Abstract: A combination casket and casket display comprises a reduced height casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased and having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall, the side walls and end walls having lower edges, the bottom wall extending below the lower edges of the side walls and end walls, a casket lid closable on the reduced height casket shell, and a casket display base having a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, the side walls and end walls having upper edges. The reduced height casket shell is supported by the casket display base such that the lower edges of the side walls and end walls of the reduced height casket shell are at about the same height as the upper edges of the side walls and end walls of the casket display base, and the bottom wall of the reduced height casket shell extends below the upper edges of the side walls and end walls of the casket display base so as to nest within the casket display base.

Abstract: A method of forming a sheet metal casket comprises providing a sheet metal casket shell having at least a portion of an end wall and at least a portion of a side wall and a round corner between the portion of the end wall and the portion of the side wall, and forming a generally planar corner oriented at about a 45° angle relative to the portion of the end wall and the portion of the side wall.

Abstract: A casket comprises a casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall, and a casket cap. The cap includes a dish assembly mounted to an underside of the cap. The dish assembly includes a cap panel, a pair of opposed puffings attached to opposed longer sides of the cap panel, a pair of opposed puffings attached to opposed shorter sides of the cap panel, and at least a pair of generally horizontally spaced apart and generally vertically extending pleats. An appliqué panel overlies the cap panel and is sized and configured such that its opposite side edges are removably received and retained by respective ones of the pair of pleats. The appliqué panel is transparent to allow viewing of the cap panel behind it, and includes an embroidered appliqué applied on its front face. The appliqué panel thereby creates a three-dimensional appearance of the embroidery floating in front of the cap panel.

Abstract: A method of memorializing a deceased comprises the steps of receiving, subsequent to the death of the deceased and prior to a funeral or other memorial service for the deceased, a selection of a personal item of personal significance to the deceased, attaching the personal item to an ornament base, and attaching the ornament base, with the personal item attached thereto, to a casket for the deceased.

Abstract: A casket comprises a casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall, and a casket cap closable on the casket shell. A dish assembly is mounted to an underside of the cap. The dish assembly includes a cap panel comprising a sheet of magnetic material. At least one medallion having text and/or graphics representing a life aspect of the deceased is removably mounted on the cap panel. The medallion comprises a medallion blank having at least one magnet on a rear side thereof and having a recess on a front side thereof, a two-dimensional image positioned in the recess of the medallion blank, and a transparent layer of material overlying the two-dimensional image. The transparent layer of material is dome-shaped in cross section such that a peripheral outer edge of the layer is thinner than a central portion of the layer. The magnet removably secures the medallion blank to the magnetic material of the cap panel.

Abstract: A casket comprises a casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased and having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall, a casket cap closable on the casket shell, the cap including a dish assembly mounted to an underside thereof, the dish assembly including a cap panel, and at least one medallion mounted on either an interior surface or an exterior surface of either the cap or the shell, the medallion having text and/or graphics representing a life aspect of the deceased.

Abstract: A casket comprises a casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased and a casket cap closable on the casket shell. The cap includes a dish assembly mounted to an underside thereof including a cap panel of a sheet of magnetic material. At least one medallion is removably mounted on the cap panel. The medallion comprises a medallion blank having at least one magnet on a rear side thereof and having a recess on a front side thereof, and a button removably received in the recess of the medallion blank. The button comprises a button front, a magnetic metallic button back, and a two-dimensional image overlying an upper surface of the button front.

Abstract: A casket comprises a casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall, and a casket cap. The cap includes a dish assembly mounted to an underside of the cap. The dish assembly includes a cap panel, a pair of opposed puffings attached to opposed longer sides of the cap panel, a pair of opposed puffings attached to opposed shorter sides of the cap panel, and at least a pair of generally horizontally spaced apart and generally vertically extending pleats. An appliqué panel overlies the cap panel and is sized and configured such that its opposite side edges are removably received and retained by respective ones of the pair of pleats. The appliqué panel is transparent to allow viewing of the cap panel behind it, and includes an embroidered appliqué applied on its front face. The appliqué panel thereby creates a three-dimensional appearance of the embroidery floating in front of the cap panel.

Abstract: A display for displaying the features of a casket which has a shell, a lid and an interior, comprises a wall, a cabinet mounted to the wall, an openable and closable door mounted to the cabinet, the door having the appearance of being at least a portion of the lid of the casket, and at least a portion of the shell of the casket positioned in the cabinet.

Abstract: A method of merchandising caskets by a casket seller at the point of purchase of a casket purchaser comprises displaying a plurality of untrimmed caskets from which the purchaser may select, each casket of the plurality of caskets being of a different material, color, or design, displaying a plurality of packaged casket interior trim component sets from which the purchaser may select, each set of the plurality of sets containing trim components being of a different material, color, or design, and installing the casket interior trim components of the purchaser selected set into the purchaser selected casket. The casket interior components can include one or more, or all, of a mattress cover, a pillow cover, a big body, a small body, and an overthrow, in any combination.

Abstract: A combination casket and casket display comprises a reduced height casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased and having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall, the side walls and end walls having lower edges, the bottom wall extending below the lower edges of the side walls and end walls, a casket lid closable on the reduced height casket shell, and a casket display base having a pair of side walls and a pair of end walls, the side walls and end walls having upper edges. The reduced height casket shell is supported by the casket display base such that the lower edges of the side walls and end walls of the reduced height casket shell are at about the same height as the upper edges of the side walls and end walls of the casket display base, and the bottom wall of the reduced height casket shell extends below the upper edges of the side walls and end walls of the casket display base so as to nest within the casket display base.

Abstract: A casket comprises a casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased and a casket cap closable on the casket shell. The cap includes a dish assembly mounted to an underside thereof including a cap panel of a sheet of magnetic material. At least one medallion is removably mounted on the cap panel. The medallion comprises a medallion blank having at least one magnet on a rear side thereof and having a recess on a front side thereof, and a button removably received in the recess of the medallion blank. The button comprises a button front, a magnetic metallic button back, and a two-dimensional image overlying an upper surface of the button front.

Abstract: A casket comprises a casket shell, a casket lid closeable on the shell, a mounting plate mounted to the shell, the plate including at least one keyhole groove therein, a medallion casket ornament having a rear side, the ornament including at least one magnet mounted on the rear side, and a magnetic adapter plate having a rear side, the adapter plate including at least one fastener with a head thereon mounted on the rear side, the adapter plate removably secured to the shell by inserting the head of the fastener in the keyhole groove in the mounting plate and seating the head of the fastener in the keyhole groove, the casket ornament removably secured to the shell by positioning the at least one magnet of the ornament on the adapter plate.

Abstract: A cremation container foldable into a compact configuration for shipping comprises a bottom, a pair of side walls connected to the bottom, a pair of end walls connected to the bottom, and a lid removably positioned atop the pair of side walls and the pair of end walls. Each wall of the pair of side walls and each wall of the pair of end walls comprises an upper panel and a lower panel hingedly connected together. The upper panels of the pair of end walls are foldable downwardly toward the bottom, and the upper panels of the pair of side walls are foldable downwardly atop the upper panels of the pair of end walls to thereby compactly configure the container for shipping.

Abstract: A method of forming a portion of a sheet metal casket shell comprises supporting a piece of sheet metal on one side with a female die having a center die portion and opposite end die portions configured to pivot relative to the center die portion, supporting the piece of sheet metal on the opposite side with a male die having a center die portion and opposite end die portions, and pivoting the end die portions of the female die relative to the center die portion of the female die to cause the opposite ends of the piece of sheet metal to fold around the end die portions of the male die. The method can be repeated with a second piece of sheet metal thereby forming two shell halves which can be welded together to form the shell.

Abstract: A method of forming a sheet metal casket comprises providing a sheet metal casket shell having at least a portion of an end wall and at least a portion of a side wall and a round corner between the portion of the end wall and the portion of the side wall, and forming a generally planar corner oriented at about a 45° angle relative to the portion of the end wall and the portion of the side wall.

Abstract: A casket having provision for displaying a photograph, the photograph having a pair of opposite side edges, comprises a casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased and having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall, a casket cap closable on the casket shell, the cap including a dish assembly mounted to an underside thereof, the dish assembly including a cap panel, the cap panel including at least one pair of opposed retention members sized and configured to receive and retain the pair of opposite side edges of the photograph for display of the photograph when the cap is in an open position.

Abstract: A method of forming a sheet metal casket comprises providing a sheet metal casket shell having at least a portion of an end wall and at least a portion of a side wall and a round corner between the portion of the end wall and the portion of the side wall, and forming a generally planar corner oriented at about a 45° angle relative to the portion of the end wall and the portion of the side wall.

Abstract: A casket having provision for displaying a photograph, the photograph having a pair of opposite side edges, comprises a casket shell adapted to receive the remains of a deceased and having a pair of side walls, a pair of end walls, and a bottom wall, a casket cap closable on the casket shell, the cap including a dish assembly mounted to an underside thereof, the dish assembly including a cap panel, the cap panel including at least one pair of opposed retention members sized and configured to receive and retain the pair of opposite side edges of the photograph for display of the photograph when the cap is in an open position.

Abstract: A casket comprises a casket shell, a casket lid closeable on the shell, a mounting plate mounted to the shell, the plate including at least one keyhole groove therein, a medallion casket ornament having a rear side, the ornament including at least one magnet mounted on the rear side, and a magnetic adapter plate having a rear side, the adapter plate including at least one fastener with a head thereon mounted on the rear side, the adapter plate removably secured to the shell by inserting the head of the fastener in the keyhole groove in the mounting plate and seating the head of the fastener in the keyhole groove, the casket ornament removably secured to the shell by positioning the at least one magnet of the ornament on the adapter plate.