No matter if a death is sudden, or if it something that was a long time coming, the loss of a loved one makes us feel emotional and overwhelmed. No amount of preparation can fully prepare you for the loss of a loved one. When you are in a heightened emotional state, even the most basic decisions can seem staggering. The following is a rough guideline of what needs to be done within the first 24 hours after death. 

When death occurs at home or a place of business 

If the person was not under hospice care, the police will have to be notified immediately. The police will be dispatched to the home and place the call to the coroner/medical examiner. From there the coroner/medical examiner will take the body and determine whether further action is necessary. The coroner/medical examiner must release the body before a funeral home can do anything. If the person was under hospice care, contact the hospice representative if they were not present and they will notify family members what the proper procedures are to follow. 

  

When a death occurs at a hospital/nursing home/hospice facility

The staff of a care facility such as a hospital or a nursing home will notify you and the necessary authorities immediately after a death has occurred. If a funeral home has been provided to the hospital or nursing home, they will be notified at the time of death. If you are present at the hospital when the funeral director arrives, they will ask a few questions about the deceased wishes and set up a time to come into the funeral home to make arrangements, however, if you are not present a funeral director will contact you by telephone to discuss these arrangements. 

  

Informing the Funeral Director 

Once everything has been cleared with the proper authorities, the next call you place should be to a licensed funeral director. Funeral directors are here to help you obtain a death certificate, transport the body, select a casket and arrange the funeral service. The funeral director will also help you notify the employer and insurance company of the deceased to assist with those arrangements. Funeral directors are here to help and advise you and will work very hard to relieve the stress and logistics involved in funeral planning. 

  

Meeting the Funeral Director 

You should meet with a funeral director within 24 hours of a death to begin to make final arrangements for your loved one. Deciding on these final arrangements may seem like a very daunting task, especially when you are in a heightened emotional state, but, funeral home staff have years of experience dealing with these issues, and strive to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible. 

  

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 

  

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   

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. 

If a Death Has Just Occurred 

Whether the death occurs locally, anywhere in the United States, or worldwide, our staff is trained to handle all of the arrangements. We have licensed funeral directors available, ready to assist you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Making arrangements for a funeral service usually occurs at our funeral home, where an individual or family members work with one of our licensed funeral directors to decide which options and services best fit the family's needs. As part of the arrangement process, we will need to collect information about the deceased in order to complete the death certificate and other required documents. This process can be quite time-consuming. By completing the form below and forwarding it to us by e-mail, our funeral director will be able to expedite the final arrangement conference at the funeral home. The funeral director will also have a better understanding of your wishes prior to your arrival, making the arrangement process less stressful and increasing the level of service to you and your family. Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us.

ITEMS TO BRING TO THE ARRANGEMENT CONFERENCE:  

• Photo for Newspaper, Web-Site, Prayer Cards, etc... 
• Clothing (long sleeves with collar) and undergarments 
• Life Insurance Policies 
• Rosary (optional) 20 unframed photographs (no larger than 8 x 10) for video tribute Military Discharge papers (DD214) 
• Names of pallbearers, gift bearers, readers 

WE WILL ASSIST YOU WITH THE FOLLOWING:  

• Obtaining Certified Death Certificates 
• Contacting Clergy and/ or Church 
• Preparing and sending obituary to the newspapers 
• Securing Flag for Veterans 
• Arranging for Military Honors 
• Processing Life Insurance Claims 
• Notifying the Social Security Administration of death 

ITEMS NOT INCLUDED WITH A FUNERAL SERVICE  

• Newspaper Obituary Fees 
• Musicians Cemetery work - Once arrangements have been completed, the family must contact the cemetery office in order to obtain a permit. 
• There is normally a fee for this permit. 
• Flowers Clothing 
• Clergy Honorarium 

Within Hours 

When a loved one dies at home or in a place that isn’t a healthcare facility, you’ll need to contact emergency personnel before they can be taken into care. If your loved one was under medical care, it’s a good idea to call their physician as well. If your loved one dies in a healthcare facility, they will notify the proper authorities, including the funeral home you have chosen to care for your loved one if they know that information. Emergency and medical personnel involved in this part of the process will help you with obtaining a medical certificate and any other necessary paperwork. This part of the process is often the most emotional, and we are here to help and support you. If you’re not sure what to do, call us any time. 

  

Within the First Few Days

 

You’ll want to notify close friends and relatives, both through personal phone calls as well as your loved one’s death notice. If this process is too painful for you, it’s okay to ask a trusted family member or friend to help you. This also is the time to review any of your loved one’s preplanned funeral wishes and meet with a funeral director to begin planning their service. If your loved one did not preplan their funeral, you might want to start thinking about a few of the big choices you will need to make, such as:  

• Burial or cremation 
• If burial, the type of casket and location of final resting place in a grave or mausoleum 
• If cremation, the type of urn and location of their final resting place through burial or scattering 
• Any religious services you will need, such as clergy or spiritual leaders 
• The types of services you want, such as a viewing, service, graveside memorial, etc. 

These questions are just a starting point, and you don't need to know the answers right away. Don’t hesitate to contact us to gain a better understanding of your options. We're here to make this process easier for you. 

  

What to Expect When We Meet 

When you meet with a member of our staff to discuss your arrangements, we'll first provide you with a general price list to give you a basic idea of what our services cost. We'll then ask you about your loved one to gain an understanding of the person the services will honor. Use this time to communicate your ideas and preferences, share your loved one's life story, revisit memories, and highlight their accomplishments. Our professionals will use this information to guide you in the creation of a personalized, meaningful celebration of your loved one's life. 

  

This process may include:  

• Preparing and filing the official death certificate 
• Scheduling the services and events (including the location, date, and time) 
• Selecting a casket, urn, or other products you may need 
• Drafting an obituary 
• Arranging necessary transportation 
• Selecting pallbearers We'd like to make this process as smooth and stress-free for you as we can, so remember to bring the following information about your loved one with you as well: 
• Full legal name and home address 
• Social security number 
• Date of birth 
• Place of birth 
• Father's name 
• Mother's maiden name 
• Veteran's discharge papers (DD-214), if applicable 
• Highest education 
• Occupation 
• Information about the burial location, if applicable 
• Clergy name and phone number if applicable 
• Names and relationships of survivors 
• Insurance policy information if using to pay for funeral expenses, 

Please also bring a recent photograph and any clothing you'd like us to use when dressing them for the service. 

  

Payment Options 

We offer multiple online payment options to help lessen the financial burden on your family during this difficult time. Talk to a member of our staff if you have any questions or need more information. 

• eChecks, or ACH payments, let you transfer funds directly from your bank account to pay for services. It’s fast, secure, and saves you money on credit card fees. 
• We accept all major credit cards — Visa, Mastercard, American Express, and Discover. 
• We offer crowdfunding & Tribute Pay for funeral services, memorial funds, and more. With all the features of other major crowdfunding sites and less fees, crowdfunding on our website is a great option for your family. Talk to a member of our staff to start a crowdfunding campaign today. 
• If your loved one has a life insurance policy you want to use for funeral expenses, talk to us. We can get a portion of your claim funded immediately instead of waiting 30-90 days for the insurance companies to pay out. We’ll also handle all the paperwork! 

Please note that payment in full must be made at least 48 hours before the scheduled services. No service will be conducted until final payment has been made. The purchaser assumes all costs, and any damages incurred for holdover, and holds Cornerstone Funeral Services & Cremations, its affiliates, and employees harmless for any legal consequences.