Next Steps if Your loved one is at the Galveston County Medical Examiner’s Office
If you need to make cremation arrangements for a family member who is currently in the care of the Medical Examiner, you need to firstly select a Cremation Provider and sign a Release Form. This gives your chosen funeral director the authority to collect your relative from the County morgue when the ME releases the body.Â
The Coroner will liaise with the next of kin and advise when the deceased is expected to be released into the care of a funeral home for cremation. The role of the Galveston County Medical Examiner as governed by state law (Chapter 49.25 of the Texas Code of Criminal Procedure), is to determine the cause and manner of death.
Galveston Medical Examiners Office is located at 1205 Oak St, La Marque, Texas, 77568 and can be reached at (409) 935-9274. Erin Barnhart M.D. is the Chief Medical Examiner.
As the County Office also issue the cremation permit, this can often mean making cremation arrangements for a deceased person at the Medical Examiners can be expediated. The DFS Memorials provider in Galveston is familiar with the process of arranging the release and transfer of an ME death case into his care in order to conduct an affordable cremation service.
Holding Your Own Memorial Service in Galveston, TX
More families are opting for a simple, direct cremation and then conducting a memorial service at a later date. As, where, and how they see fit. Direct cremation does take care of the immediate need to handle the disposition, and it also lets a family take time before concerning themselves with just how to memorialize a loved one.
There are so many great ways to hold an ash scattering ceremony, or find a special scenic location to host a gathering of remembrance. Sea scattering in the Gulf is now a popular way to conduct a memorable goodbye tribute.
To find out more about ash scattering sea burial services, here a few local options:
Galveston Burial at Sea – Phone (409) 572-6977
Aqua Safari Charters – Phone (409) 795-7480
Galveston Sea Services – Phone (281) 658-0080
For more ideas and tips on conducting your own tribute celebration in Galveston, TX, or scattering ashes over land or water, visit our Resources on Memorialization.