Following A Loss
WE ARE HERE TO SUPPORT YOU
After a loved one’s passing, many decisions must be made. Emotions can run high, so seeking help with arrangements can be helpful. The staff at
Barkdull Funeral Home & Crematory are always ready to assist and guide your family through the process.
Contact The Proper Authorities
Before any arrangements and decisions can be made, a legal pronouncement of death must be declared. If your loved one passes away inside a medical or nursing facility like a hospital or nursing home, the staff will handle getting this declaration made. If your loved one passes away at home, you need to immediately contact local emergency officials to come and take them to a hospital where they can be legally declared deceased. Family members who pass away under hospice care can be declared deceased by the hospice staff. This legal declaration must be made before the family can proceed with making any funeral arrangements or handling any legal affairs.
Begin To Make Arrangements
Once your loved one has been declared deceased you and your family can proceed with making funeral arrangements. Your loved one may have pre-planned their arrangements to lessen the burden for you and your family having to make choices immediately following the loss. If your loved one did not pre-plan their arrangements, then when you meet with one of our staff members, they will discuss funeral service options with you.
During this time, if the deceased hasn’t made their final wishes known, the family will need to decide if they will bury or cremate the body, and what type of service should be held. These decisions include the time, date and location of any service; what type of casket or urn your loved one needs; drafting an obituary notice; deciding on pallbearers; and make any decisions about the specifics of the service like who the minister will be, what music will be played and who will speak.
As part of the process to begin making the funeral arrangements, if the deceased was active or retired military, you can contact the Veterans Administration to determine if they offer any death benefits or service options.
Information Funeral Directors Will Need
Once you have met with one of our funeral directors, we will advise you on any information or paperwork we will need for the death certificate or to proceed with making final arrangements.
Required Information Includes:
- Decedent's full legal name and current address
- Social Security Number
- Father's legal name and Mother's legal and maiden name
- Date and city of birth
- Highest level of education
- Occupation and employer
- Marital status
- Name of spouse
- Informant (person handling arrangements)
Documents Funeral Directors May Need
We may need some important documents to complete any legal paperwork. These documents typically include:
- Beneficiary designations
- Life insurance policies
- Military discharge papers (form DD 214)
Taking Care Of Personal Property
Following the death of your loved one, there are few things you need to attend to involving the deceased’s personal life. First, secure your loved one’s property. Make sure their home and vehicle are properly secure. If your loved one has a pet, make the necessary arrangements for the pet to be taken care of by family or friends. Any mail that comes to your loved one should be forwarded to a family member that plans to handle the deceased’s estate. Any mail that piles up at a vacant home only alarms potential intruders that a home is empty. Make sure to contact the deceased’s place of employment and inform them of the passing. If your loved one had any upcoming appointments, make contact to notify them about the passing and to cancel the appointment.
