What Does a Funeral Home Do?

The death of a loved one can be difficult – especially if you’re the one tasked with making funeral arrangements. If you’ve never been responsible for planning a service, you may be wondering where to start and what decisions need to be made. This is where your funeral home comes in. Mountain View Funeral Home can assist with many of the important decisions and essential duties of planning your loved one’s ceremony and final resting place.

Immediately After Death

A family member is encouraged to contact their funeral home of choice as soon as possible after their loved one’s passing. Hospital staff and law enforcement can recommend local funeral homes they respect if the family has not decided on one. As the death of someone can leave family in shock or at a loss of what is going on, a nurse or officer may offer or be requested to contact the funeral home on behalf of the family. Once contacted, the funeral home will send a funeral director or other representative to transport your loved one into their care.

The Arrangement Conference

After contacting your funeral home, they will schedule an in-person consultation to coordinate the legal aspects of a death. Family members are advised to bring a recent photo of their loved one for the obituary, family records such as birth certificates or marriage licenses, social security card, military discharge papers, along with clothing and personal items for the deceased.

Unfortunately, there can be a great deal of legal paperwork required after a loved one’s passing. Your funeral home is there to help ease the burden. They will help you fill out necessary paperwork for government entities, help compose an obituary and send it to newspapers, and request certified copies of the death certificate for insurance purposes. You will also begin to discuss your loved one’s final arrangements – including burial or cremation, tributes and funeral services.

Other Considerations

Mountain View Funeral Home deals with practical, legal and social issues. We are there to help throughout the entire process, and can assist with pre-planning options so there are no questions about your last wishes.

• Filing paperwork and requesting forms
• Answering questions about Veterans’ Affairs, social security and insurance
• Arranging for cremation or burial
• Helping family members work within a budget and work with insurance companies
• Providing caskets, register books, funeral programs and other memorial products
• Helping families design a moving, personalized service
• Contacting and scheduling clergy or other officiants, musicians, and speakers
• Receiving flower arrangements and arranging tributes
• Directing activities and ensuring a smooth process from the visitation to services, processions, and interment

While every funeral home is different, our goals are the same. We help guide family members and friends during a difficult time of transition, and ensure that your loved one’s life is celebrated with dignity and respect. At Mountain View Funeral Home & Cemetery, our friendly and understanding staff is here to assist you every step of the way. Contact us online or at 480-832-2850 for pre-planning options or to discuss arrangements for a loved one.