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Funerals/natural burial in Iowa

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Expert: Lisa Carlson - 10/15/2008


Question
Can you please direct me to the laws on natural burials on personal/private property in Iowa, US?  My husband and I would like to be buried on our property without embalming and in wooden boxes.  Thank you sooo much!

Answer
The Iowa laws are silent on this issue. If you are in a rural area, draw a map of your land showing where the family graveyard will be and pay to have it recorded with the deed. A good practice is 150 ft. from a water supply and 25 ft. from a power line or neighbor's boundary.

If you want to bypass the industry entirely, look for a copy of my book "Caring for the Dead: Your Final Act of Love." The library can get it from interlibrary loan, and Amazon has a few used copies. It's out of print while I work on the next edition. If you e-mail me directly I can send you the Iowa chapter, but there are several other helpful chapters, too. lisa@funeralethics.org

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Lisa Carlson

Expertise

Funeral Law. Having written a 512-page book on funeral law for consumers with state-by-state information, I am very conversant with consumer rights in this regard: What are the laws on disposition of cremated remains? Is embalming required? Do I have to use a funeral home? Can I have a home wake? Is it a state law to buy a vault? I prepaid for a funeral but changed my mind. They won`t give me all my money back. What can I do? . . . If you have an immediate need for information because a death has just occurred or is about to occur, you may call me at 802-482-6021.

Experience

I have monitored the funeral industry on behalf of consumers for over 20 years. I have been a guest speaker to funeral trade organizations, consumer workshops, and social service professionals. I am regularly consulted by lawyers and legislators as well as journalists.

Organizations
Funeral Ethics Organization (www.funeralethics.org) Funeral Consumers Alliance (www.funerals.org)

Publications
Caring for Your Own Dead (1987) Caring for the Dead: Your Final Act of Love (1998) I Died Laughing: Funeral Education with a Light Touch (2001) Final Rights: Reclaiming the American Way of Death (2011) with co-author Joshua Slocum

Education/Credentials
Masters degree in Administration and Special Education

Past/Present Clients
Available as an expert witness for funeral-related court cases.

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