By Mikaela STONE

Walter’s Funeral Services, Inc. seeks to turn the environmental tide in Glendale with the introduction of water cremation. 

Walter’s is a name locals might recognize, not only because of the family-owned funerary company but also due to Walter’s Flowers, the first established flower shop in Glendale, founded in 1954. The owner of Walter’s Funeral Services, Krystin Avakian, works closely with her stepmom Nairi Gerassimian, who purchased Walter’s Flowers in 1992. During Gerassimian’s time of supplying funerals with flowers, she noticed a trend of her clients struggling with funeral companies who were not treating them with the respect she felt they deserved. Grieving loved ones were often told the “right” or “wrong” way to honor the deceased, but not offered support. She and Avakian realized they had a chance to help their community. Avakian described the goal of Walter’s Funeral Services as being there for their clients “from the minute they call us to the minute they say their last goodbye.” The pair work closely to deliver community funerals by working with local churches, funeral homes, cemeteries and chapels to offer a wide spread of funeral options.

While Walter’s Funeral Services still offers burial and traditional cremation, Avakian is excited to introduce water cremation to Glendale as a way to “break the body down to its natural state.” She sees water as a symbol of life and renewal.

In water cremation, otherwise known as alkaline hydrolysis, the body is placed in a solution of 95% water and 5% alkali. The alkali splits water molecules to render the body into sterile amino acids, peptides, salts, sugars, fats and soaps. Even the embalming chemicals are broken down into sterile compounds. From there, the bones are ground into the recognizable ash one would expect from a cremation, with one noticeable difference: the ash is white due to the alkali.

The alkali used in hydrolysis is most recognizable as lye, an antibacterial first used in ancient soaps. The New York Times reported that people in ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, Greece and Rome burned hardwood at high temperatures to create lye. This process also created white ash. In the modern age, lye comes from passing an electric current through saltwater brine to create lye crystals without the need for emissions caused by burning.

Reducing emissions is the motivation of some concerned citizens to search for alternatives to cremation. The National Geographic reports that environmental burial non-profits estimate cremations in the U.S. alone release 360,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide each year. Even so, most environmentalists favor it over burial. 

The Smithsonian reports that two million acres of the United States are devoted to cemeteries. California is projected to be the first state to run out of burial room. The Funeral Consumers Alliance adds that Americans bury 30 million board feet of hardwood and 90,000 tons of steel six feet deep each year.  

Such concerns led South African human rights and climate activist Desmond Tutu in 2021 to choose water cremation for his own end-of-life plans. As early as 2014, Tutu called for environmentally-friendly advancements across every field: “Our destiny must be as guardians of the earth, not users and abusers of the only home we have. We all have a responsibility to learn how to live and develop sustainably.” South Africa legalized water cremation in 2019. In the United States of America, this decision lies with the states. While UCLA began using this method for donated cadavers in 1995, California did not legalize this process for the general public until 2017.

Avakian noted that water cremation uses roughly the same amount of water as a 90-minute shower. The water is then sterilized, treated and recycled in a facility powered by renewable energy. Avakian sees this process as creating an “ecosystem” for the deceased. She hopes that teaching about water cremation will make the process seem less frightening.

Whatever end-of-life option Walter’s Funeral Service clients choose, Avakian wants to support them through their difficult times. She already feels as though she has made a difference in the community and intends to do more by putting together grief groups for mourning loved ones for those who want a safe space to belong.

Walter’s Funeral Service also looks forward to launching its Tree of Life package in which ashes from either water or fire cremation are placed in a pod that will eventually grow into a tree.

Whether one is looking to save the environment or simply their pocketbook, more end-of-life options are available than ever in this modern day.

Walter’s Funeral Services, Inc. is located at 422 N. Glendale Ave. in Glendale.