Ask the director

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QUESTION: What do you do if someone doesn’t fit in a casket, either by being too big or too little?

B.D., West Warwick

Dear B.D.,

First, I want you to know that most caskets have a standard interior size that will fit most adults. Some caskets have flat tops and some have rounder tops. Some cemeteries require a cavalry-sized (smaller) casket (several in New York, for example), but if the person won’t fit, the cemetery may require two plots to be used to accommodate a larger casket. The casket companies do have oversized caskets if needed. They also have caskets for babies and small children, which, thankfully, are rarely needed. In short, we get the casket that fits the person.

Questions are welcomed and encouraged. Please send questions to: ShalomChapel@aol.com or by mail to Ask the Director, c/o Shalom Memorial Chapel, 1100 New London Ave., Cranston, R.I. 02920.