She started with apprehension, but now considers her profession a privilege. For the past 40 years, funeral director Renee Caldwell has been a peaceful presence in what is typically a turbulent time in the lives of those seeking her service.

“There are so many facets in funeral service — I was apprehensive,” Caldwell said reflecting on her first days as funeral director in the early 80s. “Once I got into it, I felt privileged to be in this business because you’re helping people.” Since 1976, Caldwell has been helping people through the toughest of times as funeral director at Caldwell’s Luce-Layton Mortuary & North Coast Crematory in Astoria.

Caldwell has witnessed a gradual shift in preference from traditional burials to more cremations.

“We sell less caskets,” Caldwell said. “It’s changed from majority traditional services to more memorial services with cremation instead of a full burial at the cemetery.” Caldwell estimates the services are approximately 80 percent cremation and 20 percent traditional burial, a reversal from she first started 40 years ago.

“In 1976, we weren’t all traditional, but I would say 75 percent,” she said. In 2014, Washington and Oregon were among the top three states with the highest cremation percentage both averaging about 75 percent according to the Cremation Association of North America. Caldwell believes the trend toward cremation will continue.

“I think the larger cremation rate is here to stay,” she said.

The change in preference has been gradual over the years and the business has adapted to accommodate the growing demand. In 1996, they added their own in-house crematory.

“We do everything here,” Caldwell said. A direct cremation, which includes local transfer of the deceased to a funeral home, refrigeration, basic services by funeral director and staff, costs $990. The price of funerals has been a factor in the eroding favorability of traditional burials versus crematory services. Caldwell estimated that a traditional burial costs $4,000 to $6,000 more than cremation, depending on the specific services.

“It depends on what kind of casket and what kind of services they’re wanting and whether they’ve already bought cemetery property,” Caldwell said. The financial burden of funerals has led many to being more proactive.

“People are doing more prearranging,” Caldwell said. “They buy their cemetery plots in advance.” Each family is different, and Caldwell feels privileged to be in the position to help.

“By the time they leave here I want them completely happy with what they’ve selected, whether it be cremation, burial, traditional services or memorial services,” Caldwell said, “That’s my job as a funeral director.”

For more information, visit www.caldwellsmortuary.com