Cremation in Morgantown, West Virginia
Morgantown gives you a choice that almost no other city in West Virginia offers: traditional flame cremation OR alkaline hydrolysis (water cremation). Smith Funeral & Cremation Care is among the very few WV providers offering water cremation — legalized in 2022 under HB 4647. Hastings operates the Omega Crematory for traditional flame cremation. Two facilities, two methods, one city. But Morgantown is also the most expensive cremation market in our WV analysis — so knowing your options and prices is essential.
Morgantown Cremation Costs (2026)
| Service | Price Range | What's Included |
|---|---|---|
| Direct cremation (flame) | $1,400–$1,700 | Transportation, container, flame cremation, return of remains |
| Direct water cremation (alkaline hydrolysis) | $2,000–$4,000 | Transportation, container, water-based cremation, return of remains |
| Cremation with memorial service | $3,500–$5,500 | Cremation + chapel, staff, memorial gathering |
| Cremation with viewing | $4,500–$7,000 | Full traditional service before cremation |
Morgantown is the most expensive cremation market in our WV analysis. Direct cremation here costs $200-$500 more than Huntington, Charleston, or Fairmont.
Fairmont alternative: 20 minutes south, direct cremation runs $1,150-$1,300. That's up to $550 in savings for a short drive. Fairmont providers outsource cremation — but the total cost may still be lower.
Don't Leave Cremation Costs to Your Family
Final expense insurance covers cremation — plans from $30/month, payout within 24-72 hours.
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Flame Cremation vs. Water Cremation — Morgantown Offers Both
This is the section that makes Morgantown's cremation market unique in West Virginia.
FLAME CREMATION (Traditional)
Available at: Hastings (Omega Crematory) + Smith
- Body placed in cremation chamber at 1,400-1,800°F
- Process takes 2-3 hours
- Remains processed into fine powder
- Standard method used for over a century
- Cost: $1,400-$1,700 (direct)
- Carbon footprint: moderate (natural gas)
WATER CREMATION (Alkaline Hydrolysis)
Available at: Smith Funeral & Cremation Care ONLY
- Body placed in stainless steel vessel with water + alkaline solution
- Gentle water flow and heat (200-300°F)
- Process takes 6-8 hours
- Returns ~20% more remains (whiter, finer)
- Cost: $2,000-$4,000
- Carbon footprint: 90% less than flame
- Legalized in WV in 2022 (HB 4647)
Water cremation produces approximately 20% more remains than flame cremation — the powder is whiter and finer. Some families describe it as a gentler, more natural process. The environmental benefit is significant: 90% less carbon emissions, no mercury release from dental fillings, and no combustion byproducts.
Morgantown Cremation Providers — Who Performs What?
ON-SITE CREMATION FACILITIES
Smith Funeral & Cremation Care
108 Holland Ave, Morgantown, WV 26501 · (304) 292-5683
The only provider in Morgantown — and one of the only in all of WV — offering BOTH flame cremation AND alkaline hydrolysis. If you want water cremation, Smith is your only local option. If you want traditional cremation, Smith competes directly with Hastings. Either way, your loved one stays in Smith's care throughout.
Hastings Funeral Home — Omega Crematory
153 Spruce St, Morgantown, WV 26505 · (304) 292-8664
Operates the Omega Crematory for traditional flame cremation. Highest obituary volume in Morgantown (800+), reflecting decades of community trust. If traditional cremation is your choice and you prefer the most established provider, Hastings is the call.
OUTSOURCE CREMATION
📋 McCulla Funeral Home — 770 Fairmont Rd · (304) 291-3458 · Since 1942, tier-based pricing
📋 Fred L. Jenkins Funeral & Cremation — 10 S High St · (304) 296-0024
📋 Dering-Henson Funeral Home — 156 Foundry St · (304) 292-3229
📋 Bolyard Funeral Home — Morgantown
📋 Carl R. Spear Funeral Home — Brandonville Heights
These providers arrange cremation but transport your loved one to Smith's or Hastings' facility for the actual process. Their total cremation price includes their service fee plus a transfer fee — compare against going directly to Smith or Hastings.
Is Water Cremation Right for Your Family?
Choose water cremation if:
- Environmental impact matters to the deceased or the family
- The idea of flame cremation is uncomfortable but traditional burial isn't preferred
- The deceased expressed a preference for the most natural process
- You want more remains returned (20% more)
- You're comfortable with a newer process and potentially higher cost
Choose flame cremation if:
- Cost is the primary factor ($1,400 vs $2,000-$4,000)
- You want the faster process (2-3 hours vs 6-8 hours)
- You prefer the established, widely-used method
- The environmental difference isn't a deciding factor
There is no wrong choice. Both methods are legal in WV, both are dignified, and both return remains to the family. The difference is process, cost, and environmental impact.
How to Get the Best Cremation Price
1. Call Smith AND Hastings. Two crematories, two quotes. This is your core comparison for flame cremation. Only Smith quotes water cremation.
2. Call one Fairmont provider (20 min south). Fairmont's outsourced cremation runs $1,150-$1,300 — up to $550 cheaper than Morgantown direct cremation. The cremation itself may happen at the same regional facility. The savings are real.
3. Ask McCulla about tier-based cremation pricing. Their tiered system is designed for budget flexibility. Their lower tiers may include cremation at a price point between Fairmont and the crematory operators.
4. Water cremation: ask Smith for the exact price. The $2,000-$4,000 range is wide. Your specific cost depends on the service level (direct water cremation vs. water cremation with a memorial). Get the itemized quote.
5. Skip the funeral home urn. Returns in a basic container are free. Buy a quality urn online for $30-$150 later. Funeral homes markup urns 200-400%.
The $0 Option: Body Donation to WVU
If the deceased supported medical education — or if the family has no financial resources — body donation eliminates ALL cremation costs.
WVU Human Gift Registry
- Accepts body donations for medical education and research
- WVU covers ALL costs: transportation, processing, and eventual cremation
- Remains returned to the family (typically 1-3 years) at no charge
- Pre-registration preferred but at-need donations accepted — call immediately
- The family can still hold a memorial gathering without the body present
Several Morgantown funeral homes can coordinate the donation process. This is not a budget shortcut — it's a meaningful contribution to medical science that also happens to cost the family nothing.
→ Cheapest burial options including body donation
After Cremation — Your Morgantown Options
Keep at home. No WV law prohibits it.
Scatter at a meaningful location. WVU campus (check university policy), Cheat Lake, Coopers Rock State Forest (check with park office), private property with permission. WV has no state law restricting scattering on private land.
Bury locally. Beverly Hills Memorial Gardens, East Oak Grove Cemetery, and other Morgantown-area cemeteries offer cremation plots and niches.
Divide among family. Especially relevant for WVU families where siblings may live in different states. 3-7 pounds of remains allow multiple keepsake urns.
Parting Stones or memorial jewelry. Transform remains into holdable stones or wearable pendants — available through various providers and online services. Our Parting Stone review walks through what families receive, what it costs, and whether solidified remains may be the right fit.