When Death Occurs

Losing a loved one is never easy. Knowing the first steps to take can help reduce uncertainty in a difficult time. The process may vary depending on where the passing occurs — at home, in a care facility, or away from home. Acting quickly and following the right steps ensures your loved one is cared for with dignity.


Our team is here to guide you through each step with compassion. We honor cultural and religious customs, respect personal wishes, and listen when you need to talk. Our goal is to ease the burden so you can focus on honoring your loved one’s life.

When a Death Occurs at Home

If the death is unexpected, call local authorities or emergency services right away. Let them know about any advance directives or Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) orders. Medical professionals will confirm the passing and involve the coroner or medical examiner.


If hospice or end-of-life care was in place, notify the agency, they can help guide the process. Then, contact us to arrange transportation. Until help arrives, do not move the deceased or change anything in the home.

When a Death Occurs in a Hospital or Care Facility

Hospital or care facility staff will contact the attending physician to confirm the death and prepare necessary paperwork. Once this is complete, you may call our funeral home to arrange transportation and services. If prearrangements exist, share them with staff so your loved one’s wishes are honored. Follow up with our funeral home to begin making arrangements for your loved one.

When a Death Occurs Away From Home

If the death happens away from home, first contact local authorities or emergency services where the death occurred. They will confirm the passing and connect with local medical professionals or the coroner.


Next, reach out to our funeral home for guidance. We can arrange transportation back home and manage the details. For deaths outside the U.S., the local embassy or consulate can assist with documentation and repatriation.


Throughout the process, rely on experienced professionals to handle each step with care and respect, giving you space to grieve and remember your loved one.

Contact the Proper Authorities

Before any arrangements and decisions can be made, a legal pronouncement of death must be declared. If your loved one dies inside a medical or nursing facility, like a hospital or nursing home, the staff will handle getting this declaration made. If your loved one dies at home, you need to immediately contact the local emergency officials to come and take them to a hospital where they can be legally declared dead. Family members who die under hospice care can be declared dead by the hospice staff. This legal declaration must be made before the family can proceed with making any funeral arrangements or handling any legal affairs.

Begin to Make Arrangements

Once your loved one has been declared dead, you and your family can proceed with making any type of funeral arrangements. Your loved one may have pre-planned any type of services, and you and your family should first look into those choices. If your loved one has not made any previous type of arrangements, and you have decided on which funeral home you would like to use for the services, you will contact them and meet with the funeral director, and begin discussing options.


During this time, if the deceased hasn’t made their final wishes known, the family will need to decide if they will bury or cremate the body, and what type of service should be held. These decisions include the time, date, and location of any service; what type of casket or urn your loved one needs; drafting an obituary notice; deciding on pallbearers; and making any decisions about the specifics of the service, like who the minister will be, what music will be played, and who will speak.


As part of the process to begin making the funeral arrangements, if the deceased was active or retired military, contact the Veterans Administration to determine if they offer any death benefits or service options.

Information the Funeral Home May Need

Once you have met the funeral director, they will advise you on any information or paperwork they need for the death certificate or to proceed with making final arrangements.


Information Required:

  • Full name and address
  • Marital status
  • Race/Ethnicity
  • Date and city of birth
  • Highest level of education
  • Father’s name, mother’s maiden name
  • Name of spouse
  • Occupation and employer

Documents Funereal Directors May Need

Funeral directors will need important documents to complete any legal paperwork. These documents include:

  • Account statements
  • Beneficiary designations
  • Life insurance policies
  • Military Discharge papers (form DD 214)
  • Social Security Number

Taking Care of Personal Property

Following the death of your loved one, there are a few things you need to attend to involving the deceased’s personal life. First, secure your loved one’s property. Make sure their home and vehicle are properly secured.


If your loved one has a pet, make the necessary arrangements for the pet to be taken care of by family or friends. Any mail that comes to your loved one should be forwarded to a family member who plans to handle the deceased’s estate. Any mail that piles up at a vacant home only alarms potential intruders that a home is empty.


Make sure to contact the deceased’s boss and inform them of the death. If your loved one had any upcoming appointments, make contact to notify them about the death and to cancel the appointment.