What To Do When Someone Dies

What To Do When A Loved One Dies..

When a death occurs there are so many things to consider and decisions to make. These lists can help you navigate through them.


When A Death Occurs First Step

At Home
If the deceased was under hospice care, notify the hospice nurse. The nurse will contact the funeral home on your behalf. If the deceased was not under hospice or another at-home medical care provider, call 911.

At a Hospital 
Notify the hospital which funeral home you have selected. In our area for UPMC Pinnacle Facilities and Holy Spirit it is necessary for you to call Patient Registration. The nursing staff can direct you. After speaking with Patient Registration, please contact the funeral home 717-939-2344. The hospital will contact the funeral home on your behalf once they have completed their necessary documents and the deceased is ready to be taken into our care.

At a Hospice facility:
Notify the hospice facility which funeral home you have selected. The hospice staff will notify the funeral home on your behalf.

At a Nursing/Long Term Care Facility
Notify the staff as to which funeral home you have selected; they will notify the funeral home on your behalf.

Out of State/Out of the Country
Even if a death occurs away from home you should notify your local funeral home. If you plan to have the deceased casketed and brought home, or if you plan to have services in your home town, we will help facilitate transportation and coordination with a funeral home where the death occurred.

Secure Vital Statistics of the Deceased

Be prepared to provide the following at the arrangements conference:

• Full legal name - other names must be identified by “Also Known As” 
• Date and place of birth
• Social Security Number
• Home address
• Father’s name and birthplace
• Mother’s name and birthplace, including maiden name
• Occupation and Industry
• Level of education reached
• Family members names

Documents to Collect

These may be required to establish rights for insurance, pensions, survivor benefits, ownership, etc.
• Will
• Military discharge papers (DD214) or Service Serial Number
• Insurance policies
• Cemetery Lot information
• Income tax returns, receipts or canceled checks


Discuss with the Funeral Home

  • Whether your loved one is to be buried or cremated. 
  • When necessary, provide permission for embalming.
  • Service details (e.g. would you like a viewing or visitation period, Mass, a formal service, a reception, celebration of life?).
  • Clothing the deceased will be buried or cremated in.
  • If a member of the clergy will be engaged for the service or is your preference a Celebrant.
  • Pallbearers, music, pictures, flowers, scripture or readings.
  • If you would like a charity to receive donations in memory of your loved one.
  • The funeral director will ask if you have made any arrangements with a cemetery. If you have not done this, you will need to visit the cemetery after completing the funeral arrangements to purchase grave spaces. Your funeral director can setup an appointment for you.

Casket Burial

  •  Would you like other members of the family to be with your loved one in the future? This determines the size and type of cemetery property needed.
  • What type of memorial would you prefer (a marker set flush with the ground, or an upright monument)?
  • Is an in-ground liner or concrete vault required.
  • What type of setup would you prefer for the burial service, e.g. a tent canopy, chairs, etc.?

Cremation

  • Do you prefer the service before or after the cremation?
  • Would you like to schedule a viewing or visitation prior to the cremation?
  • Would you like to use our chapel for a short service prior to the cremation?
  • Would you like your family to be present at the time of cremation? (This is called a Witness Cremation)
  • What type of urn would you prefer (metal, wood, marble, ceramic, biodegradable, etc.)?
  • What type of engraving would you like on the urn?
  • What type of final resting place would you prefer for your loved one (ground burial, above ground niches, or scattering or placement of cremated remains in a cremation garden)?

Burial of an Urn

A burial urn or urn vault may be required for ground burial in our local cemeteries.
What type of memorial do you prefer (e.g. a bronze or granite marker set flush with the ground, an upright monument, or a cremation bench)?

Above Ground Niches

  • Would you like the niche to be inside a building or outside?
  • Would you like the niche to be glass-fronted so that you can display personal mementos?

Scattering

  • Would you like to be present for the scattering?
  • Would you like a permanent memorial to be placed in or around the area where scattering took place?

What you will need to pay for

You Will Need to Pay for
  • Funeral arrangements, including clergy, florist, newspapers, transportation, casket and/or urn, and other selected services and merchandise.
  • Cemetery charges (e.g. lot, opening/closing of the lot, vault or liner, selected headstone or other memorial.)
  • Current and urgent bills (i.e. mortgage, rent, taxes, etc.)
  • Transporting the Deceased Out of State or Internationally for Burial
  • We have extensive experience transferring loved ones to other states or countries for burial. If you require an out of state transfer, please advise us as soon as possible so that we can make all necessary arrangements. 
  • Transfers within the Continental United States is usually an easy process. However, when transferring human remains internationally, each country has certain restrictions or requirements. 
  • Please be advised that complying with the requirements of other countries takes time - in some cases it can take 60-90 days.

"Add an interesting quote here."

This is the text area for this paragraph. To change it, simply click here and start typing. Once you've added your content, you can customize its design by choosing different colors, fonts, font sizes and bullets. Just highlight the words you want to customize and choose from the various options in the text editing bar.

"Add an interesting quote here."

This is the text area for this paragraph. To change it, simply click here and start typing. Once you've added your content, you can customize its design by choosing different colors, fonts, font sizes and bullets. Just highlight the words you want to customize and choose from the various options in the text editing bar.
Share by: