If death is expected soon, but has not occured yet, we encourage you to make arrangements with us ahead of time. You can contact the office of the funeral home and make an appointment to sit down with a funeral director.
When a death occurs, a whirlwind of events begin. While notifying your immediate family should be done as soon as possible, it is also of utmost importance to notify the funeral home of your choice. Even if you are not yet ready to make arrangements, or if the deceased is not ready to be released from the place of death, your funeral director will appreciate the advance notification and can begin preparations. The funeral director will prepare for your arrival and be better equipped to answer the phone calls from your neighbors and friends. He/She will schedule an appointment for you to come to the funeral home to make the final arrangements. This is necessary even if pre-need arrangements have been made, in order that information may be brought up to date and final details attended to. After the arrangement time has been confirmed, prepare to gather the following items and information and bring them with you to the arrangement conference:
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Vital statistical information about the deceased. (click here for a downloadable form)
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Burial clothes (including a full set of undergarments, if applicable).
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Pictures – One recent photo is needed in order that we may determine proper hair styling concerns, skin tones, etc., so that we may provide a pleasant and natural viewing experience. Another photo may be desired for use in obituary notices, funeral bulletins, memorial books, etc. If you would like for us to create a video tribute for your service, we also need 30 pictures chronologically spanning the deceased’s life. These pictures should include family and friends whenever possible and should have the funny, candid photos that best describe the person’s life and persona.
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Veteran’s paperwork – Discharge papers (DD214 forms) from the branch of service to which the veteran belonged.
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Cemetery deeds and/or paperwork.
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The deceased’s cologne or perfume.
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Any special instructions left by the deceased.
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Any favorite scriptures, poems, or personal favorite sayings of the deceased.
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A selection of memorabilia that best describes the life and hobbies of the deceased to be used during the visitation. (for example, a putter, golf ball, score card, glove and some tees may be used for an avid golfer, along with a picture of his or her foursome on the green).
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Life insurance policies - Our staff will assist you in filing insurance policies. Some policies may be used to provide funding for the services, as long as they have been in effect for 2 years and they are assignable. The beneficiary of the policy must authorize the use of the policy for the payment of the funeral.
Your funeral director will meet with you at the appointed time to finalize all arrangements. These arrangements should not be rushed, therefore plan on spending 1 –2 hours at our office. Other appointments may be necessary that day, such as with the cemetery, flower shop, etc. We will be glad to schedule these appointments for you.
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