Making Arrangements

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

Please bring this information to the arangement with you.

The funeral director will also need pertinent documents required to do all the legal paperwork, those documents include:

Account Statements
Beneficiary Designations
Life Insurance Policies
Real Estate Deeds
Car and Boat Deeds
Stock and Bond Certificates
Pre-Nuptial Agreements
Post-Nuptial Agreements
Loans and Leases
Copies of Bills (Hydro, Cable, Phone etc.)
Last Will
Tax Returns

If no pre-planning has been done, necessary arrangements need to be made for the funeral service.  These include:

Scheduling the location, date and time of the visitation and funeral service
Selecting burial or cremation
Choosing Funeral Products
Arranging a cemetery plot
Preparing an obituary notice
Scheduling transportation arrangements

Clothing if your loved one will be viewed at service:

For Women: undergarments (underwear and bra), dress, suit, shirt, slacks, (whatever you prefer), etc. Please make sure your choice includes sleeves (preferably long sleeves) and that you avoid a low neck. Some families also include a scarf for the neck, any special make up, lipstick, nail polish, jewelry, and a favorite perfume of the deceased if you desire. Shoes & eye glasses are not necessary.

For Men: undergarments (underwear, t-shirt, socks), suit, shirt, slacks, jeans, tie, (whatever you prefer), etc. Please do not choose low neck items. Some families also include a favorite cologne of deceased, cufflinks, headwear, handkerchiefs, a belt, etc. Shoes are not necessary.

A funeral director will guide you through all 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?  Recalling fond memories assists with the grieving process and will help honor the life of your loved one.