What To Do You Are In Charge Of Funeral Planning
If you have just received news that you have a loved one that has passed away and you are in charge of the funeral planning, you will want to get started right away. There is a lot to do and you want to make sure that you are not missing any important steps. To help you with this, you will want to read through the following:
Make The Phone Calls
There is something called the "first calls". These are phone calls to the people who should know right away about the passing of your loved one. This includes the next of kin, such as their adult children, siblings, parents, grandparents, their pastor or priest, and then the funeral home of your choosing. You can ask some of the family that you have just notified if they could help spread the word of your loved one's passing, as you have a lot on your plate because of the funeral planning. You could also go to social media and make an announcement there. Just make sure that you specify whether the funeral is open to the public or not. You will also need to call about transportation of the deceased from where they passed to the funeral home of your choosing. The coroner, hospital, or even the funeral home can give you the correct number to call.
Plan The Service With The Funeral Home Director
Now it is time to start planning the viewing and the formal service. Check to see if the deceased had any pre-arrangements made with the funeral home or if there was a last will and testament that included information on how they would like their service to go. If there is nothing to be found, it is up to you to decide when to hold the viewing, how many days the viewing should be, or even if there should be a viewing at all. In some cases, there may not be a lot of family or friends around or the deceased may have expressed that they did not want a viewing. You will also discuss if a religious service is needed and if so, which religion the deceased was a part of.
Make sure that you take a deep breath and that you are taking it one step at a time. There is a lot to do, but there are people who can help. Ask the funeral home director if they have any advice or suggestions on funeral planning for you.
