Pre-Arrangement Services FUNERAL BUYING TIPS THE PROS & CONS OF PRE-ARRANGEMENT CEMETERY CHOICES EXPLANATION OF CHARGES GLOSSARY PRICING INFORMATION REQUEST INFORMATION

Cemetery Pre-Arrangement is wise and economical. Who should pre-arrange cemetery property? Anyone who feels well placed in their community should look into pre-purchasing property in the cemetery of their choosing. A hasty choice by family members at the time of death could prove regrettable. It is disheartening to discover a cemetery is too expensive, too commercial, too inconvenient or otherwise unsuitable once interment has taken place. The purchase of cemetery property in advance of need can be considered the most important aspect of funeral pre-arrangement. At the time of death, cemetery property must be fully paid for at least 24 hours prior to the Funeral Service, while Funeral Directors are in the position of accepting delayed payment for their charges through life insurance and other death benefits. With the pre-purchase of cemetery property you are actually purchasing goods at today's prices on terms of your own choosing. This assures you that cemetery related expense won't affect your family at the time of death. For planning ahead, the cemetery provides you with the best pre-arrangement option. For information regarding mortuary costs such as casket, transportation, preparation of body, funeral director's non-declinable professional fee, and use of mortuary facility, contact the Funeral Director of your choice. The National Funeral Directors Association has stated that in 1997 these commonly selected items were available for an averge cost of approximately $4,800. Another option to consider is the establishment of a revocable (until death) funeral trust commonly referred to as a Totten Trust. Totten Trusts allow the depositor to save money in an interest-bearing bank account established to pay for funeral costs. The depositor names a beneficiary such as a trusted friend or family member or funeral home. The depositor remains in control of this revocable trust. A Totten Trust becomes irrevocable at the depositor's death. While it is well to set guidelines regarding our own wishes, funeral ceremonies are for the folks left behind. Leaving some of the decision making process to our families will be beneficial.   Funeral Buying Tips Discuss costs when you make plans; funeral and burial constitute the third greatest single expense faced by the average American family. Treat this as the major purchase it is. Ask for an itemized price list of the services and merchandise you want or are interested in. Understand the terms and conditions of pre-payment plans. Some will not be effective until paid in full, some will not provide enough to cover actual costs, and some are not transferable and not refundable. Put any plans and preferences in writing and supply them to your next-of-kin or person you believe will be responsible for seeing to your funeral. Do not put this information in your will or safe deposit box; they are usually not examined until after the funeral has occurred.  The "Pros" of Pre-Arrangement Special discounts may apply to purchase Ability to compare costs Purchase what you want on terms of your own design and choosing Peace of mind knowing that it is taken care of Keeps survivors from time-of-death shopping and bearing immediate costs Ability to turn away funeral touting telemarketers with the comment "we've done all of that!" The "Cons" of Pre-Arrangement There is no CON provided the pre-arrangement contract is carefully considered and understood before purchase. It must fulfill the needs of the purchaser and surviving family. At the time of a death for which cemetery pre-arrangements have been made we usually hear comments such as "this has been so easy - we're really glad we/he/she did this." When they haven't been made we often hear comments like this, "I'm taking care of this ahead of time so my kids won't have to go through what I am going through right now!" Just be sure whatever plan you choose that you understand: Without credit life insurance the outstanding balance of the pre-purchase contract becomes due and payable upon death if it is to be honored. The contract may not be sufficiently transferable or refundable. Penalties may apply when installments are not paid as agreed. Life insurance benefits are not immediately available to meet cemetery costs and do nothing to assist in the decision making process at the time of death. REQUEST INFORMATION

Cemetery Choices Casket Burial is what we in the midwest have become most accustomed to at the cemetery. It generally costs more than urn burial because of the size of the interment space and increased labor expense handling a casket requires. Some interment spaces are designed to accommodate two caskets, the second interment placed above the first. This double depth arrangement saves money but must be pre-arranged. Urn Interment - cremation - constitutes about 10% of disposition in Kansas. Do not underestimate the value a final resting place and permanent marker has for survivors of a person who has chosen cremation . Unfortunately for most folks, little idea exists of what to do with the cremated remains once they are retrieved from the funeral home or mortuary's crematorium. Maple Grove responds to urn interment as we do to casket interment. The only difference is in the size of the remains. Since an urn is considerably smaller, charges are generally less. Maple Grove's earth interment sites for urns are affordable and similar to casket burial sites. Alternatively, our cremation garden offers a means of surprisingly inexpensive disposition and memorialization. Mausoleum Entombment is available for either casket or urn at the community mausoleum - The Maple Grove Abbey - or by way of private family mausoleum constructed to meet your requirements.

Explanation of Charges All proceeds generated through the following are used only for the operation, maintenance and improvement of The Maple Grove Cemetery, organized as Wichita's only non-profit and non-sectarian cemetery. Interment Space (Interment Rights) Interment space is designed for the permanent disposition of human remains. A variety of interment space options are available. Each is designed for a specific memorialization option. It is the Interment Rights to these spaces which are sold. Purchasing interment rights entitles the buyer to the right to arrange for interment and memorial placement in accordance with cemetery rules and regulations. Interment spaces vary in price according to supply and demand. In that way, a cemetery tends to develop like a city with neighborhoods. In this day and age grave spaces are usually sold individually or in pairs. Larger family lots are less common. Consequentially, fewer upright monuments are purchased to mark family lots. For this reason, lawn level memorials situated in park-like sections of the cemetery are prevalent. Interment spaces for both casket and urn are available throughout Maple Grove, each with a variety of memorial options from which to choose. It is the policy of Maple Grove Cemetery to place a portion of the sale price of each interment space in a state monitored, irrevocable trust designed for the future general care and maintenance of the cemetery. This trust, known as the Maple Grove Permanent Care Fund, is one of the largest such trusts in the State of Kansas. Pricing Information Interment & Recording Fee The Interment & Recording Fee compensates the cemetery organization for services and work performed by the organization at the time of an interment service including: opening and closing of interment space, use of appropriate service equipment, restoration of area after interment service, removal and disposal of funeral decorations, recording of cemetery documents, routine work by cemetery grounds and office staff and use of cemetery facilities. This fee is not included in the cost of interment rights. Pricing Information Outer Burial Container (Vault or Liner) Earth interments (both caskets and urns) are required to be contained in a permanent outer container as set forth in the cemetery's rules and regulations. These permanent containers maintain the integrity of the actual grave and protect the site against future safety and maintenance hazards. Vaults are available in several different styles. The more expensive vaults are more impressive visually and are featured at the graveside/committal service. The more expensive vaults are usually constructed of higher quality materials. The lower cost vaults meet cemetery requirements for permanence but are not designed to be a funerary feature. Pricing Information Permanent Memorials (Markers or Monuments) Gravesites may be marked with a permanent memorial as set forth in the cemetery's rules and regulations. Each interment space has its own memorial requirements regarding size, design and material. Memorials (markers and monuments) are the only really permanent record left behind. They not only mark a gravesite, they speak of the departed and of his/her values and beliefs. The cemetery regulates memorial specifications through rules and regulations designed to work with a general plan. It is important to understand memorial regulations prior to the purchase of interment space. Many options exist at Maple Grove. Memorials may also be placed for people not buried at Maple Grove, simply to their memory or in their honor. These are inscribed with what is referred to as a Cenotaph. Our most popular form of cenotaph is our memorial tree and plaque, a living tribute and fitting memorial to any loved one. Pricing Information Other Services Many other goods and services are offered through the cemetery including Pre-Arrangement Planning, the addition of inscription to memorials, holiday and seasonal decorations, memorial trees and garden features, family research, historical or operational tours and group presentations. Please call our office for further details. Pricing Information REQUEST INFORMATION

Glossary Cenotaph: a permanent memorial dedicated in memory of the deceased whose remains lie elsewhere. Often denoted by the words "In Memoriam." Columbarium: structure containing recesses for urns. Cremation: the technical heating process that reduces human remains to bone fragments, which occurs through heat and evaporation. Grave liner: permanent outside container, consisting of one piece box and one piece lid which is not sealed. Interment: the disposition of human remains by earth burial, entombment, or inurnment. Inurnment: placing creamted remains in an urn and placing in a niche, or in the ground. Lot: space in the cemetery used, or intended to be used, for the interment of human remains. The term includes and applies to one or more than one adjoining grave and or space, one or more than one adjoining crypt or one or more than one adjoining niche. Marker: a memorial of granite or marble placed on a lot that extends well above the surface of the lawn. Mausoleum: the Maple Grove Abbey, or any other above-ground structure for the interment (entombment) of human remains. Monument: a memorial of granite or marble placed on a lot that extends well above the surface for the interment of human remains. Niche: a space in a columbarium used, or intended to be used, for inurnment of cremated remains. Permanent memorial: a marker, monument or other structure containing inscription and/or other symbolism, installed at a grave site or lot and dedicated to the memory of the deceased. Plot: same as "lot". Space: the space on a lot for the interment of human remains. Temporary memorial or tribute: a decoration or memento placed at a grave which will be removed. Urn: a container used for ashes resulting from the cremation process. Vault: a permanent outside container which is sealed and of better grade than a two-piece box.

1000 N. Hillside • Wichita, Kansas 67214 (316) 682-4821 e-mail: HOME | ABOUT MAPLE GROVE CEMETERY | PRE-ARRANGEMENT | PRICING INFORMATION EARLY CEMETERIES OF WICHITA | NEWSLETTER MAPLE GROVE HERITAGE ASSOCIATION | GENEALOGICAL INQUIRY | ROSTER OF NOTABLES REQUEST INFORMATION