Stark Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Services has partnered with Parting Stone to provide an alternative to cremated remains with a collection of 60 to 80 stones that can be touched, held and shared. (Submitted photo)

SALEM – Stark Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Services has partnered with Parting Stone, a Santa Fe, New Mexico-based start-up featured on the ABC show “Shark Tank” April 7.

Parting Stone invented a comfortable alternative to cremated remains for families choosing cremation. Instead of receiving ashes following cremation, local families have the option of receiving 100% of the remains in a form that resembles a collection of 60 to 80 stones that can be touched, held and shared. The appearance of each person’s solidified remains varies naturally from person to person with the process often resulting in unique textures or colors like blue, green or even speckles.

“Stark Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Services partnered with us early on because they recognized the value this would bring to grieving families in the community. They helped us prove that people wanted an alternative to ash,” said Parting Stone founder Justin Crowe. “It’s a profound healing opportunity for everyone in the family to hold their loved one again, but the look and feel of cremated remains makes that experience deeply uncomfortable. We developed a new form of solidified remains that resemble stones to help families feel a connection with their departed loved ones.”

Following the death of his grandfather, Justin Crowe realized that living with conventional cremated remains can feel uncomfortable, so in many households, they often end up hidden in a closet for decades. Parting Stone worked with material scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory to develop solidified remains to help create a more positive experience for grieving families with a form of remains that can be touched and held.

Parting Stone was able to successfully secure a deal with Lori Greiner and Kevin O’Leary, who agreed to invest $400,000 cash for 10% equity, a $20 consumer royalty and a $12.50 business-to-business royalty.

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Learn more about Parting Stone at www.partingstone.com.