According to the BBC, an English couple married for nearly 40 years and recently deceased will be cremated together in a single cremation casket.

The cremation is the first of its kind for the West Hertfordshire Crematorium, which until now has only performed shared cremations for mothers and their children, and twins.

The family of Kevin and Christine Shearson see special meaning in the couple’s shared end-of-life services. “It is so important to us they are cremated together because they were never without each other – they will be together again now,” said Kelly Shearson-Lewis, the couple’s eldest daughter.

Kevin and Christine Shearson met in 1971 and passed away on May 18, 2014 – just a week shy of their 40th wedding anniversary. Mr. Shearson had multiple sclerosis and died from related conditions. Mrs. Shearson had been admitted to the same hospital as her husband for a chest infection and passed away hours after his death.

The couple’s four surviving children and ten grandchildren are taking comfort in a combined service. Shearson-Lewis remarked “The only comfort we have is that they went together – they wouldn’t have been able to suffer each other’s funerals.”

Companion Cremation Urns

Where would you choose for your final resting place? It’s a difficult question for most people, but it’s important to carefully consider, especially when you have a spouse or family to take into account. After cremation, it is customary to keep cremated remains in an urn, or to scatter them at sea or another special location.

There are a variety of urns on the market for the remains of more than one individual, known as “dual cremation urns” or “companion cremation urns.” These urns have distinct compartments for different individuals and are still small enough to function as decorative art pieces.

Columbarium Niches

Another alternative to keeping an urn in your home or scattering ashes is to purchase a niche in a columbarium, which is a room that houses cremation urns. The number of columbaria has increased in recent years due to the popularity of cremation and the limited space in cemeteries around the country.

If you wish to have a columbarium burial following cremation, you might consider purchasing niches that are close together for you spouse, children, or other family members.

Would you want to be interred with your spouse after you die, or do you want to maintain your individuality even in death? It might be a difficult conversation to have, but talking about end-of-life care now and planning for the future with your loved ones provides a welcome peace of mind.