When planning a funeral, try not to do everything yourself. Call on a family member or friend to help you make the following arrangements.

NOTIFY:
* Doctor
*Coroner
*Funeral Home (We will help coordinate arrangements with cemetery or memorial park. We will prepare the Social Security Form and see that the number is retired. We will assist in determining the number of death certificates that you will need. (These may be picked up at the Jefferson County Courthouse after filing, if death occured in Jefferson County.)
*Clergy
*Organists/Soloists
*Relatives & Friends
*Pallbearers
*Banks
*Insurance Agents
*Unions and Fraternal Organizations

ITEMS TO SELECT:
*Cemetery Property
*Funeral Service, Casket, Vault or outer container, Thank You Announcements, Time & Place for Visitation & Funeral (This will all be discussed by your funeral director at the conference)
*Clothing
*Flowers (this information in available on our website under Shops)
*Music
*Transportation

PROVIDE VITAL STATISTICS INFORMATION ABOUT THE DECEASED: (This information will be recorded at the funeral home during the conference, if it is not already filled out. Some of this same information may be used by the funeral home to write the obituary that will appear in the paper. 

*Birthdate
*Birthplace
*Father's Name
*Mother's Name
*Social Security Number
*Veteran's Discharge or Claim Number (DD214)
*Education
*Marital Status

OBITUARY INFORMATION FOR NEWSPAPER (Some newspapers now require a biographical obituary to be a Paid Obituary. )
*Age
*Place of Birth
(*Cause of Death)
*Occupation
*College Degrees/year graduated from college or high school
*Memberships held
*Military Service...medals, accommodations, campaigns, special service, etc.
*Outstanding work or achievements
*List of survivors in immediate family
*List of those preceding the deceased in death
*Time and place of services/visitation/burial
*Charities for Memorial Contributions or appropriate memorial recipients (ie: church, hospice, etc)

ADDITIONAL THINGS YOU WILL WANT TO DO:
*Addresses/phone numbers of people who must be notified...and/or, is there another newspaper in which the obituary must be placed?
*Arrangements for out-of-town visitors (this information is available on this website under Links)
*Enlist someone to answer sympathetic phone calls, cards and letters, as well as greet friends and relatives when they call.
*Locate the will and notify lawyer and executor.
*Check carefully all life and casualty insurance and death benefits including social security, credit union, fraternal and military.
*Check promptly on all debts and install payments, including credit cards. (Some carry insurance clauses that cancel balances upon death)
*Notify utilities and landlord and tell post office where to send mail (if deceased was living alone)
Death Certificates are available at the Jefferson County Courthouse for $15 each, if the death occurred in jefferson county or not, death certificates can be pickup in Jefferson County courthouse.