Why Doesn’t Joldersma & Klein Own a Crematory?

This is a question we get asked frequently.

The State of Michigan has what we call an “anti combo law”.  This means a funeral home is not allowed to own or operate a cemetery or crematory, nor can a cemetery or crematory operate a funeral home. 

This law provides a “check and balance” for two closely related industries. It has been effective in keeping large corporations out of our state and gaining a monopoly on death care in any given market. It has also been effective in keeping funeral costs down in our state.

While Michigan is one of only two states that strictly prohibit combination funeral homes and cemeteries/crematories, there are nine other states and the District of Columbia that have some type of regulation on joint ownership. 

There are some larger funeral homes in our state that have circumvented this law by placing the ownership of their crematory in the names of relatives, such as spouses, siblings or adult children. 

A crematory is a major investment and carries huge liability.  Crematories require regular maintenance which is costly and can take a machine out of working order for weeks at a time.

As cremation becomes more popular, regulation regarding this method of disposition becomes more stringent.

At Joldersma & Klein, we have partnered with Central Michigan Crematory in Battle Creek, who performs all our cremations for us. They have several retorts and perform cremations for many of the funeral homes in the southwestern and central part of the state.

Together we have developed a process whereby every detail is completed before a cremation takes place. Details regarding the individual being cremated need to match in several areas before the process can begin.

Both Joldersma & Klein and Central Michigan Crematory are committed to following the law in regards to our state’s cremation standards. 

If you have any questions about the cremation process, please feel free to speak with us. We like to be transparent about what it is we do.