When someone passes away in a location that’s different from where they’d like to be buried or where their loved ones reside,

this can add a bit of confusion to an already tender time.

However, no matter where your loved one passes, your family does have options if you wish to move the remains for the funeral and burial services.

Who to Contact to Ship Remains

Coordinating the transfer requires work from two funeral homes—one near the location of where the person died, and the other where the services will take place.
The first funeral home will embalm the body, or shelter it in a refrigerated storage, and prepare the deceased for shipping either by air or ground transportation.
The body is placed in a casket and placed in a container of dry ice for the journey.

If you have a loved one pass away and you’d like to have their remains sent somewhere else, you will contact either:

• A funeral home located in the area where the loved one has passed, or

• The receiving funeral home (who can contact the medical examiner to arrange transportation to the second location)

If your loved one passed away in the Madison, WI area and you need help sending their remains elsewhere,
or if a loved one is living or traveling somewhere else and you need them brought into Madison, our team can help facilitate.
To speak to a Ryan Funeral Service staff member, you can contact us here:
https://www.ryanfuneralservice.com/contact-us
We are happy to answer any questions you may have.

How to Ship Remains

You may choose to host a service in one location, and then ship the remains to another location for another service or for burial.
You can honor your loved one’s wishes through a traditional service and burial or cremation, and the final remains can be shipped either way.

Remains can be shipped domestically or overseas, and will need to include:

• Death certificate

• Transit permits

• Any customs or consulate documents (if sending internationally)

All of this can be facilitated by the funeral home you contact.

Time and Costs to Ship Remains

The time it takes to prepare the body and arrange transportation depends on:

• The destination

• How quickly arrangements can be funded (via life insurance or family/loved ones)

This process can take a few weeks to a few months.

Costs include:

• The cost of the first funeral home to prepare the body

• Freight transportation or airline cargo costs

• Funeral services (at one or both homes)

If air travel is needed, services like Mortuary Shipping Providers can help coordinate either domestic or international transport.

The cost of transporting remains can range from $2,000 to $15,000, depending on destination and method.
One way to reduce the cost may be to cremate the remains near the location of death and ship the cremated remains instead.

Final Thoughts

Making preparations for a service can become more complicated when travel is involved.
At Ryan Funeral Service, we recommend discussing details sooner rather than later, especially if you or a loved one lives away from where you wish to be laid to rest.

To discuss pre-planning options or to learn more about how we can help coordinate services across state (or international) lines, visit:
https://www.ryanfuneralservice.com/contact-us