50 Things That Must Be Done: On The Most Difficult Day Of Your Life.
By William E. King
When a death occurs many emotions will surface making even simple decisions very complicated. Below is a list of many items that need to be addressed. Pre-planning can have answers on file and at your family’s fingertips when needed.
NOTIFY:
1. The doctor, medical examiner, or hospice
2. The funeral home
3. The cemetery or memorial park
4. The minister and church
5. All the relatives
6. All the friends
7.
Employers of those who will
miss work
8. Organist, singer, or other musician
9. Pallbearers
10. Insurance agents
11. Unions and fraternal organizations
12. Newspapers
SELECT:
13. A cemetery and cemetery lot
14. Casket or cremation urn
15. Vault or outer burial container
16. Clothing for deceased
17. Funeral arrangement time
18. Place of service
19. Time of service
20. Flowers
21. Music
22. Register book
23. Acknowledgement cards
24. Pictures or mementos to be displayed
25. Transportation
IN ADDITION TO:
26. Providing vital statistics and obituary information
27. Preparing and signing necessary papers
28. Compiling addresses for all interested parties who must be notified
29. Meeting with family about details
AS WELL AS:
30. Answering sympathetic phone calls and messages
31. Greeting friends and relatives who visit
32. Providing or securing lodging for out-of-town guests
33. Cleaning and preparing home for guests
34. Hiring caterer or finding location for funeral meal
AND YOU MUST PAY SOME OR
ALL OF THE FOLLOWING:
35. Doctor fees
36. Nurse fees
37. Hospital fees
38. Medicine and medical equipment costs
39. Funeral costs
40. Cemetery lot charge
41. Interment charge
42. Minister honorarium
43. Organist, singer, or other musician honorarium
44. Florist charges
45. Clothing/dry cleaning costs
46. Transportation/airline costs
47. Crematory fees
48. Food/catering costs
49. Grave marker and engraving
50. Attorney fees for estate
Your local funeral director can assist you in making the decisions you want and making them known to the family at the time of need. This will save the family from guessing what kind of arrangements you would have chosen. The whole family will appreciate any pre-planning.
Testimonials:
“When my husband passed away, we had his services at Spicer Mullikin Funeral Home. In the midst of our grief, we found the people at the funeral home to be considerate and thoughtful of our feelings. They went out of their way to make sure everything we wanted done was accomplished and even had things available for our family that we had not even considered, never having had to make these decisions before. Afterward, I felt planning my own funeral in advance would be “a gift” I could give my family to make, hopefully, my passing a little easier for them. Spicer Mullikin was there with helpful suggestions and I found the whole process quite rewarding and I am confident that my wishes will be carried out.” ~ Pat H.
“After both my husband and my mother had died, I realized that there was no one left to carry out my wishes regarding my own funeral arrangements when the time came. It seemed to me to be the practical thing to do along with creating a will and writing an advanced health care directive. Bill guided me through the process step by step, asking me the kinds of questions that I would not have thought of on my own. I have been asked if making pre-arrangements for my own funeral was morbid; it was most decidedly not. It has given me peace of mind, knowing that my wishes will be followed and that no one has to guess at what I wanted. Over the years as the circumstances of my life have changed, I have updated the arrangements. Being able to do that, too, has been comforting and left me worry-free.” ~ Tanya L.
William E. King is a funeral director at Spicer-Mullikin Funeral Homes. Bill is the Advanced Planning Manager and has 20 years of experience in the funeral industry. He received a BA from Loyola College Baltimore and later a Mortuary Science degree from the Community College of Baltimore County, Catonsville.
