Arrangements-in-the-Aftermath Fifty-Two Things (At Least!)
You'd Have To Do NOW To Arrange A Funeral
WHAT WOULD YOU DO IF YOU HAD TO ARRANGE A FUNERAL...THIS MOMENT?
Here are 52 tasks (minimally) that you must consider on a most difficult, perhaps the most difficult, day of your life…
People To Notify
1. The doctor or coroner/medical examiner
2. The funeral director
3. The cemetery
4. The clergy
5. All the relatives
6. All the friends and neighbors
7. The deceased’s employer
8. Newspapers
9. Employers and school officials regarding
family absences
10. Insurance agents
11. Unions and fraternal/service organizations
12. Attorney
Decisions At The Funeral Home
13. Select the funeral home
14. Select the time for the service
15. Decide how much money will be spent
16. Provide the family history
17. Complete the death certificate
18. Arrange for transportation
Decisions About The Funeral Service
19. Type and location of service(s)
20. Type of casket/urn
21. Type of burial vault
22. Select the pallbearers
23. Select music
24. Select appropriate readings and texts
25. Select clothing
26. Select the jewelry
27. Select and arrange for flowers
28. Collect flower cards
29. If a member of fraternal/service organization, coordinate service
Decisions At The Cemetery
30. Select the cemetery
31. Decide on the type of burial
32. Decide how much money will be spent
33. Contact cemetery to finalize arrangements for committal service
34. Select the memorialization at the burial place
Additional Items
35. Appoint host/ess and decide about a meal
36. Coordinate arrangements for out-of-town guests
37. Acknowledge sympathetic phone calls, messages, letters, food gifts
38. Obtain sufficient copies of death certificate
39. Complete necessary Social Security paperwork
40. If a veteran, complete necessary Veterans Administration paperwork
41. If desired, arrange for organ donation with appropriate agencies
42. Complete necessary insurance paperwork
43. Complete necessary estate paperwork.
Possible Areas Requiring Payment
44. Funeral Home for services and products
45. Cemetery for burial space
46. Cemetery for burial fee
47. Memorialization at place of burial
48. Clergy
49. Florist
50. Transportation
51. Musician(s)
52. Luncheon
We Advocate Advance Planning
Of course, there will be sudden and unprovided deaths. Certainly, not everything can be planned for. Some parts of the preceding list can only be decided, done and paid for after a death.
But, many of the items listed can be dealt with and arranged for in advance.
Part of life is preparing for death. Like saving for an education or a home or retirement, awareness of the inevitability of death ought to lead us to planning for and imprinting the arrangements following our death with our own choices and preferences.
Knowing the complicated and tiring things that will need to be done without any advance plan, we encourage you (and your spouse) to make plans to make final arrangements. Your family, physician, parish, funeral home & cemetery will be happy to assist with their portions of the job.
Completing this task will bring peace of mind & heart.
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