Prudence Memorial Park, PO Box 228, Prudence Island RI 02872
Cemetery Services
We provide services related to the burial of human and cremated remains and the scattering of cremated remains, while following the principles of natural burial.
Available Options
And Considerations for After-Death & Pre-Burial Care
The role of Prudence Memorial Park, LLC is limited to services related to the burial of human remains and the scattering of cremated remains (see Price List). These services include the sale of burial rights, allotment of burial plots, opening and closing of graves, installation of memorial markers, record keeping, and property maintenance.
Prudence Memorial Park, LLC does not provide funeral directing or assistance with other after-death care needs. In the State of RI, families have the option of providing home funeral care, engaging a licensed funeral director for all aspects of after-death care, or selecting a blended funeral, in which the necessary tasks are delegated between the authorized agent of the deceased and funeral service providers (see Additional Resources).
The Green Burial Council has provided several resources to help educate people about green burial and after-death care options. Please select the links below and review this material so that you can make the best decision for yourself or your loved ones. Regardless of your choice, remember that the best and most thoughtful plans can only be implemented if you document and share your decision with those who will be responsible for carrying out your wishes.
On the Way to the Green Burial Cemetery: A Guide for Families
Burial Rights
Making a Reservation
Persons making arrangements for a burial in Prudence Memorial Park purchase the right to be buried, as opposed to purchasing a specific plot. Burial rights can be purchased on a ‘pre-need’ basis (i.e., before a burial is needed) or an ‘at-need’ basis (i.e., when a burial is needed). Buying burial rights on a pre-need basis gives people the opportunity to learn more about natural burial and make an informed decision about final disposition (see Available Options) when they are free of the stress that comes with the death of a loved one.
Unlike a conventional cemetery, a person purchasing burial rights in Prudence Memorial Park does not select a specific plot but rather a preferred general location in the burial ground (see Burial Sections). The specific location is assigned in a sequential manner, so that the land can be left undisturbed after the burial to encourage the return of native vegetation. As a result, it is Prudence Memorial Park management, not the family, who determines the exact location of the plot, and this determination is not made until it is time to exercise the burial right.
If two or more people choose to be buried together, Prudence Memorial Park management also determines the location of the combined lot placement. The determination is made when the first grave is used. Adjacent burial sites are reserved upon the first burial in the group for the remaining burial lot assignees.
The purchase of burial rights requires a signed Purchase Agreement that includes an agreement to abide by the Rules and Regulations concerning the type and placement of memorial markers and the planting of trees and flowers, etc. A Certificate of Ownership will be issued by Prudence Memorial Park and should be retained by the purchaser to serve as proof of purchase; to be surrendered and retained with other documentation at time of use.
Interment
Whole Body Remains or Cremated Remains
As outlined in the Burial Rights section, a Certificate of Ownership must either have been acquired through purchase of burial rights earlier on a ‘pre-need’ basis or be purchased at the time of death on an ‘at-need’ basis. This step must be completed before the authorized agent of the deceased or funeral director can proceed with arrangements for an interment. Prudence Memorial Park Rules and Regulations provide further considerations when arranging for an interment.
For whole body burial, the deceased’s family is responsible for ensuring that no toxic chemicals are used in preparing the body for burial and that the container and any clothing are biodegradable. Containers constructed in whole or part from chipboard, metal, exotic woods, bleached cardboard or any such artificial material are not permitted. Similarly, for the burial of cremated remains, the family must ensure that the container is biodegradable.
The family is also responsible for arranging for the safe and dignified transport of the remains to the burial ground. For whole body transfer, this will require a burial-transit permit (see Available Options section for reference material). As vehicle use is prohibited within the burial ground, Prudence Memorial Park, LLC will provide a hand-drawn funeral wagon, to aid the transfer of the remains from the property boundary to the gravesite.
In keeping with preserving the natural environment, funeral floral tributes and other objects must be removed after the completion of burial services to allow natural ground cover to develop. A modest representative of all floral tributes and a single religious identifier may be buried with the individual’s body. Plastic flower arrangements, vases, photographs, effigies (e.g. statuettes), and manmade or manufactured items may not be left on a burial site (or elsewhere on Prudence Memorial Park property). See Memorialization for available options.
Scattering
An Option for Cremated Remains
Prudence Memorial Park is responsible for ensuring that the required documentation (e.g. certificate of cremation) is in place and that this activity is carried out in a suitable manner (see The Scattering Garden).
Families and friends should stay on the paths, limiting access into the Scattering Area to a few individuals at a time, for the purpose of distributing the ashes. The scattering process should be performed in a manner that minimizes disturbance to the native vegetation and the scattered remains should be gently raked in and covered with dried leaves and other natural compostable materials.
As with interments, careful records of disposition will be retained by Prudence Memorial Park and the placement of memorial markers or native plantings is possible within the park (see Memorialization).