General Funeral
Questions
Financing a Funeral
Cremation
Death
Away From Home
What is the significance of a funeral
service?
From the
beginning of recorded history, societies have honored those who die with a
ceremony. In the beginning, the purpose of the ritual was to send the deceased
on his or her journey into the afterlife.
Today,
however, many experts agree that the benefits of a service are for those who
remain behind. A "closure" of sorts must occur to help survivors adjust to their
loss and recognize that a death has occurred. A funeral service provides the
opportunity for friends and family to celebrate the life that was lived and
allows the healing process to begin.
back to
top
Can I
make my funeral arrangements before I die?
Yes,
preplanning is one of the most caring things you can do for your family or loved
ones. It provides them with a clear picture of your final wishes and relieves
them from having to worry about how you would really prefer to be remembered.
These plans may be as simple or as elaborate as you choose - and keep in mind
that making personal and meaningful plans does not have to mean added expense.
You can comfortably prefund your arrangements to alleviate placing future
financial burdens on your family. The preplanning process allows you to plan at
your own pace, equipped with facts and ample information, so that you feel
comfortable about the choices you make. Oftentimes, making arrangements in
advance also guarantees a service and funeral at today's prices, free from
inflation. We can assist you with your prearrangement needs. You can also visit
www.simplicityplan.com
for more information.
back to
top
How
many types of caskets exist, and why are some more expensive than
others?
Caskets are
made of either metal (bronze, copper or steel) or wood, and are available in a
variety of styles and colors. Prices vary, depending on the exterior and
interior materials used. Bronze, a semi-precious metal, is more expensive than
steel. Mahogany, a rare hardwood, is more expensive than the readily available
softwood pine. There is also the option of adding personal touches to most
caskets.
back to
top
What is
embalming and is it necessary before services are
held?
Embalming
is the temporary preservation of a person’s remains using a chemical process.
This procedure allows family and friends an opportunity to say their good-byes.
We require embalming when a public viewing is planned as part of the
service.
back to
top
Can a
funeral home assist me with Social Security benefits and Veteran death
benefits?
Yes. In
fact, our staff is trained to complete all necessary paperwork to begin the
benefits process and will follow through to ensure that the benefits are secured
in a timely manner.
back to
top
How
much does a funeral cost?
Funeral
costs vary depending on the funeral home and type of services and merchandise
selected. There are two types of costs associated with a funeral: (1) services
provided by the funeral home and (2) merchandise such as a casket or urn. Some
types of services require more or less involvement of our professional staff and
facilities than others and are priced accordingly. We pride ourselves on our
ability to help every family create a meaningful tribute and lasting memorial
for their loved one in any price range. Call or visit our funeral home to
discuss your needs and to receive a general price list that will give you full
details. And remember, if choosing burial or interment, you may need to purchase
cemetery or mausoleum space as well as some type of memorial. Those arrangements
are sometimes made separately with a cemetery.
back to
top
What
methods may I use to pay for the funeral?
Funeral
costs may be paid by cash, check, VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover
or an assignment of verified insurance benefits. Many families choose easy
payment plans available through preplanning. This important decision can limit
or eliminate the financial burden when the death of a loved one
occurs.
back to
top
What is
involved in the cremation process?
During your
first call to the funeral home to let the funeral arranger know that a death has
occurred, the funeral arranger will gather information to be able to transport
your loved one to the funeral home. The arranger will schedule a date and time
for you to meet at the funeral home to gather necessary information and obtain
required authorizations.
Before
cremation occurs, the death certificate must be completed and signed by the
attending physician or medical examiner, and all civil and medical authorities
must have issued all required permits. In addition, necessary authorizations to
cremate must be obtained from the next of kin or other authorized person.
Regulations in many states also require that a certain number of hours must have
transpired since the death occurred (usually 24 to 48 hours). After these
conditions are met, the cremation takes place and the cremated remains are
placed in the designated container or urn selected for disposition. The family
or those authorized to make arrangements will want to discuss with their funeral
arranger specifics concerning a personal tribute to the deceased and whether
this will occur before or after the cremation process, or
both.
back to
top
Are
special cremation containers and caskets
available?
We offer a
wide variety of cremation containers including caskets, alternative containers
and urns to meet each family's needs. A cremation casket is a special casket
constructed from materials that are environmentally friendly. It appears very
similar to burial caskets and may be used for visitation and/or a funeral
ceremony or gathering. It is cremated with the decedent. There are also a
variety of alternative containers from which to
choose.
back to
top
Are the
services held before or after cremation?
Services,
or gatherings as they are more commonly being called, are held at the discretion
of the family. The service or gathering is a place and time for family and
friends to come together to celebrate special memories of the decedent and to
support each other during this time of loss. Many choose to have a traditional
service first, followed by the cremation. Others may have a memorial service at
some point before and/or after the cremation.
back to
top
What
happens to the cremated remains?
There are
several options to consider with a cremation. A family can choose to bury the
cremated remains in a cemetery, store and display them at home in an urn, or
scatter them in a place special to the deceased. Many cemeteries have created
areas specifically for cremated remains. These areas may be in a mausoleum, in a
columbarium, in a ground burial area or in a cremation garden offering even more
choices. It is necessary to check local restrictions on scattering cremated
remains on public property or private property.
back to
top
How can
we memorialize cremation?
There are
many ways to memorialize a decedent after cremation. One option is burial of the
urn, marked with a bronze memorial or sculpture. There are also memorialization
options available, including keepsake urns, columbarium niches and cremation
benches. We can review with you all the choices available to meet the needs of
your family or the wishes of your loved one.
back to
top
What
has to be done when a death occurs in one city and the funeral service will be
held in another city?
A death
that occurs away from your loved one’s hometown may be an unusual experience for
you and your family. However, funeral arrangers are trained and experienced in
handling the details necessary when this happens. The local funeral arranger can
assist you in selecting a funeral home in the city where the services are to be
held and will help coordinate the transportation of your loved one to the care
of a funeral arranger in that city.
back to
top
If our
loved one is being transferred to another city for a funeral service and burial,
can we also gather family and friends for a local
service?
Yes. The
funeral arranger can work with the family to organize a time and place either
before or after the transfer for family and friends to gather to celebrate
special memories of the decedent and to support each other during the time of
loss.
back to
top
What
has to be done when a family member passes away while on a trip out of
town?
When a
family member passes away while out of town, contact your local funeral
arranger. The arranger can assist you in selecting an out-of-town funeral
arranger, who will handle all the necessary details in the distant city, state
or country. Working together, the two funeral arrangers will gather all the
necessary information to allow for the transfer of your family member back to
your local area.
back to
top
