How about a change to those messages saying someone you have never heard of being dead to one of your own housed Sims and which house they occupied.
eg: Alf Armstrong of Agave Abode, Oasis Springs has died at home or wherever he did die. Could add - do you want to send his ashes home, yes or no. If yes they could be put inside his front door or he could possibly become a ghost at the Gym, Museum or such.
If we did get an actual cemetary lot we could get the option of sending him straight there. Some people may not want ghosts haunting their own home!