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Planning a Funeral After an Unexpected
Death - Part Two
By Christopher M Davis
Funerals are probably the most popular of all the
memorial options, as they are the most traditional type
of service. There is no one set way to have a funeral -
how you proceed depends on your loved one's religious
affiliation, age, and personality. For example, for a
child's funeral service, the parents will often choose
to have a more uplifting service and will choose to
decorate the area with balloons, flowers, and stuffed
animals. Many parents also choose to have their child's
favorite stories and songs read and sung at the service.
A funeral usually will include prayers or blessings and
are often directed by a priest, rabbi, or other
spiritual leader. They are usually held in a church,
synagogue, or in the chapel of a funeral home. If the
deceased was not religious, prayers and blessings can be
replaced by singing favorite songs and/or reading
favorite poems or passages. You can pick how you want
the service to proceed. Just discuss your choices with
the funeral director to ensure that the service will go
as smoothly as possible.
Your funeral director will be your key resource during
the funeral planning process. There is at least one
funeral director at every funeral home and he or she
will work very closely with you throughout all of the
arrangements. How closely you work with your funeral
director and the amount of organizing the director does
for you will depend on your needs. For example, if you
need help writing the obituary, a good funeral director
will help you with that and will also distribute the
obituary to the newspapers of your choice.
The funeral director should explain the funeral planning
process, discuss which tasks he/she can perform on your
behalf, and help you complete all the steps necessary to
complete the preparations. The funeral home will also
coordinate transportation of your loved one's body from
the funeral home to the place of worship for the funeral
and then to the place of burial. Remember that, in most
situations, the amount you will be charged will vary
according to what the funeral director does on your
behalf and the type of work the funeral home does as
part of the preparation and funeral service.
The planning phase of the funeral will likely take a few
hours. You simply go into the funeral home, meet with
the director and discuss the necessary details. If you
or family members are unable to go into the funeral
home, the director may be able to come to you. It is
also a good idea to have the personal representative or
executor of the estate present at this meeting to sign
all of the necessary paperwork. If no personal
representative or executor exists, then an immediate
family member like a spouse, parent, or adult child
should suffice.
Here are a few things you need when you meet with the
funeral director:
- The clothes you want your loved one to wear in the
casket. Make sure you bring a full set of clothing,
undergarments included. Shoes are not entirely necessary
but will be used if you decide to bring them with you.
- A rough copy of the deceased's life history, including
the names of living relatives, spouse and the places
your loved one lived.
- The names of the deceased's parents, including
mother's maiden name.
- The deceased's social insurance number. This is needed
in order to register the death and make it official.
In addition to coordinating funeral arrangements, the
funeral home may also offer additional products and/or
services. For instance, the funeral home will have
caskets on hand for you to purchase or rent. The cost of
a casket will vary tremendously. Keep in mind that
often, only the most expensive models are on display at
the home. Do not be afraid to ask the funeral director
if there are less expensive models you can consider.
Many people who are planning a funeral on a budget
consider renting a casket for the funerals and viewing,
and then buying specially-constructed wooden boxes for
the burial.
The funeral home will also likely offer you other basic
products that you can personalize according to your
loved one's characteristics. For example, they will
likely have different layouts and patterns for service
programs and memorial cards. They may also have boards
that you can use to display family pictures or other
memorabilia. Some homes now offer a service where family
photos can be scanned to a CD and displayed as part of a
computerized presentation program.
Seattle wrongful death attorney Chris Davis is the
author of 'Wrongful Death in Washington State' a guide
book for families that are trying to navigate the
confusing legal process following the accidental death
in Washington State of a loved one. He is the founder
and principal lawyer at Davis Law Group, a Seattle
personal injury law firm know for its innovative
approach. You can learn more by visiting: http://www.DavisLawGroupSeattle.com. |
