How to Properly Arrange a Funeral Service

If you have a family member or a friend who has passed away, or you know that a death is imminent, there are many details that need to be attended to.

It’s for this reason and many more that this can be a very stressful time, since you are not only having to deal with issues you might not be familiar with, but you are also having to deal with your own grief.

In an effort to be of assistance, we have prepared this short list of things that need to be done to arrange for funeral services.

1. Make “First Calls.” Besides your closest friends and relatives, you should notify others when someone dies.  These include local law enforcement if a death was not attended or might be due to unknown circumstances, the attending physician or coroner, the family members or their legal representative, and finally a funeral home.
2. Arrange transportation of the deceased.  If it has not already been done prior to death, you should contact a funeral home to arrange transportation of the deceased, whether it be locally or to a different city.
3. Find out if there were pre-need arrangements.  Some people arrange their funeral before their death.  If your friend or loved one has made these kinds of arrangements, you should find out since many decisions you are being forced to make have probably already been made.
4. Arrange for funeral services.  Especially if the deceased has made no prior arrangements, you will need to meet with a funeral director to discuss how you want your friend or loved one remembered.  You will probably need to provide the clothing needed, select music, arrange for speakers, select a casket, and other tasks.  If you are opting for cremation, you will need to select an urn.
5. Make cemetery arrangements.  If a cemetery plot, crypt, or niche has not been purchased in a pre-need arrangement, you will need to do so.  You will also need to purchase a grave marker.  In the case of a former military member who has been discharged from duty honorably, you will need to provide a copy of their separation papers, or what is commonly known as a DD214.

This document proves the eligibility of a veteran for burial benefits, which includes a plot in a national cemetery (or a small allowance for a plot in a civilian cemetery), a headstone, and other benefits such as military honors.

6. Finalize the deceased estate.  After the funeral, the final administrative details of the deceased estate need to be finalized.  This includes closing all expenses, receiving all appropriate benefits, reading of the will, appropriate distribution of assets, and other actions.

Arranging for an appropriate funeral to remember someone is a difficult task, but by following these guidelines, the burden of your responsibilities will be significantly lighter.