In Case of Death
What should one do when a death occurs?
Arrangements for services of the deceased generally can be made by a spouse, next of kin or legal representative.
The normal sequence of events for handling a death is as follows:
Death must be pronounced by a coroner, medical examiner or attending physician.
Contact funeral director.
Contact relatives.
Locate deceased's letter of direction, prepaid funeral contract, insurance policy and will.
When a death occurs out of state or out of country, it is advisable that you immediately contact a funeral director in your local area who will know the requirements that must be met, as well as help prevent duplication of service costs.
Prior to making funeral arrangements, you will need to bring the following:
Full name of deceased
Occupation
Date of birth
Place of birth
Social Security number
Residence address
Spouse's maiden name
Father's name, mother's maiden name
Place of burial or disposition
Discharge papers, if veteran
Items of clothing (including undergarments) to be used in dressing the deceased
Insurance policies
List of relatives as you would like for their names to appear in newspaper notices
Photograph of deceased for newspaper notices