When a Death Occurs
We encourage you to contact us as soon as possible, and we will guide you through the process.
At Home or at Work
When a death occurs at home or in the workplace, a family member or co-worker should contact emergency personnel (local sheriff or police department). Next you should notify the funeral home at 715-623-5202, and we will take the necessary immediate steps.
If the death occurs in a residence under the care of hospice, the family may notify the hospice organization first. After hospice has been notified, please call the funeral home.
If you are not sure of who to notify or what to do, you may call 715-623-5202, and we will assist you in notifying the proper agencies.
In a Care Facility
When a death occurs in a care facility, such as a hospital, nursing home, or hospice facility, the professional staff will notify you and any necessary authorities. The immediate family should at this time call the funeral home, or request that the care facility call the funeral home. If we are contacted by the facility, our funeral director will respond immediately.
Phone Contact
When we are notified of a death, we will talk to the next of kin to gather basic information needed to transport your loved one to the funeral home. While you may ask the director any questions at this time, you will be able to discuss the arrangements in detail later when you meet in person.
The funeral director may ask you several questions, including whether your loved one made any pre-arrangements. The director will also schedule a date and time for you to meet at the funeral home and will let you know what you should bring with you.
Immediately after a death, you may also wish to call supportive family members and friends, and your clergy for spiritual guidance.
What to Expect When You Arrive at the Funeral Home
Our funeral directors will guide you through the entire arrangement process, asking questions about your wishes, offering suggestions, and gathering information that we will use to plan the services that you want for your loved one. We want to hear your ideas and desires, and we'll use them as the foundation for the entire process.
Some of the details covered during funeral arrangements may include:
- Preparing the official death certificate
- Scheduling the location, date and time of services or events
- Selecting a casket, urn or other items
- Preparing an obituary notice
- Selecting pallbearers
- You may also sign necessary authorizations or make arrangements to have them signed by the appropriate family members.
You can also bring any photos, a favorite song, or important items that you would like to use during the service, if you wish. Having these things, and knowing a favorite song, verse, favorite gathering place – even their favorite activity – will help us create a truly fitting memorial service.
Our funeral directors will assist you in planning a loving tribute that captures the spirit of the person whose life you wish to honor. To learn more about personalizing the service, please read the Honoring Life section of this Web site. We will discuss personalization with you during your arrangement conference.
The following checklist will help you remember what information and items will be needed when meeting with a funeral director.
- Full legal name- Home address
- Social Security number
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Father's name
- Mother's maiden name
- Veteran's discharge papers (DD-214)
- Recent Photograph
- Educational background
- Occupation
- Place of burial
- Clothing
- Clergy name and phone number
- Survivors (name and relationship)
- Insurance policies (if applicable)