Home

Meet The Staff

Facilities

Preplanning

FAQ's

History

Helpful Links

Obituaries

 

 

Choosing a Funeral Professional

 

Once we have discussed the options of meaningful celebrations and choices for disposition with our family, when the death occurs, choosing a funeral professional to help make all the arrangements is the next step.

People usually select their funeral professional or funeral home by reputation within the community, personal experiences, religious affiliation, convenience of location or the recommendation of a trusted friend.  Even if the death occurs away from home, it is a good idea to contact a funeral home in the area where the deceased permanently resided.  It will be familiar with the steps necessary to transfer the loved one to his/her place of burial regardless of where the death took place.

a.  Guidance on what is involved when planning a funeral:  Your funeral professional will be a valuable resource in outlining your many options.  You will then be able to pick and choose what you feel would make a meaningful ceremony, one that would satisfy the needs of you and your family and fulfill the known wishes ofyour loved one.

b.  Some of the decisions you should expect to make at the funeral home:  Considering the wishes of the deceased and your financial means and needs:

    *Select a clergy person and obtain his/her services

    *Select a time and place for visitation or wake and funeral or

    memorial services

    *With the assistance of the funeral professional, select a casket

    that will hold your loved one's body.  If cremation has been

    selected and will take place after services, special cremation

    caskets are available.

    *After choosing the method of final disposition, notify

    the cemetery and arrange for the appropriate grave space

    to be opened.  (If the deceased or family does not own

    cemetery property, a grave space will need to be selected.)

    *Since most cemeteries require outer burial containers, a

    suitable burial vault will be selected.  The minimum container

    a family may select to fulfill this requirement is a concrete

    rough box or grave liner.

    *If you wish to have fraternal or veteran's organization

    of which the deceased was a member take part in the

    services, they should be contacted.  Their participation

    should be coordinated with the clergy person.  The funeral

    home staff can arrange this for you.

    *Prepare an obituary or death notice for local and out of town

    newspapers.  The funeral professional will assist you with

    placing these notices.

    *The funeral home often has a selection of vehicles at its

    disposal.  The funeral director can guide you as to which

    are appropriate for use in relation to the services that

    you have selected.

    *You will select clothing for your deceased loved one.  If

    you feel there is nothing appropriate in your loved one's

    wardrobe or size is a problem, the funeral home usually

    has a selection of appropriate garments or can give you

    guidance on where to obtain something suitable.

    *Pallbearers will assist in moving the casket from the funeral

    home to the church or cemetery.  You will be asked to choose

    these people.  The funeral home staff will advise them of

    their duties.  Special friends acting as honorary pallbearers

    may also be appointed.

There are many legal documents that will be filled out at the time of death.  The funeral home staff, with information you supply, will assist in completing this task.  It will be necessary to have accurate information about the deceased when filing these forms.  In addition to the death certificate, veterans, fraternal, and union forms, insurance claims, notification of Social Security and other benefits require accurate information which you will supply.

 

  ‹‹Back to Preplanning Main               Next>>