From Cremation to Legacy: Addressing the Crisis of Unplaced Remains
CANA Convention features Honnalora Hubbard on helping families create places of meaning
WHEELING, IL— Research from the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) finds that as many as 25% of Americans and 20% of Canadians have cremated remains in their homes. While a majority of respondents reported the presence of these remains bring comfort, nearly 20% say they bring feelings of sadness or burden, and others view them as merely a practical or temporary solution.
Whatever the reason these remains stay at home, Honnalora Hubbard addresses the challenge this poses for families and the profession alike in her session Abandoned Urns: A Crisis in America, at CANA’s 108th Annual Cremation Innovation Convention in Minneapolis this August.
Stories of urns discovered in secondhand stores make headlines all too often. What once represented a cherished and comforting presence can become lost over time, especially as urns are passed down without clear guidance. Hubbard is here to help change the conversation with the family, from pre-need through aftercare. Her session will demonstrate how to prepare families to envision memorials as places to conjure stories, connection, and a lasting presence—and how to re-engage relatives and friends with invitations that open the door for meaningful memorialization.
Cremation itself is not the final decision. Hubbard’s session will guide attendees through a practical framework to reframe cremation as only the beginning. Equipped with language, stories, and questions, attendees will naturally bring families to agreement that a second, more meaningful decision still needs to be made: where and how that life will be remembered.
With a family background in funeral service and decades of experience in the death care profession, Hubbard brings both personal conviction and professional expertise to her work. She currently serves as Regional Sales Manager for Coldspring and has earned multiple industry sales awards, along with over 26 years of experience in public speaking and ministry. Her passion for permanent memorialization is rooted in the belief that we die twice: once when we pass away, and a second time when our name is spoken for the last time. Her session will help attendees connect emotion to action, creating powerful “aha” moments that naturally carry into everyday conversations with families.
CANA presents experts to make connections that lead to success:
- Tom Anderson, President of Funeral Director Daily, examines Fads, Trends, Traditions… and the future of Death Care, reflecting on industry insights and real-world observations with perspective on which changes are fleeting and which are likely to leave a lasting impact.
- Drawing on two vastly different early-career experiences, Allison Craft, General Manager of Cremation Society Minnesota, and Allison Henz, Community Engagement Lead of Foundation Partners Group, explore how intentional mentorship directly impacts long-term success From Mortuary School to Service: Why Mentorship Matters.
- With ideas on how you can start Bridging the Gap: Synergizing End-of-Life Doulas with Funeral Directors and Crematories, Ashley Johnson, End-of-Life Doula, Loyal Hands LLC shares practical strategies for integrating doulas into funeral and cremation services.
- Two industry experts share the stage with updates, because Information is Power. First, Howard Sankel, President of Options for Ashes, addresses The Growing “What Can Be Done With Cremated Remains” Aftercare Market. Then, Sarah Tepe, President of Crowne Vault, assists in Creating a New Approach: A Unified Voice for Cemetery Placement After Cremation.
- What Does Gathering Look Like For You? Brent Patterson, Funeral Director at Primrose Funeral Service, and Glenda Stansbury, the Director of Training for Insight Books, bring a new perspective to the power of words as we paint the picture of gathering for our families.
- Artificial intelligence is shaping how we write, organize, communicate, and serve families. With AI in Funeral Service: Ethics, Compassion, and Professional Judgment, Martha Thayer, Founder & President of Mortuary Training, explores the responsibilities that come with AI use in funeral service.
- Look backward and forward with this year’s research session, Learning from History: History of CANA Statistics. CANA Historian Jason Engler honors cremation’s transformation from a radical fringe experiment into the gold standard of deathcare.
- Plus, if you’re curious to see Flame and Water Cremation in Two Settings: A Tour of Two Businesses, you can get your add-on ticket to examine a Bio-Response Solutions machine at Metro First Call and a Resomation machine in use at Ballard-Sunder Funeral & Cremation.
Lacy Robinson leads a special pre-convention offering, CANA’s new Certified Hospice Relations Specialist (CHRS) training workshop. This one‑day certification is designed to help funeral home owners, managers, licensed funeral directors, preneed specialists, and outreach or family care staff build structured, respectful partnerships with hospice organizations. Registration is available separately from the Convention or as an add-on!
How many families would choose permanent placement if we helped them imagine what it could mean? Join Honnalora Hubbard and gain practical tools to honor families’ personal heroes. Register today for CANA’s 108th Annual Convention in Minneapolis this August 12-14, 2026, at the Marriott City Center: cremationassociation.org/CANA26
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About CANA
Founded in 1913, the Cremation Association of North America (CANA) is an international organization of over 3,700 members, composed of funeral homes, cemeteries, crematories, industry suppliers, and consultants. CANA members believe that cremation is preparation for memorialization.
