Ascend Cremations
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About Ascend Cremations
Ascend Cremations provides simple, affordable direct cremation services in Arizona, specializing in pre-need insurance planning to help families plan ahead with peace of mind. Understanding the need for ease and compassion, Ascend Cremations allows you to make arrangements comfortably from home through their user-friendly online platform. For those who prefer a personal touch, their caring team is just a phone call away, ready to offer guidance and support. With flexible options and a commitment to dignity and respect, they make the cremation process seamless and comforting for every family.
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Price list for Ascend Cremations
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Official prices for a Burial with a Viewing, Embalming, and a Traditional Service
This estimated price list contains information from publicly available data online and user-submitted pricing (marked with a yellow dot). It was not published by the business itself. You should always contact the business to confirm pricing information.
For some items and services, we may be missing business-specific data. In those cases, we use average costs (marked with a blue dot) to help you get a sense of potential total prices. Contact the business to get actual pricing information.
Basic services
This is the fee for the basic organizational services that the funeral home will provide. This fee is generally mandatory.
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Transportation of the deceased
This is the fee for the funeral home to come pick up your loved one and bring him/her to the funeral home for preparation.
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Embalming
This is the fee for the embalming process. Embalming is generally not required if proper refrigeration is available.
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Staff for viewing or visitation
This is the fee for the services the funeral home will provide during a visitation or viewing. This is generally required if you would like to hold a viewing and visitation at the funeral home or if you will be needing any assistance from the staff.
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Staff for funeral or memorial service
This is the fee for the services the funeral home will provide during a funeral or memorial service. This is generally required if you would like to hold the service at the funeral home or if you will be needing any assistance from the staff for the service.
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Staff for graveside service
This is the fee for the services the funeral home will provide during a graveside service. This is generally required if you will be needing any assistance from the staff for the service.
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Use of a hearse
This is the fee to transport your loved one from the funeral home to funeral events (or between events) in a hearse.
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Body prep
This is the fee for additional preparation of the body, such as dressing and casketing.
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Casket
This is the cost to purchase a casket from the funeral home. You may choose to purchase a casket online or elsewhere, if you'd wish.
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Burial vault
This is the cost to purchase a burial vault from the funeral home. A burial vault is required for most cemeteries, but you may choose to purchase one online or elsewhere, if you'd wish.
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Flowers
This is a common price to purchase funeral flowers. You may purchase flowers through the funeral home or separately, if you wish.
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Printed programs
This is the fee to purchase printed funeral programs. You may purchase programs through the funeral home or elsewhere, if you wish.
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| Total estimated cost (minimum) | $0 & Up |
Pricing notes from Ascend Cremations
Frequently asked questions
Answered by Ascend Cremations
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What is the history of Ascend Cremations?
🌄 The Story Behind Ascend Cremations
Ascend Cremations is a family-owned business, founded in 2025 by Valerie and Thomas Usery, along with Thomas’ brother, Charles. But the vision started even earlier.🚀 From Behind-the-Scenes to Serving Families Directly
In 2024, the Usery family opened a wholesale cremation service, quietly supporting funeral homes throughout Arizona with professional, compassionate cremation care. The experience inspired them to go further — to bring that same level of service directly to local families.With a desire to offer honest, affordable, and stress-free options, they launched Ascend Cremations in 2025, built on compassion, transparency, and modern convenience.
🧑⚕️ Decades of Experience — and Heart
Charles Usery brings over 20 years in the funeral industry, owning and operating a funeral home in Northwest Washington. He also holds a PharmD and served as Vice President for the Western U.S. in the home health infusion industry.Thomas Usery is a seasoned software engineer, helping build the tools that power Ascend’s smooth online experience.
Valerie Usery, the heart of the operation, spent years serving her family and community as a mother and assistant teacher in the Mesa School District. She now runs day-to-day operations with compassion and grace.
🌟 Why We’re Here
We believe that every family deserves dignified care without overwhelming costs or pressure. That’s why we created Ascend Cremations — to offer a better, simpler way to say goodbye.Whether you're planning ahead or facing a recent loss, we’re here to help you navigate with clarity, calm, and care.
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Who are the key people at Ascend Cremations?
🌟 Meet the Usery Family Behind Ascend Cremations
At Ascend Cremations, we’re proud to be a family-owned and operated business, serving Arizona with heartfelt care and a modern approach to cremation. Meet the people who make it personal.👩💼 Valerie Usery
Owner & Licensed Cremationist
Valerie leads with compassion and clarity, ensuring every family is treated with dignity, honesty, and warmth from start to finish.👨💻 Thomas Usery
Operations & IT Support
Thomas manages business operations and keeps our website and systems running, so families can make arrangements easily and stress-free.🚐 Drake Usery
First Call Care Team & Licensed Cremationist
Drake is one of the first people families meet. His calm presence and professional care ensure loved ones are treated with respect at every step.🔥 Jessica Usery
Licensed Cremationist
Jessica provides attentive, behind-the-scenes care throughout the cremation process, always upholding the highest standards of dignity and respect.⚖️ Savanna Miller
Licensed Funeral Director
Savanna brings years of expertise and a gentle, guiding presence to help families navigate the paperwork, decisions, and emotions of loss.💬 Anna Palacio
Pre-Need Insurance Specialist
Anna helps families plan ahead with affordable, practical options — always with kindness and no pressure. -
What is the funeral planning process generally like?
Planning a funeral or cremation can feel overwhelming — but it doesn’t have to be. At Ascend Cremations, we simplify the process so families can focus on what matters most: honoring their loved one with peace, not pressure.
Here’s what the general funeral planning process looks like, and how we make it easier.
💼 1. Choose a Provider
Most families start by selecting a funeral home or cremation provider. This choice will shape the cost, the timeline, and the experience.At Ascend Cremations, we offer direct cremation only — a simple and dignified option without embalming, viewings, or a traditional funeral service.
📝 2. Make Arrangements
This step involves:Completing basic forms
Providing personal and legal information about the deceased
Selecting any add-ons (death certificates, urns, veteran honors, etc.)
With us: You can complete everything online or over the phone, usually in under 30 minutes.
📦 3. Transportation and Care
Your provider will arrange for:The transfer of your loved one into their care
Proper sheltering, identification, and filing of legal paperwork
The actual cremation, following all required protocols
With us: We handle transportation 24/7 within our service areas and oversee the full process with licensed, compassionate care.
📜 4. Receive Cremated Remains & Documentation
Once complete, you'll receive:The cremated remains in a basic or selected urn
Certified death certificates
Optional support with Social Security, VA benefits, or memorial options
🌿 5. Plan a Personal Memorial (Optional)
Many families choose to celebrate their loved one in a way that feels personal — a backyard gathering, a sunset ceremony, or a virtual tribute. You’re free to do this on your timeline, in your way.We also offer a digital Legacy Memorial Store with customizable urns, keepsakes, and tribute options.
❤️ Our Promise
The funeral process doesn’t need to be complicated or costly. We’re here to guide you with transparency, empathy, and step-by-step support — from first call to final return. -
Are there specific types of funerals that you specialize in?
Yes. At Ascend Cremations, we specialize exclusively in direct cremation.
⚱️ What That Means:
Direct cremation is a simple, respectful alternative to a traditional funeral. It involves:No embalming
No viewing or formal ceremony at a funeral home
Just professional cremation, handled with care
We focus 100% of our resources on this one service — which means we do it efficiently, affordably, and with deep respect for every family we serve.
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What makes you different from other funeral homes?
When you're grieving a loss, the last thing you need is stress, pressure, or surprise costs. At Ascend Cremations, we do things differently — on purpose.
🕊️ A Modern, Compassionate Approach to Final Care
We specialize in direct cremation, offering families in the Greater Phoenix area a simpler, more affordable alternative to traditional funeral homes. That means no embalming, no services you don’t need, and no pressure to upgrade.Here’s How We’re Different:
✅ 1. Transparent, Flat-Rate Pricing
We believe you should never have to guess what a cremation will cost. Our packages start at just $975, with everything you need included — no upsells or hidden fees.💬 2. Supportive, Pressure-Free Guidance
Our licensed care team is here to help, not sell. We walk with families through every step — from paperwork to placement — with calm, compassionate support.📍 3. Local Arizona Experts
We serve Maricopa and Pinal Counties exclusively. As a locally rooted provider, we know the community, its resources, and how to handle things quickly and respectfully.⚱️ 4. Focused on Direct Cremation (Only)
Unlike funeral homes that offer dozens of services, we focus only on direct cremation — so we do it well, and we do it affordably.🖥️ 5. 100% Online Arrangements
Families can make arrangements from anywhere, anytime — securely and with no office visit required.
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