Page 13 - McCourt & Trudden Funeral Guide Final
P. 13
When death occurs at home or a place Meeting a funeral director
of business You should meet with a funeral director
If the person was not under hospice within 24 hours of a death to begin to make
care, the police will have to be notified final arrangements for your loved one.
immediately. The police will be dispatched Deciding on these final arrangements may
to the home and place the call to the seem like a very daunting task, especially
coroner/medical examiner. From there when you are in a heightened emotional
the coroner/medical examiner will take state, but funeral home staff have years
the body and determine whether further of experience dealing with these issues,
action is necessary. The coroner/ medical and strive to ensure everything goes as
examiner must release the body before smoothly as possible.
a funeral home can do anything. If the
person was under hospice care, contact Making arrangements
the hospice representative if they were First the funeral director will gather
not present and they will notify family information required for the death
members what the proper procedures certificate. This includes:
are to follow.
• Full Name and Address
When a death occurs at a hospital/ • Marital Status
nursing home/hospice facility • Race/Ethnicity
The staff of a care facility such as a hospital • Date and City of Birth
or a nursing home will notify you and the • Highest Level of Education
necessary authorities immediately after a • Father’s Name, Mother’s Name
death has occurred. If a funeral home has (including maiden name)
been provided by the hospital or nursing • Name of Spouse (if married or
home, they will be notified at the time of widowed)
death. If you are present at the hospital • Occupation and Employer
when the funeral director arrives, they may
ask a few questions about the deceased’s The funeral director will also need
wishes and set up a time to come into pertinent documents required to do all
the funeral home to make arrangements. the legal paperwork, these documents
However, if you are not present a funeral include:
director will contact you by telephone to
discuss these arrangements. • Account Statements
• Beneficiary Designations
Informing a funeral director • Life Insurance Policies
Once everything has been cleared with • Real Estate Deeds
the proper authorities, the next call you • Car and Boat Deeds
place should be to a licensed funeral • Stock and Bond Certificates
director. Funeral directors are here to • Pre-Nuptial Agreements
help you obtain a death certificate, • Post-Nuptial Agreements
transport the body, and in the event pre- • Loans and Leases
planning was not done, select a casket/ • Copies of Bills (Hydro, Cable, Phone
urn and arrange the funeral/memorial etc.)
service. The funeral director will also help • Last Will
you notify the employer and insurance • Tax Returns
company of the deceased to assist with
those arrangements. Funeral directors If no pre-planning has been done,
are here to help and advise you and will necessary arrangements need to be made
work very hard to relieve the stress and for the funeral service. These include:
logistics involved in funeral planning.
McCourt and Trudden Funeral Home - Page 13
