So my mother had a traditional South Indian "arranged marriage," which was beneficial for them both My father was already in the US with the intent of becoming a US citizen for the purpose of becoming an MD, an American MD I was born during his Scholarship, long before I have memory of. He decided to purchase a 3-bedroom, 2 bath home in the all-White suburbs of Arlington Heights - 100% so that my my little brother and I could have a backyard with a children's swing set in the 70s Point being, my mother, who physically beat us with a wooden spoon DAILY... I would never assault a dog physically or verbally... why the fxck would any human assault physically a 2-year old????!!!! She hated my MD Dad and her children So when my my Dr. MD Dad suddenly dropped dead in in 2014 - my local Illinois Cremation Center was there primarily there for my husband to follow a traditional Hindu cremation (imagine a simplified ved version of happy comedic Dr. Kuttners (if you ever watched House, perhaps the last amazing TV show sans Cable);self-inflicted gunshot suicide When Dad dropped dead, he had handwritten instructions on what to do with his ashes Well Uma still keeps HIM in his now-bedroom in his closet with the door to the room permanently closed Via my husband, while I was still "comatose" and eliminated on my my bed on three layers of "puppy training pads" ICC offered my husband to pray to witness all of it, although his best offer was to purchase a simple wooden wood box and an "expensive but cheap" bamboo container They in addition to cremation - trust ME THIS SINGULAR TIME PLEASE - Order #1M Death Certificates with ease (needed for cancelation of every single thing in his name (home, utilities, credit cards, phone accounts (lol the landline) cell, etc etc etc.. Uma regularly ays her victim card with his passing, she is an 80+ authentic Yoga instructor and daily I hope that I die prior to her Uma's body can finally rot in her finally her her own house that my Dad paid for when he was a very poor MD student and his only "job" was as a pre-MD student teacher Uma does not deserve Illinois Cremation Center so respect and care of anyone would has passed and especially their kindness of families going through the ordeal My husband is big and tall White guy As I understand it, we both require at least the same size container. Tissue and fat burn simply, it is bones, which every human or animal has (i am a lifelong Hindu vegan since birth) Anyway when Ed dies ( our 30th Anniversary is in a few days), I shall just call ICC to pick up his body at the hospital or at our home), order at the 2014 price and ease 100 of hos Death Certificates and bed done I do have to by IL state law, pick up his ashes within 30 days plus sign 1 million forms, with even "comatose" in our bed that I obviously eliminated n (;2026 and the most active Yelp reviewer /r read more

Losing a loved one is never easy, but I'm so thankful we chose Illinois Cremation Centers to care for my dad's arrangements. From start to finish, they showed such compassion and understanding. They patiently guided me through the entire process, answered all my questions (and I had plenty!), and never once made me feel like a burden. When it came time to bring Dad home, they even helped my daughter gently place some ashes into a small urn before handing us the larger box. That small act of kindness is something I'll never forget. It showed how much they truly care about the families they serve. read more

They were a early option, and did call back if i had any questions. They seemed to be aaffordable aas well but not certain

When my brother died, they were no help and didn't care. I live out of state and needed help right away as my brother died in his apartment. I talked with Jon and he said that they could help me get my brother's body picked up if I got him the signed POAHC. Once I got them the form that they asked for, they changed their mind, and when I asked to talk to the manager a woman came on the line. She was extremely rude and disrespectful and then said she would call me right back and never did. So in the end, they refused to pick up my brother's body after they said they would and left me scrambling. So find some other company that you can believe they do as they say and that care about their clients. read more

Bambi was real nice and always professional This was a hard time for me and my family and the creamation service was always respectful. My brother didn't have money or insurance for A full funeral so creamation Is the most inexpensive way to deal with a death. read more

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I was in a dark space when I wrote my first review. In reconsidering, I would use them again. The whole funeral industry is an outrageous industry that preys on people when they are most vulnerable. These people helped me have a very personal, respectful experience. It was 1/20 the the cost of getting a funeral director involved. My experience with with Chicago Catholic Cemeteries and their outrageous cost of putting the urn in and existing plot was extortion. They kept pushing for getting a funeral director involved. They charge the same price for burying an urn as for burying a casket. They wanted to make me get a cement vault even though the urn was rated for burial and their website said I didn't need a vault. They wanted me to get an expensive package which includes perpetual care for the plot even though it was an existing plot with a relative buried there. What, they would not cut the 12 inch circle above the urn that was already a perpetual care plot. Crazy They wanted to charge an additional fee if I ordered a headstone on line because they said they would take responsibility if anything was misspelled. And much more petty things. read more

My Father passed from a stroke, during the pandemic. I and my family were not allowed to visit him, nor were we allowed to identify the body. I'm so thankful Illinois Cremation Center was there to help, extremely professional through and through. I had the pleasure of working with Julie, she was such a caring, loving, caring and supportive woman. read more

This is the second time we have used this company's services and we have been very pleased. They were great in 2010, when one of my brothers passed away. Although we have not yet picked up another brother's ashes, Illinois Cremation Centers has been wonderful. I wanted to write this review just in case someone else might need this service. If you plan to cremate your loved one and are up to doing a little bit of the work on your own, this is a very reasonable way to go. While comparing prices, I called a funeral home and was told that they will give me personal attention in making the arrangements. Well, with Illinois Cremation Centers you actually WILL get personal attention - - it just won't be in person! (and it will cost less :) They were always available to patiently answer any questions and guide me along the way to fill out the necessary forms. You will need a computer and will need to print out the forms. I did this at the library. You will also have to get two of the forms notarized. I was able to get this done at my bank. You will need to scan or fax the forms to the Illinois Cremation Centers. My bank scanned my forms for me and emailed them to the cremation office. You can also scan and email them from most libraries - - if you can't do it from your own computer! Due to the holidays, it took me awhile to get the forms to them. I was not expecting the ashes until January 10th and they called on the 3rd to say that they were ready to be picked up! I was not expecting such quick service during the holidays. I will have to make an appointment to pick up the ashes. We opted to pick them up because it is cheaper. You can have the ashes delivered, but it has an additional charge. Speaking of additional charges, there is a charge for the death certificate(s) and it seems most counties make you pay for a permit. Always a leader in charging taxes and fees, Cook County charges $100 for a permit to cremate a body. Others are usually a lot less. The Illinois Cremation Centers also offers some other services, but these are the only ones that we used. Thanks to Ray, Julie, Colton and Bambi of Illinois Cremation Centers.for your assistance at this time. read more

I called to make arrangements for my father and spoke to someone who took all my information and told me the director would give me a call back. I followed up the next day and they never heard of me or my father. The woman on the phone was very rude and curt. I ended up going with another company. read more

From beginning to end they were calm, professional and easy to work with. Everything was simple and easily explained. Most everything was done online and they were so respectful. Any questions were answered and they were always available. I was surprised how reasonable the prices were. I had no idea. I would highly recommend this place to anyone looking for cremation. You don't have to think about anything at all. Everything is done for you. When you're in a sad, painful situation, this place made the paperwork and process easier. read more

I was skeptical at first because I've never done this type of service online before. I was totally blown away by their level of professionalism. They keep me informed regarding every step of the process. I went to pick up my loved ones remains and they were in a discreet container. Julie was a wonderful and compassionate staff member. Thank you for a wonderful experience under the circumstances. read more

Outstanding service at a time of need. Kind professional, caring and helpful staff that went beyond my expectations. Best customer service that I ever experienced. read more

Really had a good experience at a bad time. These people were professional and easy to work with. I was particularly touched that they cared to return a sweater my husband was wearing when he died. It was totally unexpected and gave me some closure. The location was a bit tough to find but worth the hassle. I do wholeheartedly recommend them. read more

I called to set up some arrangements for my husband. The woman on the phone didn't seem interested at all. She told me to go online and fill out the forms but I don't have a computer so my sister(me) filled out the form for me. No one ever contacted me or my sister for follow-up and answer the additional questions. We are VERY disappointed with this company. Won't recommend them to anyone else. read more

My Mother and Father died within 4 months of each other. I have used Illinois Cremation Centers for both of their passings. They offer low cost cremation services that they provide efficiently and sympathetically. I was very happy with their services. I felt that everything was handled professionally and at the lowest cost in the area. Both of my parents suffered long illnesses and had no desire for elaborate services, both opting for cremation. There was no hardship for us to wait the 10 days for the remains. Cremation actually allowed us to delay my Father's services since he passed shortly before Christmas. I have no reservation recommending Illinois Cremation Centers to anyone in their time of need. I am glad that I have the Yelp credibility to assure that this review will not be censored by the Yelp filter. read more

Losing a loved one is never easy on your heart. Making final arrangements is not something that I looked forward to doing. However, the staff at Illinois Cremation Centers was so helpful and took time to thoroughly explain the entire process. Each time I reached out to them during the process, I was never rushed, they listened and was very receptive of my continued communication. I appreciate their assistance with guiding me and assuring that I felt comfortable. Reaching out to them was the right decision. read more

We all know how tough it is to lose a loved one, especially when unexpectedly. Even when all legal documents are in place and there are no disagreements among family members, one is inevitably thrown into a difficult situation. Additional wrinkle for me was in the fact that I live several thousand miles away from Chicago and do not know it well at all. I quickly learned that making burial or cremation arraignments is where everything begins, since that leads to the issuance of a Death Certificate (DS). Not much can get done without a DS! But when you are new to the city, where do you even start??? I was very fortunate that one of the first places I contacted was Illinois Cremation Centers in Lombard, IL. People who I spoke with explained to me the process, what to expected and what I needed to do. Their communication, both via email and phone, was very clear, professional and timely. Everything was moving along according to the plan until USPS lost the envelope with death certificates. As mentioned above, without a DS in hand, very little can get done from administrative and legal perspective. In addition, the end of my stay in Chicago was approaching and something had to be done fast. This is where choosing the right company often does make a huge difference. One of Illinois Cremation Centers team members Bambi Jackson went above and beyond to make sure I did not leave Chicago without a DS. She arraigned for new copies to be issued and had a currier go to the Cook County office to pick them up. From there, I drove out to Lombard on my last day before flying out. Overall Illinois Cremation Centers team gets A and Bambi Jackson A+ for excellent customer service experience that they provided to me. read more

Illinois Cremation Centers was recommended to us by others that had used their services and were very happy. When the time came, we did indeed give them a call. At 9pm on a Sunday night. From the first phone call, everyone we spoke to was very caring and helpful. Our loved one was picked up within 90 minutes. Communication was efficient and respectful. We were in no hurry to have a service and costs were an issue. We were able to pickup the remains at their office after making an appointment to do so. I was very impressed by the office, the fact that options for urns and other extras were on display but we were never pressured to buy anything else. The costs of funerals and funeral home services have gotten out of control and this is a nice option when funds are limited. read more

I found Illinois Cremation very professional and responsive and appropriately concerned when there some confusion (on the part of the USPS) about an urn shipment. I would not hesitate to use them again and highly recommend them. read more

When a family member dies, our whole world turns upside down. Julie and Colton at the Illinois Cremation Center made the process easy with well defined instructions and easy to understand forms. Julie's compassion and patience was really more than a no city, it was necessary in these trying times. Thank you so very much for helping. read more

My nephew has been paid for since last Thursday and yet he still sits in the morgue. They said 72 business hours which was up yesterday afternoon. They have said to call back and check tomorrow, they don't even know when they will pick him up. They are playing with peoples money. If I could give them 0 stars I would. read more

While I do not agree with the review posted above, there are some valid points. They have a service answering their phones all the time, and you always have to wait for someone to call you back. For me, sometimes they would call back in ten minutes, sometimes they would call back in an hour, but I never did not receive a call back. As soon as my dad passed, they came out within two hours, just as they said. It wasn't very clear on their website that I had to pay an additional charge for the removal, but it seems to have been corrected online. The pricing was all very clear online otherwise, and after having somebody explain the procedure, it was a simple process. I was skeptical about doing everything over the internet, so I asked one of the directors why it was not face to face, and they explained that they would not be able to offer such a low price if they had to have a director meet with every single person, on every single case. They also said that they are able to keep costs low by having just an office and a crematory, instead of a place for families to come in and make arrangements and a lounge and all that stuff that you would get if you wanted to fork over a couple grand for a cremation. The paperwork is completed by the purchaser, so I'm not sure how they could mess up any paperwork. It was a bit confusing, but I just had them go over it with me on the phone, and it took two tries but we got everything taking care of eventually. They also explained to me that the cremation itself would take place in 7-10 days, which was fine for me, as I wasn't in any rush to receive the ashes. However, at day 10 I still hadn't heard from anyone so I gave them a call. Somebody called me back within 30 minutes, telling me that the cremation had taken place but they were waiting on the death certifcates, so I could pick both up at one time instead of having to make multiple trips. I wish I would have been told that before hand, so I wasn't worried - but at the same time, I understand what they were doing. All in all, for the price you pay, you get what you get. A private cremation for a decent price. If you want to be catered to, and treated like a king, go somewhere else and be willing to pay the money. Don't expect top notch service if you're not willing to pay top notch prices. read more

My mother passes away on 5/12/15. I contacted the folks over the phone and finished the process on-line. I was so very skeptical to use a process on line and not a funeral home. I'm used to dealing face to face with the business I do. That said, I couldn't be more satisfied with the process. Anyone I spoke with was understanding, sympathetic and professional. Upon pick-up of the remains, I was treated with respect and questions I had were answered with complete understanding. These folks are outstanding. I just hope I don't have to contact them again soon. read more

My telephone experience was quick and informative. The call backs I received were in direct response to the questions I'd asked. I've never arranged anything like this before, and was completely lost. Once directed to the website the online forms were clear and the pricing per item clearly noted. Once paperwork was concluded confirmation was received via email. Julie was extremely sensitive and responsive to all my concerns as well as instructions of post cremation needs. My dads urn, ashes and death certificate were available at the time indicated at our initial conversation (and time was allocated for a holiday). The cost of the service is affordable, and my dads passing and request for cremation was less stressful for the family. I've recommended this company to my friends and family for consideration. read more

As this being the first time I had to deal with a situation like this. Illinois Cremation Centers were great. We were pressed for cash and their services actually were the best. The web site itself pretty much explains itself. The paperwprk wasnt hard to complete, and they do explain what to check off on when you are ready to pay for the service. And I really dont care if they have an answering service that answers the phones, that also how they can keep cost low. I truly am happy with the services they provided. I will definately use them again if needed be. read more

3 stars is A-OK, and 2 is "Meh. I've experienced better." Technically, this business deserves 2.5 stars from me, since it was my first time dealing with cremation services, and it was OK. It is a low-cost service, and they provide service at low cost by saving wherever they can. However, it's not something that they advertise on their web site, or make you aware of at the time arrangements are being made. Except for the extra fees.. which I guess they are more up front about these days (w.r.t. another reviewer on here). I didn't have any extra fees to pay, but check them before you commit, as some look ridiculous (reminding me of a car dealership). My father wished to be cremated.. he didn't want a service.. he wanted his ashes to be distributed on a piece of property in the old country.. I figured a temporary urn would be alright. Be aware, the temporary urn is a decent-duty plastic bag in a cardboard box in another cardboard box. I don't consider this an "urn," per say. As another reviewer mentioned, you do have to pay over the internet. You will also need to fax or email-pdf them several forms, some notarized. They won't do anything until both these things are taken care of. I did this within 24 hours. It took them an additional five days to take the body from the hospital. However, on the death certificate, a date a day prior to them having taken the body is printed (as the date of cremation). I am confused.. either they were telling me they hadn't yet taken the body from the hospital, when they had.. or they pre-dated the actual cremation.. or simply used the date they filed with the local registrar (since, in my case, it is the same). The crematory they used in my case was Forest Crematory, Inc. I checked it out on Google's Map View and.. well, you can see for yourself what the front door looks like. I haven't been inside, and Forest Crematory, Inc. apparently does not have a web page. So, not much I can say further about that. I was contacted to pick up the remains 10 days after they had been paid. It's true, they do save on staff. When I stopped by, there was only a receptionist and one guy who I guess does everything else besides answering the phone. Their office is relatively pleasant. I received a call back two out of the four times I requested one. It would have been nice to get a call when they moved the body, which I requested, but no. It would also have been nice to know when the body was cremated, but no. Also, not having my calls returned, or having them returned hours and hours later, left me wondering whether I wouldn't be happier paying more to another outfit. The kicker was the temporary urn, though. So, if price is a priority and you don't mind the mentioned above, you'll likely find the service "Meh. OK," as I did. Oh, and P.S. They don't work Saturdays and Sundays. Except to answer phone calls.. data can be input into their system and messages left and maybe some explanation if you have a question.. read more

If I could give 0 stars, I would. If you have the misfortune of having a loved one die, do not under any circumstances use this terrible company. The character limitations do not allow me to tell the entire story but here are some highlights: - They never answered the phone before my wife died - Our hospice agency had to use an inside contact to get them to pick up the body - There were all sorts of hidden costs - They made me pay over the internet instead of over the phone or in person - They blamed me for not paying one of the hidden costs and acted like I was trying to stiff them. Their previous aversion to answering phones disappeared when they wanted their hidden costs - They messed up all of the paperwork - When I sent them the paperwork, they claimed to have lost it, calling on a Sunday. - They told me that they would deliver the cremains within 10 days. They didn't. - They told me that they'd give me an estimated date for getting the cremains. They didn't. - I called them about this repeatedly and never got a call back. - I only got the cremains after I called them and told them exactly how terrible they were and all of the places that I was going to tell my story about how they took my grief and made it worse. It is a crime that they are in business. read more

Hi, We live several states away and had to find a cremation service for my brother. Illinois Cremation Centers really fit the bill. They were easy to work with and the cost was nearly a thousand dollars less than a "full service" center which we did not need. If you want viewings, Limo's, guys in suits standing around making $100/hour, and constant attention, hire a funeral service. If you are on a budget and want an efficient organization to handle the cremation and send you the remains, this is the place. They even mailed the remains to us! My family and I are really pleased with cost for the service provided. read more

I used this company to arrange for cremation of my aunt. They were very professional and arrived within 90 minutes after being called. There were no hidden costs or fees. The only issue is that it took almost three weeks to obtain the remains which seemed like a long time (though it was close to the holidays -- that might explain the delay). They didn't promise turning over the remains any earlier (and I wasn't in a rush), so it wasn't an issue for me, but I would advise getting a firm date from them at the outset. Otherwise, no problems and I would recommend using them.. read more

If your looking to save over the cost of thousands at a funeral home for cremation and cutting out the middle man this is the place to go. Our total for cremation, death certs, and all fees was like $640. I did not have any of the problems the previous reviewer had thankfully. We got in touch with them first try, no hidden costs for us it is all spelled out online when you pay with everything explained. We called them, they arranged picking up the body and 2 weeks later we picked up the ashes in a box with a beautiful bag inside. It sounds like they have improved and I could not say enough about how professional and perfect our experience was in Feb 2014. read more

If you read all the filtered reviews this business has nothing but positive feedback I don't know why they show only one star. . I was surprised at how inexpensive it was and figured there may be hidden fees but there wasn't. The paperwork and process was incredibly easy and Julie was so caring. We were looking for a quick no service simple cremation for my husbands father and even being across the country in California they made the process so much easier in such a difficult time. I highly recommend Illinois Cremation Centers. read more

Our mother passed away on Christmas morning 2016 after a long battle with cancer. Julie B. at Illinois Cremation Centers was absolutely wonderful. I have zero constructive criticism and am absolutely satisfied with our experience. She called on more than one occasion to make sure things were going OK and that I filled out the payment paperwork properly. I see some other negative reviews, sorry for those that did not have such a great experience as my younger sisters and I had. During this hard loss, Julie B. and the services of Illinois Cremation Centers came through big time. Very courteous, returned all emails and calls, great job all around. I was expecting a much more negative experience but Julie B. and her team made our lives a lot easier than I had expected. Thank you and I would be more than happy to recommend friends or family at any time. read more

They walked us through the process, returned all phone calls. Very professional and am very pleased. Your leading review is very unfair. I almost didn't use them due to this old misleading review. This is a difficult time and they are very professional read more

They took care of us when our Mom died and were superb. The remains were provided as promised and they made it easy for us. Thanks!

We used Illinois Cremation Center for two of our family members recently. I used them because of my conversations with Julie over the phone. I had called several places about cremation before I made the decision to use them. She was not only professional and helpful but she shared information with me to make this sad time easier for me. It was like talking to a friend. She handled it like someone who cares. Both of the pick ups went well. Someone came in a very short period of time. And it wasn't long before we received the phone calls to let us know that we could come and pick up the remains. Everything went smoothly. I would use them again. read more

I found this place on line after calling numerous other crematory's and getting prices anywhere from $1200 t0 $1000. Funeral homes were no better and using the Miltary beneifit was also higher. As the other comment said they are not very fast at getting back to you I had to call twice which made me very leary about using them. But because they had a high rating with the BBB I proceeded to use them. Once I contacted them I was given a dircect number to call with questions which was either answered right away or a return call didn't take long. I did all the proper paper work on line there was an additional $50.00 fee and charges for additional death certificates and the process of the crematon was started no hidden fees other then those two things were included. We were told that it would take 7 to 10 to process the removal of the body from the hospital and the creamation. I think it took 12 days but we were in no hurry we recieved the ashes and all the paper work that was promised with a total cost of $629. In closing the woman that I was in contact with was wonderful I had some problems with filling out the paper work on line and she would call back witin minutes and get the problem resolved. Bottom line if you don't have insurance and are looking for a cheaper way to have your loved one cremated this is the place I would recommend. read more