The passing of a loved one is a difficult time, but there are ways to honor their memory in special ways. The caring professionals at Cremation Services of West Hawaii in Kailua-Kona, HI, can provide their thoughtful suggestions for saying goodbye to a deceased family member or pet.

The loss can be tremendous after a loved one’s death, but cremation allows you to make decisions about scattering their ashes to remember them in a unique way.

Your loved one may have expressed their cremation wishes so you know what they would have wanted. Some request their ashes be buried, while others want to have their remains scattered or given to family and friends in memorial urns. It should be noted, the scattering of the ashes of a cremated loved one may have laws related to doing so. Before scattering the ashes of your loved one, check with local and governmental authorities, as it could be illegal to leave ashes in one area, but not another.

However, if you've recently lost a loved one who wished for their ashes to be scattered, but didn't say how or where, here are some suggestions in and around Oahu, HI. 

• Sea: Scattering cremated remains over a favorite body of water, such as the beautiful Lanikai Beach or Waikiki Beach. Both of these locations are popular spots for spreading remains. Bear in mind, you should check local and state laws before scattering over water. The Federal Clean Water Act requires remains are scattered at least three nautical miles from land. The EPA must also be notified within 30 days of scattering ashes. 
• Natural Surroundings: A field, forest, park, or garden may be an appropriate place for spreading ashes. Check with the owner for permission if it’s someone’s private property and if it’s a park, check with the park service. One beautiful park to consider is Waimea Falls Park, which features lush vegetation and waterfalls.
• Air: Many last requests for cremains involve scattering them by air. No state laws are prohibiting this, but federal aviation laws require no objects, such as the container, be dropped when scattering ashes.

The compassionate staff at Cremation Services Of West Hawaii are available to assist you with any questions about the process as well as provide options, such as eco-friendly, decorative, or personalized keepsake urns for storage. Call them at (808) 329-4500 to discuss the available options or visit them online for more information about their services and packages.