This webpage lists funeral homes and cremation organizations in the San Diego 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.
California Funeral Alternatives
Escondido, CA and Poway, CA
Contact: Marna Farwell
Phone: 760-737-2890 (Escondido) and 858-842-3000 (Poway)
Web: californiafuneralalternatives.
| Regular Hours | |
| M-F 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | Fee: None |
| After Hours | |
| Willing to open 24×7 including weekends and holidays by appointment. | Fee: None |
Brain donation work is done at the California Funeral Alternatives Escondido location.
Care Center Cremation & Burial
San Diego, CA
Contact: Meghan Fischer
Phone: 619-677-2599
Web: carefuneralhomesandiego.com
| Regular Hours | |
| M-F 9 a.m.-4 p.m. | Fee: $150 |
| After Hours | |
| Willing to open daily as needed. | Fee: $150 |
Cremation Services, Inc.
Vista, CA
Contact: Steve Schock, Sr. or Caitlyn Buckwalter
Phone: 760-727-8906
Web: csicremationandburial.com
| Regular Hours | |
| M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: None |
| After Hours | |
| Willing to open 24×7 including weekends and holidays by appointment. | Fee: None |
East County Mortuary and Cremation Service
El Cajon, CA
Contact: Robert Zakar
Phone: 619-440-9900
Web: eastcountymortuary.com
| Regular Hours | |
| M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: $350 |
| After Hours | |
| Willing to open 24×7 by appointment. | Fee: $550 |
Eternal Hills Mortuary
Oceanside, CA
Contact: David Meitzler
Phone: 760-754-6600
Web: eternalhillsmortuary.com
| Regular Hours | |
| Daily 8 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: $300 |
Legacy Funeral Home and Cremation Care
La Mesa, CA
Contact: Jo-Ann Chelstowski
Phone: 619-337-1400
Web: legacyfuneralcare.com
| Regular Hours | |
| M-F 9 a.m.-5 p.m. | Fee: $250 |
| After Hours | |
| Willing to open 24×7 not including holidays by appointment. | Fee: $500 |