If a loved one has passed away and previously specified the desire to be cremated, you can work closely with your local funeral home to have this process completed. One the person's body has been cremated, you'll conventionally receive the ashes in a plain box, which you can then add to an urn for safekeeping. If your loved one wanted his or her urn and ashes to remain with the family, rather than be scattered, it can be special to find a business that will mount cherished objects to the top of a wooden box into which the ashes are poured. This gives you a custom receptacle for the remains of your loved one and can be displayed in a prominent spot in the home. Here are some ideas to consider.

Automotive Enthusiast

If the person who has passed away was a big-time automotive enthusiast, there's no better way to store his or her remains than with an auto-themed urn. Find a model of the person's favorite vehicle; if he or she owned a classic car, for example, this is a perfect choice. Once you get the model, you can ship it to the company that provides these custom urns. The model can then be affixed to the top of a pristine wooden box and returned back to you.

Athlete

An avid athlete who has passed away should be remembered for his or her prowess on the field of play. One way to do so is to take a piece of athletic footwear, such as a soccer or football cleat, a golf shoe, or even an ice skate, and send it to the custom urn company. The company will then mount this piece of footwear to the top of the box of your choice for you to display in your home.

Musician

If your loved one lived for playing music, you can partner with the custom urn company to design and implement a one-of-a-kind music-themed box for the person's cremated remains. Consider the instrument that the person played. If it was a large instrument such as a piano, guitar, or drums, you should look for a small model of the instrument so that it can be mounted to the box. If the instrument itself was small, such as a harmonica or a flute, you can pursue having this item mounted to the top of the box to properly honor the person's passion for music.