This webpage lists funeral homes and cremation organizations in the East Bay area that we deem “cooperative.” A “cooperative” funeral home or cremation organization meets two criteria:
ACCESS
- makes its facility available to pathology personnel on a daily basis. At minimum, a four-hour window each day is necessary.
- ideally, makes its facility available on a 24×7 basis.
FEES
- charges a reasonable fee, if any, and assesses that fee only if the facility is utilized after-hours. We have not included funeral homes or cremation organizations where the facility charge exceeds $500.
- ideally, charges no fee to the family (or anyone else) for allowing pathology personnel to use its facilities.
Listed below are places we’ve worked with or called somewhat recently that we deem “cooperative.” This list is not intended to be exhaustive, and serves only as a starting point. If you identify other organizations that should be on this list, let us know.
Fees listed assume that your family is utilizing this business for final arrangements.
Note 1: if you are using a funeral home or cremation organization that does not allow the work on its premises, we can ask one of these “cooperative” funeral homes whether its facility can be rented for a fee for the brain donation work. And the “cooperative” funeral home may provide transportation from the place of death.
Note 2: there are two rare cases when a funeral home or cremation organization need not be open on a daily basis: (1) if death has occurred or (2) if the loved one is utilizing a “death with dignity” act on a certain day/time.
All County Cremation Services
Colma, CA
Contact: Mary Ann Cruz
Phone: 650-343-3914
Web: allcountycremationserv.com
| Regular Hours | |
| Daily 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: None |
| After Hours | |
| Willing to open on evenings and weekends by appointment. | Fee: None |
Brain donation work is done at a sister mortuary in the Bay Area. Additional sanitation fee of $150 may apply if the donor is positive for COVID-19.
Fremont Chapel of the Roses
Fremont, CA
Contact: Nancy Schroder
Phone: 510-797-1900
Web: fremontchapeloftheroses.com
| Regular Hours | |
| Daily: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: $395 |
| After Hours | |
| Possibly by appointment. | Fee: $395 |
Fremont Memorial Chapel
Fremont, CA
Contact: Nancy Schroder
Phone: 510-793-8900
Web: fremontmemorialchapel.com
| Regular Hours | |
| Daily: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: $395 |
| After Hours | |
| Possibly by appointment. | Fee: $395 |
Graham-Hitch Mortuary
Pleasanton, CA
Contact: Wesley Fisher
Phone: 925-846-5624
Web: graham-hitchmortuary.com
| Regular Hours | |
| M-F: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Sat.-Sun: 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Fee: $480 |
| After Hours | |
| Possibly by appointment. | Fee: $480 |
Grissom’s Chapel & Mortuary
San Lorenzo and San Ramon, CA
Contact: Lisa Bradshaw
Phone: 510-278-2800
Web: grissomsmortuary.com
| Regular Hours | |
| M-Sat: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: $300 |
| After Hours | |
| Possibly by appointment. | Fee: $300 |
Brain donation work is done at the San Lorenzo location.
Honor Cremations
San Jose, CA
Contact: David Madden or Mayra Banda
Phone: 408-645-5140
Web: honorcremations.com
| Regular Hours | |
| M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: None |
| After Hours | |
| Willing to open on evenings and weekends by appointment. | Fee: None |
Jess C. Spencer Mortuary & Crematory
Castro Valley, CA
Contact: Wesley Fisher
Phone: 510-581-9133
Web: spencermortuary.com
| Regular Hours | |
| M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m, Sat-Sun 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Fee: $390 |
| After Hours | |
| Possibly by appointment. | Fee: $490 |
McNary Williams Jackson
Oakland, CA
Contact: Lenny Lewis
Phone: 510-848-1238
Web: Families need to call for information as McNary Williams Jackson does not have a website.
| Regular Hours | |
| M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: $145 |
| After Hours | |
| Willing to open on evenings and weekends by appointment. | Fee: $145 |
Smith & Witter Funeral Home
El Sobrante, CA
Contact: Patti Smith
Phone: 510-758-5466
Web: smithandwitterfuneralhome.com
| Regular Hours | |
| Daily 24×7 | Fee: $325 |
Sunset View Cemetery & Mortuary
El Cerrito, CA
Contact: Scott Pennington
Phone: 510-525-5111
Web: sunsetviewcemetery.com
| Regular Hours | |
| Daily: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: $500 |
| After Hours | |
| Possibly by appointment. | Fee: $500 |
TraditionCare Funeral Services
Pleasant Hill and Antioch, CA
Contact: Eric Neiman
Phone: 925-827-2911 (Pleasant Hill), 925-755-2911 (Antioch)
Web: traditioncare.com
| Regular Hours | |
| M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: None |
| After Hours | |
| Willing to open on evenings and weekends by appointment. | Fee: $500 |