My name is Denise Carter, and I’ve lived in Annapolis, Maryland, my whole life. I grew up in Eastport, right across the bridge from downtown. My father, James Carter, was a Navy veteran who spent more than twenty years working on the water. He loved the Chesapeake Bay more than anything — he used to say the smell of salt and diesel was “home.”
When he passed away last year, I wanted to honor him in a way that felt real. But when I sat down with the funeral home, the price nearly made me sick. Between the casket, the service, and the burial plot, they said it would cost close to $11,000. I didn’t have that kind of money. Dad always told me not to go into debt over him, and I could almost hear his voice saying, “Don’t you dare spend all that, Dee.”
So I started looking into cremation. It wasn’t what my family had done before, but it felt like the only way I could manage it financially — and still give him the dignity he deserved.
Making the Decision to Cremate
I went through a local funeral home here in Annapolis that explained the process clearly. They told me cremation is legal anywhere in Maryland, but you need a Cremation Authorization Form signed by the next of kin and filed before it can happen. Once it’s done, you receive the ashes in a temporary container, and from there you decide what to do — keep them, scatter them, or bury them.
For me, keeping the ashes at home didn’t feel right. My dad was a man of the sea — he needed a place connected to Annapolis, where the air still smelled like the Bay. I wanted a place I could visit and bring flowers to, somewhere permanent. That’s how I found St. Anne’s Cemetery, right in downtown Annapolis.
Learning the Rules at St. Anne’s Cemetery
I called the office at St. Anne’s Parish and spoke to a woman named Martha who couldn’t have been kinder. She told me that they absolutely allow burial of cremated remains, but they do have a few specific requirements. The urn needs to be sealed and durable, and it’s usually placed inside a small urn vault — a protective box that goes into the ground.
She explained that the vault isn’t required by Maryland law, but it is required by the cemetery to prevent the ground from sinking and to make maintenance easier. I appreciated her honesty. She even emailed me the paperwork, which included:
- A copy of my father’s death certificate
- The cremation certificate from the funeral home
- A short interment authorization form I had to sign as next of kin
She also explained that burials for cremation urns are usually done at a depth of about two feet, and families can sometimes bury multiple urns in one plot if they plan ahead. That made sense to me — it was practical and respectful.
Finding the Right Urn for My Father
The hardest part for me wasn’t the paperwork. It was finding the urn.
I didn’t want something plain or mass-produced. My father was a simple man, but he had pride. He always took care of his tools, his uniforms, his boat — everything had meaning. I wanted something that represented that.
I ended up finding exactly what I needed at Spirit Pieces. I went there after a friend from church told me about it. They had hundreds of handcrafted urns, made by real artists. I saw one that looked like it was made for him — deep navy blue with soft silver swirls, almost like the water at dusk. It felt right.
The ordering process was easy, and when it arrived, I actually teared up. It was beautiful. I thought, Dad would have liked this. It looks like the Bay.
The Day of the Burial
The day we buried my father’s urn was one of those early spring mornings in Annapolis where the air still has a little bite, but the sunlight makes everything glow. St. Anne’s Cemetery is tucked between the old trees downtown, not far from Church Circle. You can hear faint bells and the occasional seagull from the harbor.
The groundskeeper helped me lower the small vault into the earth. I brought a single American flag and a small anchor charm that used to hang from his rearview mirror. I placed both on top before the soil went back in. I said a prayer, thanked him for everything he’d done, and stood there until the sun climbed higher.
It wasn’t extravagant. It wasn’t what most people would call a “funeral.” But it was peaceful. It was right.
What I Learned About Cremation Burial in Annapolis
If you live in Annapolis, Maryland, and you’re wondering if you can bury a cremation urn, the answer is yes — absolutely.
Here’s what matters:
- You can legally bury cremated remains in any licensed cemetery, including St. Anne’s Cemetery.
- Maryland law doesn’t require a vault, but most cemeteries will ask for one.
- You’ll need your cremation certificate and interment authorization signed by the next of kin.
- You can also bury urns on private property if local zoning allows, but you should contact your county’s office first.
I went through all of this without a lawyer or a funeral planner. It took some phone calls, a few forms, and a lot of heart, but I got it done — and I gave my father a place where the sun hits the stone just right in the morning.
Final Thoughts
My dad used to say, “Don’t make a fuss. Just do what feels right.” That’s what I did.
Cremation turned out to be the best choice for us — affordable, respectful, and personal. And finding that urn through Spirit Pieces made all the difference. Every piece there feels made with love.
Now, when I visit St. Anne’s Cemetery, I don’t just see a gravestone. I see a story — one that ended the way my dad would’ve wanted: quietly, beautifully, and close to home.