Planning a Service    

A burial service at Bluestem is created by the family or designated service leader and can include as much or as little ceremony as desired. Families that have held services at Bluestem have invited ministers, poets, musicians, singers, pets, all of the relatives, or only friends.

Bluestem staff and volunteers support the family by being present and witness, standing by to lower the casket or shroud, or the placing of the ashes in the ground. We find that people are so deeply present in nature and surrounded by the loving care of friends and family, that they are frequently moved to lower their loved ones into the ground. 
Prior to a service, Bluestem staff will contact you for details around your planned service, number of guests, and mobility needs. Some burial services include a funeral or memorial service in one of Bluestem's sanctuaries prior to the internment. Others hold a service or simple liturgy directly at the gravesite. Bluestem staff can place the casket or shroud in a sanctuary ahead of time, followed by a procession to the gravesite. Or, the loved one can be placed directly at the gravesite.

Scheduling a Service

Different from conventional cemeteries, please note that Bluestem burial services are scheduled on Tuesdays through Fridays between the hours of 9am and 3pm. Bluestem does not hold burial services after 3pm, unless by special request. Occasional Mondays and Saturdays may be available for scheduling; however, services on a Saturday require an additional weekend fee of $500. Burial services are not scheduled on Sundays or Holidays. Exceptions may be made for religious purposes. Please contact us for more information. 
PictureProcessing to the gravesite.
   
Every being can be given a farewell ritual. Preparing for one is important for all participants. Bluestem staff have been asked for guidance on how to do this simply. We have drafted a sample order of service, below. Take some of the elements suggested, or simply create your own. If you need further ideas or support, consider contacting any of the celebrants identified on our Service Providers page.

Burial Services At Bluestem    

PictureSanctuary under the Black Walnut Trees
             
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Mass in the Pond Sanctuary
PictureMemorial service in the Pond Sanctuary
             
PictureA gravesite in the First Field
             
 PictureGraveside service in the First Field
             
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Graveside service in the First Field
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Processing to the gravesite
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A gravesite on the woodland edge

Remembering at Bluestem   

Gravesites at Bluestem are natural spaces within restored grasslands and woodlands. The gravesites alter over time and may even "disappear" with the seasons. Gravesites become one with the evolving landscape. No framing of graves is permitted. If collections of stones, branches, or other leave behinds are assembled around or on gravesites, they will be removed.
Returning family and friends can locate their loved one’s gravesite or, as importantly, they can experience the fullness of the entire nature preserve in honor of their loved one’s memory. After burial services, families receive GPS coordinates for the location of graves. Please contact us if you have any questions about locating a grave. 
No outside plantings are permitted; however, native plantings and seeds may be provided for the burial service by Bluestem staff. Please speak with us directly about your wishes for memorialization.

​We are currently engaged in a landscape wide inventory of existing plants, shrubs and trees, and developing a list of approved native plants for future consideration. Contact us if you would like to make a donation toward our Forest Restoration or Prairie Restoration Programs.