Create a personal tribute

Your vibrant memories are what help inspire us to create a personalized memorial. Tell us about a lifelong passion, a hobby or the most joyful moments of a lifetime and our funeral directors will work to craft an individualized tribute. Imagine a themed evening underneath a disco ball, held in honor of the person who lived for music’s greatest era. Envision an avid golfer’s last trip to the links, in a themed service with keepsake monogrammed golf tees for guests to take to their next game. When it comes to creativity, your imagination is virtually the limit.

Of course, we still offer many traditional religious ceremonies, even as contemporary Celebrations of Life^® gain in prevalence. Military funerals with optional burial of cremated remains reflect a timeless salute to those who served our country. Whatever your wishes, choose the type of service that best suits your style or integrate elements from different options to create your own unique fit.

Our Seattle funeral home

Originally opened as the Arthur A. Wright Funeral Home in 1883, our beautiful two-story building was created in the style of Spanish architecture. The entrance opens to a reception hall with flexible space to accommodate both large and intimate guest lists. Our inspirational chapel serves celebrants of all faiths and traditions with seating for up to 150 guests. In addition, we offer a private family room located behind the pulpit. A grand split staircase leads to the choir loft, music room and chapel balcony.

Located atop Queen Anne Hill, Butterworth Funeral Home-Arthur A. Wright Chapel stands just minutes from downtown Seattle. Our convenient location bridging Mt. Pleasant Cemetery and Hills of Eternity helps us continue a long history of serving families throughout the greater Seattle area.

Cremation services in Seattle

We specialize in cremation services that honor loved ones in personalized ways, and families love our transparent pricing. With expertise in scattering ashes and a friendly team who pays attention to every detail, we provide service that is second to none. And now we offer both traditional flame cremation and water cremation.

More and more people are choosing cremation over traditional burial, but most aren’t familiar with the many options:

• a cremation without a funeral or memorial service of any kind.
• a funeral with your loved one present, followed by cremation.
• a cremation followed by a scattering, cemetery memorialization or celebration of life—or all three.

For those who wish for a more momentous memorial, Neptune Memorial Reef^® is an underwater cremation garden off the coast of Florida. A Celestis Memorial Spaceflight takes ashes into space for a little while or forever.

There are many cremation providers—and they're not all equal. Here's what you can expect when you choose us for your loved one's cremation:

• Custody of care guaranteed. Our custody-of-care program helps safeguard the identification of your loved one from the time we bring them into our care until the time we return them to your family. We check, cross-check and check again, every step of the way.
• Exclusive custody of your loved one. We use only crematories owned and operated by Dignity Memorial^® providers or trusted partners. Once your loved one is in our custody or that of a trusted partner, they’re in our care until they’re returned to your family.
• Licensed, certified, conscientious staff. All Dignity Memorial crematory operators are licensed and certified by Cremation Association of North America, or CANA. Only one person at a time is cremated, and the cremation chamber is thoroughly cleaned before the next person is cremated.

Now offering human composting

Human composting is an alternative to burial and cremation. Inside a vessel created especially for this purpose, organic elements, such as wood chips, mulch and wildflowers, gently transform a body into nutrient-rich soil. Your family may choose to use this soil to plant trees or flowers, or you can place it in a location meaningful to you. The remaining soil is sent to conservation land on the Olympic Peninsula to aid projects such as reforestation, improving soil health and restoring challenged ecosystems.

Queen Anne Columbarium

The lovely Queen Anne Columbarium, with its stunning stained-glass windows and elegant marble floors, is adjacent to Butterworth Funeral Home - Arthur A. Wright Chapel. Constructed in 1905, it has long been a part of Seattle's history. As the only columbarium in downtown Seattle, the Queen Anne Columbarium has become a unique alternative for families who wish to honor the cremated remains of their loved ones in a serene, yet convenient, setting.

A major renovation in 1939 brought additional columbarium space directly over the original. Molding and trim reflect the careful creation of this special resting place. The woodwork throughout the columbarium displays skilled craftsmanship and adds a special touch in each room of niches.

Here for you

Whether you need immediate assistance with funeral arrangements in Seattle or would simply like to arrange a tour of our chapel or columbarium, our knowledgeable team stands ready to help. Please contact us if we may offer guidance and support. It is our honor to serve you.