My father wanted his body donated to science and then cremated. This is exactly what Meaningful Donation does, and they do it at no cost.
When my dad passed away, the hospital gave me the contact info for "Meaningful Donation" in Aurora Colorado, and I called them. They have an after hours answering service (a real person, not a robot) who took a message, and I received a call back from the company within 30 minutes.
They were very kind and compassionate throughout the process, and they took care of all arrangements with the hospital. They will collect the body, provide next of kin with a signed death certificate, use the body for science and medical research (teaching medical students), and then cremate the remains and send some of the ashes back to the surviving family member. I highly recommend this option for people who prefer cremation to casket and burial. read more