Barbara Coleman once helped a terminally ill woman choose her own casket.
She remembers when the woman came into her store off North Central Expressway with a morphine pump in tow, telling her that a funeral home was intent on selling her a package including a casket and other accessories such as flowers, programs and a grave marker. The woman was determined to buy only what she wanted for her funeral.
"It's America -- people do like choices and freedom," said Coleman, owner of The Casket Store at 11111 N. Central Expwy. "People get indignant when they are told (that) if they don't want to buy a package they will be charged more."
About 10 years ago, Coleman opened her business to bring funeral merchandise closer to consumers in a storefront location within view of the highway.
She said consumers can save 40% to 60% of the price of funeral merchandise by shopping at her store.
Texas state law allows consumers to buy their own caskets or other funeral products from outlets other than funeral homes.
Now even Costco is getting in on the act, offering caskets, urns and burial flags.
And North Dallas Funeral Home Director John P. Brooks has launched an Internet site that Webcasts funeral services and allows online arrangements for cremations of those who die in Texas. He also sells caskets direct to consumers.
The industry trend, Brooks and Coleman say, is to make the funeral process as convenient and consumer-friendly as possible.
"We did a funeral service in our chapel and streamed it to Korea," said Brooks, who also owns Oak Cliff Funeral Chapel. "They viewed their loved one's service online and didn't come over. If you can't make it to your brother's or sister's service, for $150 you can be part of a service."