducted in our chapel, at a church, outdoors, or at any location meaningful to the family. The body may not be present at a memorial service held after cremation, but the urn containing the remains can serve as a focal point.
Full Funeral Service Followed by Cremation
Some families wish to have everything a traditional funeral service provides including a viewing and visitation, a formal funeral ceremony, and in-person attendance but prefer cremation over burial. This option, sometimes called 'cremation with viewing,' provides the fullest service option while still concluding with cremation rather than burial.
What Cremation Costs in Tennessee
Pricing varies significantly based on the provider and the level of service selected. According to NFDA data, the national median for a funeral with cremation, viewing, and service was approximately $6,280 as of the most recent reporting period not including cash advances like death certificates.
Direct cremation is priced significantly lower. Discount cremation providers in Tennessee and elsewhere advertise prices as low as $995 to $1,295 for direct cremation. These prices are real but so are the differences in what they include and how the service is delivered.
At Spann Funeral Home, we publish our complete General Price List on our website. (Click Here to View Our General Price List) Our prices reflect full-service care by our licensed staff, in our facility, with our on-site crematory and we stand behind every service we provide. We encourage families to request a complete itemized price list from any cremation provider they are considering and compare not just the numbers, but what those numbers include.
A $995 cremation and full-service cremation care are not the same product.
The difference lies in where your loved one goes, who handles them, and what support your family receives.
What Happens to the Remains?
Tennessee law provides families with several legally recognized options for the handling of cremated remains:
• Kept in an urn at home — legal and common; there is no requirement to bury or scatter remains
• Burial in a cemetery — cremated remains may be buried in a traditional grave or placed in a columbarium niche
• Scattering on private land — with the permission of the landowner; there are no Tennessee laws prohibiting scattering on private property
• Scattering at sea or in water — permissible with applicable federal maritime regulations observed
• Incorporated into memorial products — keepsake jewelry, glass art, and other memorial items that contain a portion of the remains
• Donated to science — some families choose to donate the body prior to cremation; arrangements must be made in advance
Can Your Faith Tradition Allow Cremation?
This is a deeply personal question, and the answer depends entirely on your faith tradition and personal beliefs. Most Protestant Christian denominations accept cremation as a personal choice. The Roman Catholic Church permits cremation, with the preference that remains be buried in a sacred place rather than kept at home or scattered. Traditional Jewish and Islamic law generally prefer burial, though practices vary within communities.
We respect every family's faith tradition. Whatever your beliefs, we will honor them in how we serve you.
One Final Note
Cremation is not a choice made because families do not care. In our experience, cremation is often chosen precisely because families do care about honoring their loved one's specific wishes, about simplicity and the avoidance of excess, about environmental considerations, or about financial prudence. There is no wrong reason and no wrong choice.
If you have questions about cremation, whether you are planning in advance or facing an immediate need, call us any time.
Our number is (615) 446-1123, and we answer 24 hours a day.
