Our Story — A Family-Run Cremation Consumer Network
A family business helping families.
DFS Memorials was founded in 2012 by Nicholas and Sara Marsden-Ille — a husband-and-wife team who had spent over a decade helping families understand funeral costs through our consumer advocacy site, US Funerals Online.
What we kept hearing from families was the same thing: “I just want something simple and affordable. Why is this so hard?”
Traditional funeral homes were quoting $7,000, $10,000, sometimes $12,000 for services that families didn’t want and couldn’t afford. Direct cremation — the simplest, lowest-cost option — was rarely advertised and almost never priced transparently. Families had to call, ask the right questions, and hope they were given a fair price.
We built DFS Memorials to fix that.
What DFS Memorials does
DFS Memorials is a nationwide referral network that connects families directly with carefully vetted local funeral homes and cremation providers across the United States and Canada. Every provider in our network commits to:
- A fixed-price direct cremation package — no surprises, no upsells
- Transparent pricing published in plain language
- Compliance with the FTC Funeral Rule and all applicable state regulations
- Licensed, locally owned operations (not corporate funeral chains)
We are not a funeral home. We do not perform cremations. We are the network that finds families the right local provider at a fair, published price — often hundreds or thousands of dollars less than what a traditional funeral home or national cremation chain would charge for the same service.
Our Network Partners & Families Served: The Numbers
Since launching in January 2012, DFS Memorials has grown into one of North America’s largest independent cremation referral networks.
How we vet our providers
Joining the DFS Memorials network is by application, and not every funeral home that applies is accepted. We look for:
- Active state licensure as a funeral establishment, crematory, or cremation provider in good standing
- FTC Funeral Rule compliance, including a current General Price List (GPL)
- Independent ownership — we deliberately favor locally owned funeral homes over corporate-owned chains
- A genuine commitment to fixed, transparent pricing on direct cremation services
- Consumer protection record — we check state regulatory databases and review consumer complaint histories
- Operational standards — proper identification protocols, secure handling of the deceased, and adherence to state cremation regulations
Providers who join the network agree to maintain these standards. We review network providers periodically and respond to family feedback and complaints in real time.
80+ vetted provider locations
Since 2012, Nicholas & Sara have built up extensive (& largely) long-term partnerships across the United States and Canada. They travel frequently and have personally visited and vetted most of the local funeral directors and owners who partner with DFS.
41 US states and 3 Canadian provinces
DFS Memorials partner locations, as of 2026, with recruitment continuing to better serve families in all states and provinces, as demand for transparent, affordable direct cremation continues.
Direct cremation prices from $795
Prices DO vary by area and provider ~ but we aim to ensure we maintain a current ‘best value’ partner to deliver clear, affordable cremation costs in all States / Provinces. In most cities, direct cremation is between $795 and $1,495.
Saving families $$$ since 2012
DFS Memorials has 14 years of experience helping families navigate cremation arrangements. With Tens of thousands of families served since 2012. Alongside US Funerals, Canadian Funerals & DFS Death Away From Home Travel Plan ~ we help families understand, access, and plan for more affordable end-of-life care.
Why we operate as a digital network
People sometimes ask why DFS Memorials doesn’t have a physical funeral home or storefront. The answer is simple: it’s how we keep prices low for families.
A traditional funeral home carries enormous overhead — buildings, vehicles, embalming facilities, marketing budgets, sometimes a corporate parent extracting profit margins. Those costs end up in your bill, whether you wanted those services or not.
By operating as an independent digital network and partnering with locally owned funeral homes, we connect families directly with the providers actually performing the cremation, without the markups of corporate brand pricing. The local provider does the work. We make the connection. Families save money.
This is not a business model that works for traditional, full-service funerals. It works specifically for direct cremation — the simplest, most affordable form of end-of-life care — which is exactly what most families are looking for today.
Part of a larger consumer advocacy network
DFS Memorials is part of US Funerals Online (us-funerals.com), an independent funeral consumer resource where Sara has been researching & publishing since 2003. Our sister site is the editorial home for our research on funeral costs, state-by-state laws, consumer rights under the FTC Funeral Rule, and emerging end-of-life options like green burial, aquamation, and human composting.
We also operate the Travel Protection Plan at deathawayfromhome.com — a low-cost membership that covers repatriation costs if a death occurs more than 75 miles from home. We disclose these relationships clearly on every property. You can read more about our editorial standards and disclosures on our Editorial Policy page.
Who we are
Sara Marsden-Ille — Co-founder and editor. Sara has been writing about the funeral industry, consumer funeral rights, and end-of-life planning since 2003. She is the lead editor for both DFS Memorials and US Funerals Online. Read more about Sara →
Nicholas Ille — Co-founder and network director. Nicholas leads the DFS Memorials provider network and manages relationships with the 80+ funeral homes and cremation providers we partner with across North America. He publishes weekly Cremation & Funeral Industry Briefs on US Funerals. Connect with Nicholas on LinkedIn →
What's next for DFS Memorials
The death care industry is changing fast. Cremation now accounts for over 60% of US deaths and is rising every year. Families are demanding simpler, more affordable, more meaningful ways to say goodbye. Direct cremation — combined with personalized memorial services planned on the family’s own terms — is the most rapidly growing form of end-of-life care in North America.
DFS Memorials exists to make that easier. We’re committed to expanding the network, deepening the consumer education and pricing transparency we provide, and giving families the information and the options they deserve at one of the most difficult moments of their lives.
If you’d like to find a local provider, start with our local provider search. If you’d like to talk to us directly, contact us here.
Last reviewed: May 2026 by Sara Marsden-Ille.
