When a Death Has Occured
Whether a death is sudden or expected, the loss of a loved one can place families in a stressful state, even the most basic decisions can be difficult. We want to assure you that we know what needs to be done and we will guide your family through the decisions that need to be made.
If your loved one passes away at home, the funeral home will be contacted by the medical examiner, ambulance, police or hospice nurse. A director will arrive at your home to pick up your loved one and bring them to the funeral home. If the death occurs at a facility such as a hospital or nursing home, the facility staff will contact the funeral home directly. When the director arrives, they may ask a few questions about your loved one's wishes and then set up a time to make further arrangements with your family.
What to expect during arrangements:
You should contact or meet with the funeral director within 24 hours of a death to begin making final arrangements for your loved one. Some of the decisions that need to be made often seem overwhelming to families but our directors and staff will walk you through each step. We have years of experience and will strive to ensure everything goes smoothly.
First, the Funeral Director will gather information required for the death certificate. This includes:
- Full Name and Address
- Marital Status
- Race/Ethnicity
- Date and City of Birth
- Highest Level of Education
- Father’s Name, Mother’s Name (including maiden name)
- Name of Spouse (if married or widowed)
- Occupation and Employer
- Social Security Number
Other decisions to be made:
- Location, date and time of the visitation and funeral service
- Burial or cremation
- Choosing Funeral Products such as casket, vault or urn
- Selecting a cemetery plot
- Preparing information for an obituary
- Gathering photos or display items for the visitation
A funeral director will guide you through all of these steps, using your wants, needs and desires as a foundation to create a memorable funeral for your loved one. From here the funeral services can be personalized. Did your loved one have a favorite sports team? What was their favorite type of music? What activity was your loved one known best for? Sharing these memories with the grieving process and will allow you to pay tribute to the life of your loved one.