CLARION, Pa. — Goble Funeral Home and Crematory, a locally owned business in Clarion, has opened a new, state of the art cremation center.

(Pictured above: Owner Rick Goble, Lexis Twentier, and Dan Shingledecker.)

The new facility, which is located at 76 Lincoln Drive (next to the PA. Department of Welfare), in Monroe Township, Clarion, Pa., will offer human and pet cremations. In 1982, Goble Funeral Home was the first and only crematory in the area and has performed over 10,000 cremations since.

With the new facility, Gobles can service more cremations, and it provides a unique experience; families can hold a funeral service, then watch and even participate in cremation as it happens. The gathering area is separated from the crematory by a wall and a glass window. Through the window, families can see the crematory itself, a large steel cube, nearly 17 feet in length.

In 2022, more than half of Americans will be cremated instead of buried. It won’t be the first time cremation held a majority – that was in 2020 – but, now we’re starting to see how funeral homes are responding to the meteoric rise of cremations.

According to a study from the National Funeral Directors Association, 55% of families will choose to cremate their loved ones after death. Pennsylvania is below the national average at about 43%.

Growing cremation rates are due to a number of factors, such as cost, convenience, environmental concerns, changes in religious doctrine, and personal reasons. The rise in cremations is a major shift in the industry, and funeral directors are expanding the breadth of cremation services to meet the demand.

Mr. Goble said inviting a family to participate in the cremation process helps loved ones have a sense of closure.

Cremations used to be “come in a few days, and we will have your urn,” Goble said. However, Goble’s new cremation center is an all-in-one gathering space and hopefully will “be able to help families emotionally.”

Goble explained, “We’re trying to change the way that the funeral industry views cremations.”

Why People are Choosing Cremation

Cremation rates in the United States have skyrocketed in recent years, and the data from the National Funeral Directors Association shows there is no sign of those numbers slowing.

The data shows that by 2030, the national average of cremations could jump from 55% to 72%.

There are several reasons for the rise in cremations, which are agreed upon by the National Funeral Directors Association study.

First, some major religions, which previously outlawed cremations, have relaxed their rules.

In recent years, the Roman Catholic Church has updated its policies on cremation. Although cremation is not banned, services and burial is encouraged when possible.

Cremation also allows families to have more flexibility when planning a service. If a family is fractured, living across the country or world, the service can be held at a later date. The ashes are far easier to transport.

There can also be an environmental factor. Cremation is more of an environment-friendly option. Funeral homes now have biodegradable urns to better serve those clients.

The biggest advantage to cremation is the cost difference compared to burials.

With cremation services, you can also have a full visitation with an open rental casket with funeral services, then cremation. There’s no need to buy a casket or a grave – unless the client chooses so.

According to a National Funeral Directors Association study, more than one-third of clients who chose cremation go with a direct cremation; this is the cheapest option a funeral home can offer, which includes no service beyond cremation.

The new cremation facility will have a full line of urns for both human and pets, along with personalized keepsakes.

Prices for cremation start at $1,295.00 for humans and $150.00 for pets.

Call Goble Funeral Home and Crematory in Clarion at 814-226-7730 to schedule an arrangement conference or to set-up a cremation.

For more information, visit goblefh.net.