Natural Burial at Oak Hill
YOU CAN HAVE A NATURAL BURIAL AT OAK HILL IN ANY GARDEN, ANY GRAVE - NO VAULTS OR EMBALMING REQUIRED...
Over a century ago, Oak Hill's very first graves - back when John Bailey first founded it for the citizens of Eugene - were natural; no vaults, mason-made markers, and simple wooden coffins were the norm. Inspired by the natural burial movement spreading throughout existing cemeteries in the UK and the US, Oak Hill is working with the Natural Burial Company to recreate that pioneer tradition once more, but with a modern twist.
A natural burial returns the body directly to the earth, unembalmed, and in a biodegradable coffin or shroud. Vaults or grave-liners are not required if a natural biodegradable container is used.
We now have The Meadow, dedicated to full body natural burials in an unmowed area, and the Wildflower Border for natural cremations, and natural burials - both cremated and full body remains - are encouraged in all parts of the cemetery.
And if you're just buying a plot today, natural burials are all that we allow at this time, and going forward.
Additional grave opening and maintenance fees are required with natural burials, but an outer burial container is not. Even with these additional fees, the cost of a natural burial (excluding funeral director fees and coffin costs, which vary widely) can be lower than a burial that requires even the least expensive outer burial container.
NATURAL BURIAL GRAVE SITES WIDELY AVAILABLE
Natural burials are currently performed in any of the active sections of the cemetery (link to Oak Hill Cemetery Maps): Oak Crest, Country View, Peaceful Valley and Resurrection, both full-burial and cremation sections. The lower Northwest corner of the "Resurrection" section - called "Return" - is dedicated exclusively to natural burials, and is only mowed a couple times a year. Prices vary based on garden location and size of plot.
Most people who want a natural burial prefer not to be embalmed. Embalming is not required at this time for any body unless the person died of a listed communicable disease. It's the responsibility of the funeral director, the medical doctor signing the death certificate, and/or the person controlling the disposition of the remains to be informed about the requirements of the State with respect to the proper management of dead bodies, including the timeframes for reporting of death, chilling of the body, and/or final disposition.
USING PROFESSIONAL ASSISTANCE
A funeral director is NOT required at this cemetery, although if a licensed funeral director is not engaged, it's recommended that a home funeral guide, a licensed death-care consultant, or someone experienced in the process and acting as the legal funeral director in charge of the disposition participate. The disposition copy of the death certificate must be presented along with the body at the time of burial - no exceptions - and this document can only be procured by a licensed funeral business, the legally authorized next of kin, or the person authorized to handle the disposition of the deceased through a form created by the Oregon Mortuary and Cemetery Board and available for use.
APPOINTMENT of PERSON to MAKE DECISIONS
Authorization to direct the disposition of remains is guided firmly by Next-Of-Kin rules UNLESS an Appointment of Person form has been completed, ideally in advance. There are two types of Appointment form - a form yourself, authorizing your Appointee for the future, and a form to authorize another to manage the remains of someone currently deceased. Having one of these on file with the Cemetery and Funeral Home minimizes the time required to contact Next of Kin for the paperwork and helps ensure your natural burial wishes are carried out by the people you want to guide them.