Neptune Society in Northern California and Sonoma County

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the nineties with your host Rich McGlinchey. Hello again everyone Welcome to this edition of Sonoma County in the nineties. We're gonna be talking about the Neptune society will be talking to Tom Samuelson who is the president of the Neptune society of northern California and Vandana Halverson

who is the manager of the Neptune society of santa rosa office and who I've been trying to call Vana or Val Dana for, for days here now and it's Vandana Halverson. Uh nice to have you both here. But I want to pause for just a minute.

Ladies and gentlemen, before I start talking to tom and Bandana call your attention to the artwork on the set. This happens to be by my lovely bride, Ellie McGlinchey. But we also want you to know that if you have artwork that you would like us to

display on some of our future programs. Just look at the announcement that will be on your screen and see that the name. Teresa McManus is the person you should contact and do so because we may want to use your artwork on a future program now. Hi,

nice to have you both here. I heard an awful lot about Neptune society over the past few years especially it seems like and uh and I want to get into the question and answer you both of you as to what it is and and that sort

of thing. But one of the things that were said to me recently by a planning official was, well, the Neptune society is going to have continued growth because they don't use land basically speaking and, and we'll get into that a little bit. But that is an

important factor I think definitely. Alright, I'll ask the questions of either one of you here. We've got some general ones and answer specifics. First of all either of you, what is the Neptune society? I'll take that one. Okay. The Neptune society was developed or started in

about 1974 and it was started or created as an alternative to the traditional funeral? So to provide the consumer with something other than having to go to a mortuary and go through the traditional funeral process. How does it differ from the traditional mortuary? I was gonna

say primarily we all have the same services available. We are primarily a cremation society and I think most families come to us because that's what they would like to have. But we do all have the same services from funerals and memorial services to very simple direct.

I might add by listen, either of you think there's something to add to the other was jump right in. One of the main differences I see is that with the Neptune society of northern California, we, we provide relatively small offices and set up in kind of

a business like fashion. So that what we do is we provide a very efficient cost effective service to our clients. Whereas if you go into a traditional funeral home, uh there are the requirements that you go into their casket display rooms and they, it's normally they're

very large facilities. And uh so there's quite a difference between facilities between the two kinds of businesses. I think we have to jump back a little bit. What do you mean by when you say society? And then the second part of that question, why is there

a membership charge? Okay, well the word the meaning of society is that the Neptune society of northern California is a, is a membership organization. So in other words, an individual pay $30 to join the Neptune society. They'll fill out a registration form which is a fairly

detailed form. It gives us all the vital statistics. And then that form is kept on our files, we will issue a membership card To the individual and then in turn they will tell all of their family members that they're a member of the Neptune society and

then at the time of need, we will take care of their cremation services. The reason for the $30 charge is really for us to be able to handle the paperwork involved when we set them up as a member. It's a pretty minute charge in this day

and age, but I just wondered why that was part of it. How high is the cremation rate, Let's say in Sonoma County? And then the second part of that question, why is it so high as in Sonoma County, it's just over 40%, the statewide averages about

45. Um, this is very much a changing trend in the country right now, cremation rate is about 19%. So California is leading the way in this new trend. And I think my own belief is that because it is cost effective, but it's also ecological people are

worried about saving land and I think that's one of the reasons it's clean, it's efficient. You know, I heard one of the things that you want to add something, I was just going to add that the cremation rate nationally has grown from maybe 10 years ago,

it was around 7% to 19%. And in the state of California, the cremation rate has grown almost doubled in the last 10 years. So it's, there's definitely a trend and it's predicted that by the year 2010 that the cremation rate in California will be close to

60%. So it will soon be the majority of the folk, the folks who die will be cremated. I'll hold my question for now. But why in keeping what you just said, why why is there such a growth in cremation in the United States? And then this

could kind of be a three part question first. Why? Why I got the growth in the United States? Why do you project an increase in in commission in California? Why to both of those, so to speak first? The United States? Well, I think as as as

the consumer becomes more aware of cremation, certainly it's going to grow because from from the studies that that we've looked at, people choose cremation because of ecological reasons or because of land conservation. They really don't want to be buried and take up space in a in

a cemetery. They would much prefer to opt for cremation. Um I think the second reason people choose cremation is because of the cost And I think that's a very close second to land conservation because the average funeral in the state of California is somewhere between five

and $6,000. The average cost of a cremation is probably much less than $1,000. Alright, we know it's 19% nationally, 40% in California. How high is the cremation rate in other countries? Well, I know that in England for example, the cremation rate is approaching 85%. Very, very

close to that. In some of the Asian countries, Australia. The cremation rate is very close to 60%. Those are those are some of the now in this day, in this country, the cremation rate varies greatly. For example, um, in Nevada, the cremation rate is 60%. In

Washington, it's approaching close to 50%. But if you take some of the cities in the states in the south, for example, Mississippi, the cremation rate is 2.1%. So it's, there's quite a stark difference between, I'm hoping I'm not getting too far a field is just go

back to maybe religious beliefs of some sort. I think. So, it's part of it, which seemed to be the yeah. You know, I think pretty much the south as a baptist country. Exactly, exactly. Yeah. All right. Um, why is it important to pre plan your funeral?

I think primarily, um, you're leaving a written document for your loved ones to follow when you don't make your arrangements in advance. A family is grieving their in pain. They don't know what they want to have happen. And by leaving these documents, you have given them

directions about what you would like to have happen. I think that's the primary benefit of the membership is letting your loved ones know. Yeah. And I I can certainly attest to that having lost some parents and in law parents and that sort of thing in which

unfortunately there had been no planning. and so you're kind of playing everything by ear, you know and your grief stricken at the time for one thing, you're not thinking too sharply, that's probably the toughest time in your life. It really is and it it certainly leaves

the door open for making all kinds of mistakes in the way you handle things. Why don't you tell the audience here about the services that Neptune society offers? Um again we are primarily a cremation society but we have a full range of services. Um if families

would like to have funerals or memorial services, we have chapels for that. Um We have the columbarium in san Francisco, we have our yacht, the Nyad that sails from san Francisco out under the gate to bonita cove for scattering at sea. Um and we can whatever

it is that the family would like to have happen, we can provide those services. So do you do you have a trust plan of some kind? Yes, we do tell us a little bit about that. Well this is taking the leaving directions just a step further.

Um person can come in and become a member, but then they can also pay for their services in advance so that at the time the death occurs, not only are there directions, but everything has been paid for. Um and it's an easy plan that can be

paid for all at one time or you can make a down payment and pay it off over a course of time if you have a restricted um budget and so it works. It's a very good idea for you know and that can such a trust plan

can be set up with somebody like yourself. Absolutely. They can come into any of the Neptune offices and do that. Um As I said early on the, one of the things I've heard from, from an outside source of planning source actually was that they thought that

the Neptune society would would probably experience a a tremendous growth in the future because of the fact that you mentioned even a little bit tom earlier that you do not use land as we do for cemeteries. Another factor that I heard now, I don't know if

this is is fact or not. So I'll just throw it out. What I heard that there are something like 100 or 250 cemeteries in in California Who have been lost. Yeah, that's true. And there are over 2000 cemeteries in the state of California altogether. Is that

right? Yeah. And I think unfortunately if you've ever seen a cemetery that's gone bankrupt or for some reason has gone out of business, it's a it's a very sad sight to see it in shambles and overgrown and that one thing alone because you just never know

and I think people are conscious of that because it's happening more and more, especially with the economy the way it is. So certainly they don't want to end up in a situation like that or have their loved ones end up in a situation like that. Is

there a profile of people who choose cremation over traditional burial? Well, we have done some studies on our membership and we have over 100,000 members now and and it's since 1970 for we've been growing and our membership started out being demographically speaking, being uh middle class,

uh fairly well educated um sorts of members. But that is really broadened a lot now. And I think that we really appeal now to all kinds of people in all walks of life. So there really hasn't been a specific um as far as our studies go

in recent years, any specific sort of individual that joins the Neptune society. It's a very broad choice. Now we're at a point here, I think that some of the things questions I've got it down to ask you afterwards would go better together. So I think this

would be a good time for us to take a brief break and have the station bring our audience a public service announcement after which tom Bandana and I will return. We'll talk more about the Neptune society. She is one of America's toughest drug enforcement agents last

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know about heart disease may kill you. Welcome back to this edition of Sonoma County in the nineties were talking to two key members of the Neptune society. We're talking to Tom Symons and the president of the Neptune society of northern California and Bandana Halverson, the manager

of the Neptune society santa rosa office. And we've learned quite a bit about the Neptune society and about the number of people, 40% of the offenders in California are now choosing this 19% nationwide to either of you. As I said earlier, one answer the question, the

other one has something to throw in by all means. Do tell us about your personal experiences working as a counselor for the society and then maybe secondarily what skills are required to deal with these people. Um I've been counseling now with, with Neptune society for about

6.5 years in san Francisco marin and now Sonoma. Um it's a very challenging and rewarding job. Every family that comes in um has their own story to tell. Uh they've just been on a journey and um, oftentimes they are grieving there in pain and it's very

rewarding to be able to help them, um, figure out what they want to do, how they wanted to have happen to instruct them. Um, what they can do at this time. So many people come in lost. They don't have any road map at all and we

can let them know what's going to happen and when it's gonna happen. And we can also give them a checklist of things that they need to attend to which they might not have been able to think of and when they leave, they feel calmer and more

assured about what's going to happen. So that's very rewarding to be able to help them at that time. It seems like from what you've said thus far, professionalism and compassion kind of go hand in hand with your group. Absolutely. Imagine the audience would be interested in

this. Is there a consumer guide or book you could recommend that people could read in which they could learn more about dealing with death or coping with grief or making the other tough decisions that come with arranging a funeral? You know, there's been hundreds of books

written and I rather than recommend a specific book because they're all different. What I would recommend is that they go to the library and look under death and dying. And uh, I think that end grieving and I think they'll find a selection of books and thumb

through them and make a selection of a book that that kind of fits their particular circumstances. But there are hundreds and literally hundreds and hundreds of books available now. And I'm sure through the library they can, they can find whatever they want. Okay, So you heard

that ladies and gentlemen, the library would, would be able to provide you with a great deal of written material that would help you in the event of a death in your family. What questions to either of you? Once again, should the consumer ask when, when calling

either a memorial society or a funeral home for that matter? Um, I think they want to be careful to be sure that when they call, um, they find out what the full cost for services will be. Um, oftentimes you can be easily misled. Um, if they

would call us and ask us what is the cost of a cremation, we go down and break down our cost for them. So they understand it's 885 and what that $885 will accomplish the removal and finalizing arrangements, getting documents filed with the county. If they'd like

to have a viewing, they may do that as well. And that includes the cremation and releasing the ashes back to the family. Now that doesn't mean they're bound to that disposition, but that does cover everything from beginning to end. Oftentimes you can call and say, what

does a cremation cost and you can be given a quote and then go in and find out there are additional fees for additional services. So just try and be sure that you have a list of everything that you get a complete quote. And I would, at

the end of the conversation I would ask the person you're talking to now, are there any other costs involved that I that you haven't told me about? Because by law they are required to inform you of of everything. And I along these lines, I always like

to say that how important it is that if if an individual would like to now is the time to really become more familiar with funeral terminology and funeral costs. And so that um, so that at the time of need, uh an individual is not so, um,

you know, normally someone wouldn't normally get involved with finding out about terminology for funeral homes and cremation societies. And then at the time of need, they're very confused and frustrated because they don't understand what really is going to happen. So as a point of education, I

think that it would be good to find out these things now. And even again, I'll say pre need, pre pre fund your your services in advance, take care of it now and and that's probably the greatest gift you can give your loved ones. Yeah, I think

you're absolutely right planning early like that. For whatever method you choose. Certainly yours is being selected by more and more people. But whatever method you choose planning that now you don't have those decisions to make when you're all emotionally and people and overwrought and not thinking

clearly nobody in a grief situation is. What are some of the over limit mint? What are the most common reasons that people use when they choose cremation? What is the primary reason for choosing cremation would be um according to the to some studies uh land conservation

is number one cost cost is number two. And and then the fact that there are many individuals who just simply don't want to be buried in the ground. And then there are two or three other things that are really incidental. But I would say land conservation

cost and not being not wanting to be buried in the ground are the reasons why you know I gotta make an aside here in the state of new Orleans. They're very people of boom ground. That's why I was there and all these cemeteries and this is

totally unique. But I got used up a lot of ground. But is that because I was that I mean just to the side is that because of the high water table and I think one of the benefits of being cremated again. The benefit I think um

of being cremated is that it is it can be simple, direct clean. Um I think that that's probably the main benefit is that it's more straightforward than the traditional funeral family, there are cost savings involved for the for the family who chooses cremation. Um the cremation

itself only takes an hour and a half to two hours. It's a very efficient quick way to to to take care of the circumstance. Now let's come back over what percentage of Americans overall are choosing cremation, 19% nationally, nationally. Yes, 43%. The state of California, 43

and growing. Okay, more people obviously are choosing cremation and I guess the why of that is the things you've been, you've been talking about the land use and and the swiftness of the ceremony and that sort of thing. Right, okay. Uh how have you as the

Neptune society responded to this increase in demand? We're growing. What we're doing is we're we've got 10 offices now. We just recently opened an office in stockton California to service our membership in that area. And so what, that's the way we're addressing this. This growth is

by opening offices in in the areas where the growth is happening. What sort of service does the Neptune society of northern California provide, you know, in a case like this. Well, I don't if you want to describe a typical or what you want to describe? Well,

um again, are we can provide any service that a family would like um from very simple straight direct cremation to funerals scattering that see any service that they would like. Um I think maybe the main difference between Neptune and a traditional funeral home is that we

own and operate our own crematories. So we don't have to sub contract to another company in order to supply services and that's safe safeguards um the positive identification of the deceased. And that's paramount to our our security system. One of the things you mentioned earlier, you

said that tom this was said something to the effect that an average funeral could cost. I think you said $4 or $5,000. What is the cost of cremation in the Neptune society's basic service if you want to put it that way. Our basic services $855. And

uh that would include the membership fee of $30. And that would include removal of the decedent from the place of death and taking care of all of the paperwork involved, which would be um securing the death certificate, the certified death certificate and the cremation permit the

cremation itself and then returning the cremated remains to the family back to that. And then, well, I don't know if I have to jot it down or not, but you also distribute the ashes. If if this is the desire of the decedent, right? Yeah, this is

good. Okay. I'm supposed many people probably might be asking is, how does one become a member of the Neptune society of northern California. And what privileges do their members receive. None of this should be okay. All that they need to do is call our toll free

number which is 1 804 453551. It's 1 804 453551. Um we can send them out um a brochure which gives them a brief history of the Neptune society. It includes a listing of all of the services available and what their costs are and registration forms. If

they would like to fill them out and what those are primarily our releases so that we can make removal at time of death and the information that we need to complete paperwork for the county, send that back with a $30 registration fee and then they are

a member. And again the privileges is sort of a strange word but the benefit again is leaving this written document for your family so that they know what you want to have happen. We have about 45 seconds. So this is a rush question. Uh what do

people do with the ashes after they receive them? I mean I know it varies in many cases but what are some of the things, well California state law is very strict in what can happen? Um you're not allowed to distribute the cremated remains over public land

or freshwater. Many families will take them home and keep them on their premises. And so that's what they usually do. 40, of our membership will scatter at sea. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, we've been talking to Tom Simonson, the president of the

Neptune society of Northern California and Bannon Harverson, the manager of the Neptune society of santa rosa office. I think that we've all learned a great deal more about not only the Neptune society but about the process prevention, which has grown to the extent that almost 20%

of the nation and 40% of the people in California are choosing this method of, of disposing of their body. I guess you might say after after death. My name is Rich McClinton. The program is Sonoma County in the nineties. I'll be back with you next week

with other members of the county government family or an interesting agencies such as the Neptune society. Until then. Tonight. Good luck and good help to each and every one of you. Mhm.