Burial practices in Southern Appalachia

by Stansberry, Donna W.

Burial Practices in Southern Appalachia by Donna W. Stansberry This study was conducted in an attempt to determine whether certain burial practices are unique to the people of Southern Appalachia. Eight individuals were interviewed, including a minister and a funeral director. As a result of the research, it was found that, although a strong sense of community and religion still prevails, making certain burial rituals distinctive to the people of Southern Appalachia, they are slowly eroding due to the growing presence of the modern American funeral industry. Qualitative research methods were used to analyze a segment of the Southern Appalachian population, with literature reviews of related material and in-depth interviews conducted with subjects in Grainger, Hamblen, and Hancock Counties of East Tennessee. 2