Who to Call First
Whether you received a 2 a.m. phone call with news of an unexpected death or shared your loved one's final moments of a long illness, your initial reaction to the death was likely shock. It doesn't seem to matter how prepared we are — or aren't — a loved one's death often leaves us feeling numb and bewildered. If you're responsible for making the funeral arrangements or executing the will, shock and grief can be immobilizing. Even simple decisions can be overwhelming.
Making the first phone calls
What to do first depends on the circumstances of the death. When someone dies in a hospital or similar care facility, the staff will usually take care of some arrangements, such as contacting our funeral home. In Jackson County, if Hospice is involved, call the Hospice Nurse, if the nurse is not already at the home. The nurse must take care of a few things first, then she will contact our funeral home. If Hospice is not involved in Jackson County and the death did not occur in a hospital or similar care facility, then you should call 911. The Jackson County Coroner's office will then release the deceased to our funeral home.
You will need to notify family, friends and clergy. It may be easier on you to make a few phone calls to other relatives or friends and ask each of them to make a phone call or two to specific people, so the burden of spreading the news isn't all on you. If you are alone, ask someone to keep you company while you make these calls and try to cope with the first hours after the death.
Call Our Funeral Home
Whatever the circumstances of death, one of your first calls should be to a licensed funeral director. We are here to help you:
- Transport the body
- Obtain a death certificate
- Select a casket, urn and/or grave marker
- Arrange the funeral, memorial and/or burial service
- Prepare the obituary
- Help you notify the deceased's employer, attorney, insurance company and banks
- Offer grief support or direct you to other resources
Call the employer
If your loved one was working, we will need to call his or her employer. There might be benefits and any pay due, including vacation or sick time, disability income, etc. There also might be benefits that you or other dependents are still eligible for through the company.
Call the life insurance company
Look through the deceased's paperwork for the life policy. We will help you contact the company and get the information on how to file a claim. Usually the beneficiary (or the beneficiary's guardian, if a minor) must complete the claim forms and related paperwork, but we will take care of this for you.
For more information on what's involved with funeral planning click here or contact us.
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