Cremation Services
Top-Rated Cremation Services in York County, PA
Many families choose cremation when planning a funeral. In Red Lion and throughout York County, it is often paired with a personalized memorial or gathering, allowing loved ones to come together and honor a life in a meaningful way.
Choose a Personalized Cremation Service
At Wagner-Elfner-Burg Funeral Home & Cremation Services, we are committed to guiding you as you make choices for your loved one’s final arrangements. We carefully listen to your questions and concerns, offering support every step of the way so you feel confident in the service you are planning.
Traditional Funeral Service followed by Cremation
Many families find meaning and beauty in a traditional funeral service. With a traditional service combined with cremation, you can still choose to have a final viewing, visitation or wake, and a funeral service. However, instead of in-ground burial, the funeral will be followed by cremation. Depending on your wishes, the cremated remains may be either returned to your family for storage in an urn, scattered, or interred in a columbarium. This option will include fees for the funeral services as well as the fees associated with the cremation itself.
Why Families Choose Cremation
Today, cremation has become a common choice across the United States, with more than half of families selecting it instead of traditional burial. Many find that cremation offers meaningful advantages while still providing a dignified and personal way to honor a loved one’s life.
Cost Considerations
Cremation is often more economical than burial, as it can eliminate or reduce expenses such as a burial vault, cemetery plot, or headstone. This flexibility allows families to focus resources on memorialization or other meaningful tributes.
Cemetery Space Limitations
As available burial space becomes more limited, securing a cemetery plot can be increasingly difficult and costly. Cremation offers alternatives that do not depend on traditional burial space.
Environmental Impact
Cremation generally involves less land use and avoids the need for embalming chemicals, which are commonly associated with traditional burial and viewings.

Flexibility and Choice
Cremation allows families many options for remembrance. Ashes may be scattered, kept in an urn, placed in a memorial location, or incorporated into keepsakes or jewelry.
Religious Acceptance
Many faith traditions, including Christianity and Catholicism, now recognize cremation as an acceptable practice. This growing acceptance has encouraged more families to consider cremation as part of their final arrangements.
Cremation Services and Options
We are experienced cremation professionals committed to providing families with compassionate care and attentive service. Our promise includes:
- Professional guidance and attention to detail
Our staff manages all required permits, authorizations, and notifications to ensure the process proceeds smoothly and without delay. - Respectful care throughout the cremation process
Your loved one is entrusted to trained, certified crematory operators who treat every individual with dignity and care. - Secure handling and timely return of cremated remains
Families are notified as soon as remains are ready, and urns are safeguarded until arrangements are made for return. - Opportunities for remembrance and tribute
We can assist in planning a memorial service—either before or after cremation—at our facility or another meaningful location.
Our Cremation Choices
Each cremation option can be customized to reflect your family’s wishes:
Cremation with Traditional Services
Similar to a conventional funeral, this option includes visitation and a service with the body present in a cremation casket or rental casket. Cremation follows the service, and the ashes are returned to the family.
Memorial Service Following Cremation
The cremation occurs first, with a gathering or service held later. The urn is often displayed, and the service may take place at a funeral home, church, or other chosen venue.
Direct Cremation
This option includes transportation, required documentation, and cremation without a public service beforehand. Memorial gatherings may still be held at a later time if desired.
Understanding Cremation
Cremation is performed with care, professionalism, and respect. It is a technical process in which the body is reduced through high heat in a specialized chamber. The resulting remains are processed into what families commonly refer to as ashes.

Cremation provides a meaningful alternative to burial and allows families the freedom to commemorate their loved one in personal and creative ways. Our team remains available to support you through every step.
The Cremation Process Explained
Cremation has been practiced across cultures for thousands of years. In modern cremation, the body—placed in a casket or alternative container—is introduced into the cremation chamber.
The process typically lasts between two and three hours, depending on individual factors. After cooling, the remains are processed into a fine, uniform consistency and placed into a temporary container or selected urn. These remains are then returned to the family for burial, scattering, or memorialization.

Some families also choose artistic or commemorative options, such as custom memorial pieces made from cremated remains.
Arranging Cremation Services in York County, PA
Cremation offers families the ability to design a remembrance that feels right for them—whether simple or more elaborate. This time allows loved ones to gather, reflect, share memories, and find closure.
Cremation can be paired with many types of services, including:
- Small family gatherings
- Public or private funeral services
- Memorial services
- Witness cremations
- Graveside ceremonies
- And other personalized tributes

Our cremation specialists are available to answer questions, explain options, and provide guidance throughout the process.
Contact us today to learn more.
Adding Personal Meaning to Cremation Services
Your wishes—and those of your loved one—are always our priority. We walk you through all necessary paperwork, service details, and the return of cremated remains with clarity and compassion.
Our goal is to help you create a service that genuinely reflects the life being remembered.
Meaningful Clothing
Families may choose clothing that held special significance, such as a favorite outfit or military uniform. Our funeral director will also guide you regarding jewelry or personal items.
Keepsakes and Memorial Jewelry
Letters, photographs, or small mementos may be placed with your loved one prior to cremation. Fingerprint jewelry and keepsakes offer families a tangible connection they can carry with them.
Family Participation
Some families find comfort in being present or involved during portions of the cremation process. We welcome these conversations and will explain available options.

A Place for Remembrance
Urns may be kept at home, placed in a columbarium, buried, or situated in another meaningful location. We offer a wide selection of urns and memorial products.
We Are Here for You
As a family-owned funeral home, we approach every service with compassion, understanding, and respect. We are here to listen, guide, and support you during this difficult time.
Visit our office or contact us to schedule a consultation. Our team is always available to answer questions and provide reassurance.
Cremation Questions & Answers
Is embalming required for cremation?
No. Embalming is not required for cremation in Pennsylvania. However, embalming is typically recommended if a public viewing is planned prior to cremation.
Can cremation be preplanned and prepaid?
Yes. Preplanning allows you to document your wishes in advance and relieve your family of future stress. We offer affordable preplanning options, including funding through specialized cremation insurance.
What is a crematory or crematorium?
A crematory (or crematorium) is the facility where cremation takes place. Many modern crematories are attached to funeral homes, as ours is, and may also include spaces for services or memorial gatherings.
How long does cremation take in York County?
Cremation typically lasts between 1.5 and 3 hours, depending on factors such as equipment and individual circumstances. Our staff can provide clear expectations and answer specific questions.
Does cremation replace a funeral service?
No. Cremation is not a service—it is a method of disposition. Families who choose cremation still have the option to include visitations, funerals, memorials, celebrations of life, and other meaningful rituals. Cremation often provides more flexibility, not less.