Is it legal for the goverment not to cremate you if you request to be cremated?

Factual Questions
1

I was reading this about charles whitman he requested to be cremated in his suicide note but was buried instead, is it legal for them to do that, and why would they do it anyway?

“Although Whitman had requested cremation in his suicide note, this was not carried out: Whitman and his mother shared a funeral service officiated by Fr. Tom Anglim at his home parish of Sacred Heart in Lake Worth. Due to his status as a former Marine, Whitman had a casket draped with an American flag for his burial in Section 16 of the Hillcrest Memorial Park in West Palm Beach, Florida.”

2

I’m pretty sure suicide notes don’t have any legal standing or precedent, unlike a properly notarized will.

(Now that I think about it, I don’t think wills are even the appropriate means of conveying your burial wishes - aren’t they usually read well after the funeral?)

3

In most countries decisions on the disposal would be taken by the executor[s], who can choose to honour wishes or not; government doesn’t come into it.

4

So who was his executor that decided to ignore his request?

5

My brother wants to be buried in his back yard. I told him I will not be honoring that request.

6

Probably Charles Whitman’s father was the person who decided to have the joint funeral of his wife and son.

7

But, the front yard is so gauche!

8

There’s a perfectly good root cellar for buryings!