Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory

Veteran services at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory

Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory, located in Seattle, WA, assists those who served and their families. In their own words: "Columbia Funeral Home assists veterans and their families in navigating burial benefits, death benefits, and memorial items. Eligibility is primarily verified through the Certificate of Release or Discharge from Active Duty (DD Form 214) or alternative honorable discharge documents. Services include assistance with burial allowances to offset funeral and transportation costs, which vary based on the veteran's date of death and service-related status. They also help families apply for a United States burial flag, provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs at no cost, as a keepsake to honor the veteran's memory." Published pricing lists $5,095 for basic burial and $2,495 for direct cremation. Veterans may qualify for county or federal allowances toward these costs.

Veteran-related services offered include cremation and memorial services. Each service is coordinated with the family and, where applicable, with the deceased's last unit or branch honor detail.

Published pricing at Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory: direct cremation from $2,495. That places direct cremation roughly 67% above the Washington median ($1,492). Veterans who served on active duty for at least 24 months may qualify for VA burial allowance to offset funeral costs — this home accepts assignment of those benefits where eligible.

The nearest VA national cemetery is Tahoma National Cemetery in WA, approximately 15 miles from Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory. Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory can coordinate transport, scheduling with the cemetery's interment office, and the timing of military honors with the receiving committal shelter.

Washington has approximately 269 licensed funeral homes serving its population, of which a subset specifically lists military funeral honors and VA benefits assistance among their services. Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory is among them.

Frequently asked questions

What sets Columbia Funeral Home & Crematory apart

• Operating from its original site at Rainier Avenue and South Alaska Street since 1907, making it the oldest business in Southeast Seattle and the oldest member of the Chamber of Commerce.
• Known for its traditional Christmas display that annually attracts thousands to the Rainier district.
• Long-standing family ownership, passing from the Rasmussen family to Wilbert Lewis, then Paul Lewis, and currently the Weeks Family.
• Extensive community involvement, including sponsoring local sports teams in baseball, hockey, bowling, and Little League.
• Continued operation and service provision despite a devastating fire in July 2025, through partnerships with local organizations and sister funeral homes.

Military & veteran services offered

Burial & cremation services

On-site facilities

Affiliations & specializations

Religious traditions & languages

Religious traditions accommodated: Catholic, Lutheran, Christian (general). Languages spoken at the home: English, Vietnamese, Spanish.

How honors are coordinated

Military funeral honors are guaranteed at no cost for any veteran discharged under conditions other than dishonorable. The funeral home arranges the honors detail by contacting the deceased's last unit or the nearest active-duty installation of the appropriate branch and submitting the DD-214 to verify eligibility.

For requests less than 72 hours from service time, families can call the Department of Defense's expedited honors line at 1-877-MIL-HONR (1-877-645-4667). See the full honors protocol.