About Illinois Natural Burial
About Us
Illinois Natural Burials was founded on a simple observation: families in Illinois were asking about natural burial, and dedicated resources were few. Not because the option didn't exist — but because no one had made it their whole purpose. No one was doing this work with focus, expertise, and a genuine commitment to getting it right.
We decided to be that provider.
Who We Are
Illinois Natural Burials was founded by Mat Olejniczak and Andrew Ringa — two funeral directors with decades of combined experience serving families in northern Illinois.
Mat and Andrew have spent their careers working alongside families during some of the hardest moments of their lives. Over time, they noticed a pattern: more families were asking about natural burial, and the answers available to them were scattered, incomplete, or came from people with no real experience in the funeral profession.
Illinois Natural Burials was created to change that.
The Hamsher Connection
Illinois Natural Burials operates as a dedicated brand of Hamsher Funerals and Cremations— a family-owned funeral home that has served the Fox Lake community for generations.
That connection matters. It means INB is backed by a fully licensed, professionally staffed funeral home with the resources, experience, and legal standing to handle every aspect of a natural burial. When you work with Illinois Natural Burials, you're not working with a startup or a referral service. You're working with experienced funeral professionals who have chosen to specialize in this.
Our Certification
Illinois Natural Burials is a certified provider through the Green Burial Council — the leading independent organization setting standards for natural burial in North America.
GBC certification isn't automatic. It requires meeting specific standards for environmental practice, transparency, and family education. Certified providers are reviewed and held accountable to those standards on an ongoing basis.
For families choosing natural burial, GBC certification is one of the clearest signals a provider takes this work seriously — and does it right.
We're Here When You're Ready
If you have questions about who we are or how we work, we're easy to reach. Most conversations start simply — with a question or two — and go from there.
We're here when you're ready to talk.
