Common Questions about Funeral
Service
Many people have questions that they may or may not feel
comfortable asking their funeral director. We hope this will be of
some help to you and if you think of something else you would like
us to add to this list of questions, please contact us by email or
telephone.
What
do we do if a death in our family occurs away from
home?
Our funeral home staff will arrange with another funeral home or
mortuary, where the death occurred, to have preparation and
transportation made back to our funeral home. We can also help you
if you are planning to have a service prior to having the family
member returned to your home area. back to
top
Why is a funeral
important?
For thousands of years, funerals have allowed survivors to express
their feelings about the death of someone they love. The rituals
provide comfort when things seem chaotic and out of control. The
funeral is for expressing intense grief. For many, a visitation
followed by a funeral or memorial service is the first step in the
grieving process. It is a time when friends, family and other
guests can come together to grieve openly and to support one
another in a community environment. It is also a time to say
good-bye. Viewing the deceased can bring a sense of closure to the
bereaved who may be in shock and denial. back to
top
What does a funeral
director do?
- Pick up the deceased and transport the body to the funeral home
(anytime day or night)
- Notify proper authorities, family and/or relatives
- Arrange and prepare death certificates
- Provide certified copies of death certificates for insurance
and benefit processing
- Work with the insurance agent, social security or Veteran''s
Administration to ensure that necessary paperwork is filed for
receipt of benefits
- Prepare and submit obituary to the newspapers of your
choice
- Bathe and embalm the deceased body, if necessary
- Prepare the body for viewing including dressing and
cosmetizing
- Assist the family with funeral arrangements and purchase of
casket, urn, burial vault and cemetery plot
- Schedule the opening and closing of the grave with cemetery
personnel, if a burial is to be performed
- Coordinate with clergy if a funeral or memorial service is to
be held
- Arrange a police escort and transportation to the funeral
and/or cemetery for the family
- Order funeral sprays and other flower arrangements as the
family wishes
- Provide Aftercare, or grief assistance, to the bereaved
- back to top
What
is embalming?
It is a process that sanitizes and preserves a dead body. It delays
the decomposition process and allows time for viewing and services
by the family prior to burial or cremation. It restores a life-like
appearance to the body and can enhance the appearance of a body
that has undergone a traumatic death or illness. This process can
take anywhere from one to three hours to perform. The time spent
embalming depends upon the severity of damage to the body, whether
it be from traumatic injuries and or by not being able to perform
it immediately after notification of the death. back to top
Is embalming
required when a person dies?
No, however most states insist on embalming under certain
circumstances such as when the death is caused by a contagious
disease or if final disposition isn't made within a certain time
frame. Embalming preserves the body, often allowing more time for
arrangements. It is required if there will be a visitation. If the
deceased is to be directly buried or cremated, embalming is not
necessary. back to top
Why
should I buy my casket or cremation container from your funeral
home instead of a casket or cremation discount
store?
The casket and cremation discount stores do not have a history of
longevity in the business. Several people have purchased units from
these stores and before they know it, these stores are out of
business within a year or so after the purchase. Because of their
short lived existence, many people who have purchased products have
ended up with no product to have for their respective service.
Casket and cremation retail stores also have limited suppliers for
merchandise, therefore on some units, they do not carry any
liability agreement on units that may have already been purchased
by the family. We purchase our fine quality products from reputable
casket and cremation companies who have been in the business for
many years. Their products all come with a liability warranty
attached on each unit. With cost being very important to the
consumer, most all funeral homes are able to sell merchandise at a
lesser price than a retail store, as they have other income to
offset their overhead. back to
top
If I choose to be cremated,
can I have a funeral?
Yes, cremation can take place either before or after a funeral
depending on what type of service you choose. You can have a
viewing, funeral/memorial service or burial. back to top