Cremation Services in Elmwood Park, IL

Affordable, dignified cremation for Elmwood Park families, from Conti Circle to North Avenue.

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DIRECT CREMATION STARTING AT
$997
Simple arrangements. Transparent pricing. Exceptional care.
No funeral home visit needed for Elmwood Park families
Start arrangements Call (773) 866-2273
See your estimated total
ARRANGE IN UNDER 15 MINUTES Online or by phone
TRANSPARENT PRICING Every charge listed up front
CARE AVAILABLE 24/7 We answer day or night
FAMILY OWNED Personal care from our family

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Cremation options for Elmwood Park families

Illustration of a lit candle at sunset, with a village fountain and brick storefronts in the distance MOST POPULAR

Direct Cremation

STARTING AT $997

Simple, dignified direct cremation.

  • Arrange online or by phone
  • No funeral home visit required
  • Our most chosen option
ARRANGE NOW
Illustration of a water drop over calm water, with a village fountain and brick storefronts on the horizon ECO-FRIENDLY CHOICE

Water Cremation (Aquamation)

STARTING AT $1,897

A gentle, environmentally friendly alternative.

  • Uses water instead of flame
  • Eco-friendly process
  • Returns approximately 20% more cremated remains
Learn more about water cremation ARRANGE NOW
Illustration of a vase of flowers in front of an arched window looking out toward a village fountain and brick storefronts FAMILY FAREWELL OPTION

Family Farewell Option

STARTING AT $1,997

A private, peaceful time to gather, say goodbye, and honor the life of your loved one.

  • 1 hour private family viewing
  • Private for family and close friends
  • At our funeral home
  • Everything included with Direct Cremation
ARRANGE NOW

Required with every cremation: the county permit ($200), certified death certificates ($40 for the first, $20 for each additional), the state-required container ($160), a temporary urn ($25) and 10.25% sales tax on the container and urn ($18.96). A simple cremation after a hospital death with four death certificates comes to $1,500.96. See your estimated total.

Milos Djordjevic, owner of Caring Cremations

A personal promise to Elmwood Park families

“My name is Milos Djordjevic, and as a licensed funeral director and embalmer I make Elmwood Park families a simple promise: fair prices with every fee explained before you sign, and respect for the faith and customs your family holds. You can reach us at any hour, and we will take it from there.”
Signature of Milos Djordjevic, Owner and Funeral Director Owner & Funeral Director, Caring Cremations

How cremation works with us in Elmwood Park

Three simple steps. We handle the rest, day or night.

Illustration of a brick two-flat home with warmly lit windows at dusk

We bring your loved one into our care

We come to the home, nursing residence, hospice or hospital where your loved one died, in Elmwood Park or nearby, and we file the cremation permit and death certificates for you.

Illustration of an urn in front of the setting sun, with a village fountain and brick storefronts in the background

Cremated remains returned to your family

We call you as soon as the cremation is complete and return the cremated remains to your family.

Serving families throughout Elmwood Park

We serve families in every part of Elmwood Park, including:

  • Conti Circle
  • Westwood
  • Grand Avenue corridor
  • Harlem Avenue corridor
  • North Avenue corridor

There is no hospital inside the village, so this list pairs nearby hospitals with residences in Elmwood Park, all places we can come to at any hour:

  • Gottlieb Memorial Hospital (nearby) 701 W. North Ave., Melrose Park, IL 60160
  • Resurrection Medical Center (nearby) 7435 W. Talcott Ave., Chicago, IL 60631
  • Bria of Elmwood Park 7733 W. Grand Ave., Elmwood Park, IL 60707
  • Elmbrook Senior Residence 7940 W. Grand Ave., Elmwood Park, IL 60707

When a resident dies in a nursing home, the staff call the family and then the funeral provider the family has named, so it helps to tell the nurses about Caring Cremations ahead of time. At home with hospice, call the hospice nurse first and then call us at (773) 866-2273.

Most families in Elmwood Park complete arrangements online or by phone, without visiting a funeral home. We let you know as soon as the cremated remains are ready.

Death certificates and cremation permits in Elmwood Park

Elmwood Park is in Cook County, so the Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office issues the cremation permit. We pay the Medical Examiner’s fee out of the $200 permit charge you see on your price list. The death certificate is registered through the Illinois Department of Public Health’s electronic system, and we handle that filing for you.

Certified copies are issued locally. For a death in the village, they come through the Cook County Clerk’s Office; if your loved one died at a Chicago hospital such as Resurrection, the City of Chicago issues them. Either way, we order the copies for you at $40 for the first and $20 for each additional.

Cremation permit Issued by the Cook County Medical Examiner $200
First certified death certificate $40
Each additional copy $20
State-required alternative container $160
Temporary urn $25
Sales tax 10.25% on the container and urn only $18.96
Typical total Direct cremation, hospital death, 4 certificates $1,500.96
See your estimated total

Questions about cremation in Elmwood Park

Straight answers about cost, timing and paperwork. If your question is not here, call us at (773) 866-2273, day or night.

What is the cost of a direct cremation in Elmwood Park?

Direct cremation for Elmwood Park families starts at $997. The required items added to every cremation are the $200 county permit, certified death certificates, a $160 state-required container, a $25 temporary urn and sales tax on that merchandise only. For a hospital death with four certified copies, the typical total is $1,500.96. A $295 fee applies only when an immediate removal is needed.

Who issues the cremation permit for Elmwood Park?

The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office, because Elmwood Park lies entirely in Cook County. That office reviews each cremation before it can take place. The Medical Examiner’s fee is included in our $200 permit charge, along with our work preparing and filing the request.

How long does the whole process take?

Most cremations are completed within 5 to 10 business days after a death in Elmwood Park. The main factors are the family’s signed authorization, the Medical Examiner’s permit and the doctor’s certification of the death certificate. If a date matters, ask about our optional expedited cremation for $150.

Is a visit to a funeral home required?

No. Elmwood Park families can arrange everything online in under 15 minutes or by phone, day or night, and we come to the place of death. If you would like to meet in person, you are welcome at one of our offices in Chicago, Northbrook, Naperville or Evanston, though most families never need to.

Can we choose water cremation instead of flame?

Yes. Aquamation, which many people call water cremation, is offered from $1,897. Instead of flame it uses water, which is gentler on the environment, and it typically returns about 20% more cremated remains. With the same permit, four certificates, container, temporary urn and tax, the typical total is $2,400.96.

What happens after a sudden death in Elmwood Park?

If the death was unexpected, call 911 first. The Cook County Medical Examiner’s Office may examine your loved one before release, which can add several days. You can call us in the meantime; we start the paperwork, stay in touch with the Medical Examiner’s Office and bring your loved one into our care as soon as they are released.

Where can we place or scatter the cremated remains?

Many families keep the cremated remains at home or place them in a cemetery niche or family plot. Scattering is allowed in Illinois in a cemetery scattering garden, or on private property if the owner gives consent. Forest preserves, public parks and Lake Michigan all require permission from the agency in charge. Optional urns start at $95.

What happens if Mom dies at a nursing home on Grand Avenue?

The nursing staff will call you and then the funeral provider your family has named. Once we hear from you, we arrange a time to come, bring your mother into our care and begin the permit and death certificate. A removal from a nursing home includes a $295 immediate removal fee, which we explain before we arrive.

LOCAL GUIDANCE

Cremation and parish traditions in Elmwood Park

Many Elmwood Park families have deep ties to their parish and want a church service as part of saying goodbye. Choosing cremation does not rule that out. The Catholic Church has allowed cremation since the 1960s, and other congregations have their own customs.

Your parish can tell you its own practices, including whether it prefers the funeral Mass before or after the cremation and where it asks the cremated remains to be placed afterward. If your parish has already set a date, tell us, and we will keep you posted on whether the cremated remains will be ready in time.

If you would like to see your loved one before the cremation, our Family Farewell package, from $1,997, includes a one-hour private family viewing at our funeral home. For a larger gathering of relatives and neighbors, Cremation with Visitation starts at $4,950.

GOOD TO KNOW

When a death happens in a nursing home or senior residence

A number of Elmwood Park seniors live in skilled nursing or senior housing along Grand Avenue, including Bria of Elmwood Park and Elmbrook Senior Residence. When a resident dies, the staff contact the family and then the funeral provider the family has chosen. Letting the nurses know about Caring Cremations in advance saves you a phone call on a difficult day.

Once we hear from you or the staff, we arrange a time to come and bring your loved one into our care. A transfer from a nursing home, a private home or hospice carries a $295 immediate removal fee, and we tell you about it up front.

KEEP IN MIND
  • Tell the nursing staff which provider your family has chosen
  • Keep our number handy: (773) 866-2273
  • Arrange online or by phone; no office visit needed
FOR ELMWOOD PARK FAMILIES

When timing matters: expedited cremation

Sometimes a family needs the cremated remains by a certain date, perhaps for a memorial Mass, a burial in a family plot or relatives flying in for a single weekend. Most cremations are completed within 5 to 10 business days, depending on the signed authorization, the cremation permit and the death certificate.

An optional expedited cremation is available for $150. It cannot speed up the Medical Examiner’s permit or the doctor’s certification, but it moves things along once those are in hand. The most useful thing a family can do is sign the cremation authorization promptly and let us know about any date you are working toward, so we can tell you honestly whether it is realistic. We would rather give you a true answer on day one than a hopeful one that falls through.

Everything you need, complete transparency

We believe in clear, upfront pricing and exceptional care. Here’s exactly what’s included and any additional options.

What’s included

IN EVERY CREMATION SERVICE
  • Transportation from the place of death Within our service area, with care and respect.
  • Climate-controlled holding area Your loved one is kept in our secure, climate-controlled facility.
  • Filing all legal documentation We file all necessary paperwork with the county, city and state.
  • Individual cremation Your loved one is never co-mingled. Ever.
  • Online obituary A tribute page to honor their life and share with family and friends.

Additional charges

PRICED SEPARATELY The first four are required for every cremation.
  • Death certificates $40 for the first certified copy, $20 for each additional.
  • County cremation permit $200, covering the Medical Examiner’s fee and our filing.
  • State-required cremation container $160 for the minimum alternative container.
  • Temporary urn $25. Sales tax of 10.25% applies to the container and urn ($18.96).
  • Immediate removal $295, only when needed: from a home, nursing home or hospice, or any removal needed right away.
  • Expedited cremation $150, optional, for a faster timeline.

Only merchandise is taxed; services are not. We explain every charge before any decision is made. See your estimated total or our full pricing and forms.

Questions? We’re here 24/7. Call 773.866.2273 or start arrangements online.

Planning ahead in Elmwood Park

A prepaid cremation plan locks in today’s price, records your wishes and spares your family difficult decisions later. You can pre-plan online from home.

Pre-plan online

Nearby communities we serve

View all communities we serve

Contact Caring Cremations

If you need help with cremation services in Elmwood Park, or want to talk about planning ahead, call us any time. We serve families throughout Cook County and the Chicago area.

Call (773) 866-2273 Start arrangements online

Reviews from families we’ve served

Arranging cremation from Elmwood Park

(773) 866-2273 Answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Arrange online in under 15 minutes No funeral home visit required
We come to you Home, hospital, hospice or senior community in Elmwood Park
Paperwork handled We file the permit and order the death certificates for you

Ready when you are

Start arrangements online now, or call and we will guide you through each step. Our offices are in Chicago, Evanston, Northbrook and Naperville, and you are welcome to visit, but you never have to.

Start arrangements Call now