FLEMING - Overlooking Owasco Lake, St. Joseph's Cemetery has been a final resting place since the spring of 1880.

On Sunday, a new columbarium was blessed and dedicated at the cemetery. Mitchell Fanning has been the cemetery's administrator for the past 10 years.

“A columbarium is a free-standing structure that will house cremation remains for eternity,” said Fanning, “while a mausoleum is a building that would house, for the most part, casket burials.”

There are some cremation niches in St. Joseph's mausoleum, but the columbarium is specifically designed for cremation remains. There are 72 spaces.

The newest building at the cemetery has been under construction since the beginning of summer.

It was finished just recently, and is the first of its kind in Cayuga County.

“Being a Catholic cemetery, before any burials can take place, it needs to be blessed,” Fanning said.

The Rev. Louis Vasile, of St. Alphonsus Church, in Auburn, did the blessing. He is also the president of St Joseph's Board of Directors.

There are more than 100 acres at St. Joseph's and they are still under 50 percent capacity. Cremation has become slightly more popular in this area in recent years as more people pre-plan for the future.

“Most individuals do pre-plan,” Fanning said. “It's unfortunate, when there is a loss in a family, that they have to take care of all these details at the same time. At a time of loss, people are generally not thinking as clearly as they could be if they did it ahead of time.”

Today, Fanning said it accounts for 15 to 20 percent of all internments. And most families have the foresight to make arrangements prior to their loss.

“It's not like buying a car, or a house, it's a very personal decision. And it's one that does not need any more anxiety,” he said. “The one thing about death is that we are all going to have to face it.”