Embalming is not required by law, but when a family chooses to have their loved one viewed during a time of visitation, embalming is required.  Many people ask why embalming is necessary and the answer is really quite simple.  When a person passes away, the body begins a process of decomposition.  Arterial embalming is a technique that allows licensed professionals to temporarily stop the body’s natural decomposition process, eliminating the need for immediate burial/refrigeration/cremation, and allowing families the option of inviting friends to share in viewing the deceased prior to final disposition.    

If a family declines embalming of the deceased, when possible, a time for a brief private viewing and/or identification may be arranged.