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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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