The first meeting with your funeral director is called an Arrangement Conference, and there are certain pieces of information and paperwork that you should have in hand before the meeting at the mortuary. The last thing you want to do at this time is feel stress about preparing for this meeting, so we would like to offer a few short checklists to assist in your planning.
Paperwork to bring for the deceased:
- Birth Certificate, if available. If not, you will need the full names of the decedent’s parents and place of birth
- Marriage Certificate
- U.S. Armed Forces Honorable Discharge papers (if applicable)
- Revocable Living Trust
- Power of Attorney for health care
- Information about cemetery properties, such as deeds
- Any pre-arrangement documents
Along with the formal paperwork, there are some pieces of information that are helpful in planning the mortuary service:
- Ancestry
- Educational level
- Recent photograph
- List of pallbearers (if desired)
- Names and place of residence for surviving close relatives
- Name of individual who will provide the memorial, service or Mass
- Music details: individual who will play or sing as well as list of hymns and songs at the mortuary
Making Decisions
Once you have the needed information in hand, consider who you would like to attend the meeting with you. This can often be a family member or a very close friend, someone who can help provide moral support or a second opinion. Having all of the decision makers – especially the individual who is legally responsible for service arrangements – available for this first meeting will allow you to get through the meeting as quickly as possible while making the decisions that you need. If an executor has not been designated via a Last Will and Testament, then decisions can be made by these individuals (in order):
- Spouse or adult partner living in the home
- Adult child
- Parent
- Legal Guardian
- Adult grandchild
- Adult brother or sister
- Adult niece or nephew
- Adult “next of kin”
Keep in mind that even though they are not legally responsible for the decisions, including older or adult children and other family members in the decision-making process can provide you with invaluable input while allowing them to begin to come to terms with the loss.
If you have any questions at any time during this process, do not hesitate to contact us. Our caring staff at Mountain View Funeral Home is here to help you during this difficult time.
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Categories: Blog, Funeral, Information
Tags: Mortician, Mortuary, Mortuary Services