• Notify Proper Authorities
• During the First Hour
• First Call to the Funeral Home
• The Arrangement Conference
• What You Can Do in Advance of the Conference
• Our Role as Your Funeral Director
• Helpful Checklist for Before the Funeral
• Helpful Checklist for After the Funeral

When death occurs at a hospital or nursing home, the staff will notify the necessary authorities.

If in the care of a Hospice Program, a hospice member may instruct family members on procedures to follow.

In other situations, a family member or a person with the deceased should contact emergency personnel.

Pasadena Police Department  713-477-1221

Deer Park Police Department 281-479-1511

LaPorte Police Department 281-471-3810

Seabrook Police Department  281-291-5610

Houston Police Department 713-884-3131

.  Locate the name and phone number of the physician for the deceased

.  Gather all prescribed medications of the deceased

.  Select a funeral home you will entrust with the care of your loved one and call them.  Funeral Directors are experienced professionals who can provide information and guidance.

.  Call or contact other family members and friends.

.  Call clergy or other spiritual advisors.

At the time of this call, the Funeral Director will gather information in order to be able to arrange for transportation of your loved one into our care.

The Funeral Director will schedule a meeting location and time with you to make the funeral arrangements.

A funeral is an emotional family event.  It is the customary way to recognize death and its finality.  Funerals are recognized rituals for the living to show respect for the deceased and to help survivors begin the healing process. 

That’s why it’s important to choose an experienced and reliable funeral director, who understands the unique needs of your family. Our caring and professionally trained staff will guide you through the many decisions and choices, to ensure your loved one’s funeral is a fitting reflection of their life

At Fairmont Funeral Home, we recognize that people generally make funeral arrangements only two or three times in their life. 

That’s why we’ve developed this overview of what to expect when making funeral arrangements with us.

There are a number of things you can do to prepare for this meeting, such as:

• Decide whether the funeral will be a burial or cremation;
• Decide on and gather together the clothing you may wish the deceased to wear;
• Give some thought to the wording of the personal notices you may wish to place in the newspaper. 

Additionally, the following information will be needed at the meeting: 

Full legal name

Home address

Date and Place of Birth

Social Security Number

Father's name

Mother's maiden name

Occupation

Highest education

Veteran Discharge papers - DD-214

Clothing

Clergy's name and number

Family members name and relationship

Burial Plot information ( if needed)

Recent photograph

Insurance policies

An important and traditional part of a funeral director’s role is to assist with the practical aspects of a funeral, such as care of the deceased, and coordinating when and where the funeral will be held.

These days, families are increasingly seeking guidance and advice on the celebratory aspects of a funeral, such as the style and content of the service, the choice of music, and other touches that reflect the life of the deceased.

At Fairmont Funeral Home, we consider our staff to be funeral planners, in much the same way that a wedding planner coordinates and oversees all aspects of a wedding.

Our objective is to be your caring and trusted adviser, and to play a central, but unobtrusive role in planning what could be an important family event.

In our experience most families have a number of people and organizations that they will be required to contact at the time of a death. You may find this a helpful guide to assist you at this time.

Immediate Contacts to Make:

1. Contact your clergy. Decide on time and place of funeral or memorial service. This can be done at the funeral home.

2. Make a list of immediate family, close friends and employer or business colleagues. Notify each by phone.

3. Decide on appropriate memorial to which gifts may be made (church, hospice, library, charity or school).

4. Gather obituary information, including age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, college degrees, memberships held, military service , outstanding work , list of survivors in immediate family. give time and place of services. The funeral home will normally write article and submit to newspapers (newspaper will accept picture and they will be returned intact).

5. Arrange for members of family or close friends to take turns answering door or phone, keeping careful record of calls.

 6. If Social Security checks are automatic deposit, notify the bank of the death.

7. Coordinate the supplying of food for the next several days.

 
8. Consider special need of the household, such as cleaning , etc., which might be done by friends.

9. Arrange for child care, if necessary.

10. Arrange hospitality for visiting relatives and friends.

11. Select pallbearers and notify the funeral home.

12. Plan for disposition of flowers after funeral (church, hospital or rest home)

13. Prepare list of distant persons to be notified by letter and/or printed notice, and decide which to send to each.

14. Prepare list of persons to receive acknowledgments of flowers, calls, etc. Send appropriate acknowledgments (can be written note, printed acknowledgments, or some of each). Include "thank you's" to those who have given their time as well.

15. Notify insurance companies.

16. Locate the will and notify lawyer and executor.

1.  Send acknowledgement Cards for Flowers, Memorial Donations, Food, Spiritual Remembrances

2. Transfer of Real Estate Properties.  

3. Notify Insurance Companies and File Claims
Life Insurance,  Medical, Health, Disability, Travel & Accident,  Retirement Benefits & Annuities,  Homeowners  Car Insurance and Change Survivors Beneficiary

4. Apply for Appropriate Benefits
 Social Security Survivors Benefits
 Veterans Burial & Survivors Benefits
 Pension Benefits (Contact spouse's place of employment }
 Workmen's Compensation Benefits
 Civil Service
 Railroad Retirement

5. Notify Stockbroker
 Change Ownership of Joint or Solely Owned Stocks
 IRA and Retirement Accounts
 Transfer Bonds
 Mutual or other Funds

6. Notify Bank
 Change all jointly held Accounts
 Cancel Direct Deposit Benefits Payment
 Re-establish Safe Deposit Box
 Re-establish all outstanding Mortgages, Personal Notes,  etc. 

 Apply for Credit Life Insurance which may exist on Loans, Credit Card & Mortgages
 

7.  Notify Department of Motor Vehicles

Transfer Titles of all Registered Vehicles

Cancel Driver's License

Cancel Voter Registration

8.  Notify all Credit Card Account Companies

Apply for Credit Life Insurance

Cancel all individually held Credit Card Accounts of the Deceased

Change all jointly held Accounts

9.  Notify Attorney/ Accountant/ Tax Consultant especially if your will must be probated or changed.

10.  Utility Companies