Creative Cremations

By TAMMERLIN DRUMMOND

PRODUCT Novel ways to dispense of a loved one's ashes

HOW IT STARTED Aging baby boomers weren't satisfied with the garden-variety box of ashes on the mantel

JUDGMENT CALL Cremations are becoming more popular, but how many people really want their loved ones launched into orbit?

Searching for a meaningful send-off to the hereafter? People used to be content to keep a loved one's ashes on the family mantel. Or scatter them at sea. But a lot of baby boomers are demanding something more elaborate for themselves and their dearly departed. In Florida, retired golfers are having their cremated remains scattered on putting greens. Canuck's Sportsman's Memorials Inc., based in Des Moines, Iowa, packs the ashes of duck- and pheasant-hunting enthusiasts into shotgun shells. They are later fired into the air during a ceremony in the woods for family and friends. If you're an ocean lover, Eternal Reefs Inc. in Atlanta will place your ashes inside an artificial reef for $850 to $3,200. Celestis, a company based in Houston, will launch your ashes into Earth's orbit. Star Trek creator Gene Roddenberry and Timothy Leary are among the 100 people who have taken this stellar ride. The cost: $5,300. Spring for $12,500, and you can get shot toward the moon.

With cremations growing in popularity--some 600,000 last year, five times as many as in 1975--the trend may continue. But if the economy keeps sliding, the no-frills variety may be enough. A basic cremation costs about $1,000, compared with $7,000 for a traditional funeral.

--By Tammerlin Drummond