With so many options available, planning a funeral can lead you to make some very difficult choices. The following information outlines the funeral process, in order to present these planning options more clearly.

First Call: At the time of death, it is important to call the funeral home as soon as possible. We are here for you 24 hours a day, every day of the year. Once the funeral home has been notified, we can send someone to the place of death immediately, whether it be at your home, a hospital, nursing home, etc. We will then transfer the deceased back to the funeral home.

Preparation: Depending on the type of service you have, embalming may not be necessary. The process of embalming is not required by law in New York State. However, if you choose to have an open casket visitation or some type of public viewing, it is our funeral home policy that the decedent be embalmed.

Arrangements: Funeral arrangements should be made as soon as it is convenient for the family. At the arrangement conference, you will have to answer certain statistical and biographical questions regarding the deceased. This is also the time when certain merchandise is selected, such as the casket, vault, urn, prayer cards, acknowledgement cards, etc. You may bring a recent picture of the deceased, as well as his/her clothing with you. After you have finished making arrangements, the funeral director then begins the process of calling the appropriate clergy, cemetery, or crematory contacts, writes the obituary, contacts the decedent’s attending physician to have the death certificate signed, files the death certificate, sets up and confirms date and time for music/hymns, military honors, fraternal services, to name just a few. We will take care of everything for you, including notifying Social Security and filing for Veterans Benefits.

Calling Hours / Visitation: The tradition of viewing the deceased can be traced back to the beginning of time. You can choose to have calling hours at whatever time you prefer, and however many sessions you would like. Many people prefer the traditional one day of 2-4 & 7-9. However, more recently, others have opted to have one or two hours of visitation immediately preceding the funeral service.

The Funeral Service: Each of our funeral directors has had experience and has been educated in many different funeral traditions and customs. We can provide services to families of any faith, creed, religion, or non-religious background. You may choose to hold the funeral at your own place of worship, or you can have a service in the funeral home itself, conducted by the clergy person of your choice. Even if your loved one was not associated with any particular church, we can assist you with finding an appropriate clergyman.

Final Disposition: You may plan to have your loved one buried, cremated, entombed, or any other means of final disposition. We will arrange everything for you, from the opening of the grave to contacting a clergy person for a final commendation service.

Shipping: Families are sometimes faced with making service arrangements for someone who has died away from home. When a deceased loved one needs to be returned home, whether that may be anywhere in the United States or a foreign country, we have the experience necessary to make all contacts with the airlines, consulate/embassy offices, and the receiving funeral establishment.