Where to Begin
Planning a funeral can be overwhelming, but you are not alone in this. We are here to support you throughout this journey and make this process one of love, healing, and life celebration. Below is some information to help you get started, but you can contact us at any time if you need help.
What To Do When A Death Occurs
Death in a hospital or nursing care center
When a death occurs at a hospital or nursing home, you should inform the medical staff that McLaughlin Funeral Home is the funeral home who will take charge of the funeral arrangements. Upon notification from you to proceed, we will then be in contact with the facility with regard to transferring your loved one to our Funeral Home.
Death at home
If a death occurs at home and under the care of Hospice, proceed with the instructions Hospice has put in place for you when this occurs. Call the Hospice nurse to come to your home to make the pronouncement of death. You or Hospice may then call us and we will make the necessary arrangements to transfer your loved one to the Funeral Home. If the death is anticipated but Hospice is not in place, call 911 and inform the police that a death has occurred at home. They will instruct you as to the appropriate steps to be taken.
Unanticipated Death
In these situations, immediately call 911. The police and emergency medical personnel will direct you in determining the appropriate steps to be taken. In many cases, the Medical Examiner is able to release the body directly into our care. However, in some instances, the body may need to be taken to the Medical Examiner's office so that a cause of death can be determined.
Death out of state
If a death occurs outside of New Jersey, call us at any hour as we are available 24 hours a day. We will coordinate with a local funeral director at the place of death to have your loved one transferred to New Jersey. Also, should a death occur here and you wish to transfer the deceased to another state for burial, call us and we will make all the necessary arrangements for you.
Please feel at ease to call us at any time before a death occurs, to help you prepare and answer any preliminary questions that you may have.
Within the First Few Days
You may want to notify close friends and relatives, both through personal phone calls and anobituary notice. If this process is too painful for you, perhaps consider asking a trusted family member or friend to help you.
If your loved one did not preplan their funeral, you may want to start thinking about a few of the choices you will need to make when you meet with us.
- Burial or cremation
- If burial (or entombment), the choice and location of the cemetery or mausoleum.
- Any religious services, such as church, clergy or spiritual leaders.
- The types of service you want, a viewing, memorial, or graveside service, as well as when you may want services to begin, such as day and time.
These questions are just a starting point and you may not know the answers right away. Do not hesitate to contact us to gain a better understanding of your options. We are here to make this process easier for you and we will fully discuss them during the arrangement conference.
What to Expect When We Meet
When you meet with a member of our staff to discuss funeral arrangements, we will first provide you with a general price list to give you a basic idea of what our services cost.
We will then gather information to gain an understanding of the person the services will honor. Use this time to communicate your ideas and preferences, share your loved one's life story, revisit memories, and highlight their accomplishments. Our professionals will use this information to guide you in the creation of a personalized, meaningful celebration of your loved one's life.
This process may include:
- Preparing and filing the official death certificate
- Scheduling the services and events, including the location, date, and time
- Selecting a casket, urn, or other products you may need
- Drafting an obituary
- Arranging necessary transportation
- Selecting pallbearers
We would like to make this process as smooth and stress free for you as possible, so please remember to bring the following information about the deceased with you as well:
- Full legal name and home address
- Social security number
- Date of birth
- Place of birth
- Father's name
- Mother's maiden name
- Veteran's discharge papers (DD-214), if applicable
- Highest education
- Occupation
- Information about the burial location if applicable
- Clergy name and phone number if applicable
- Names and relationships of survivors
- Insurance policy information if using to pay for funeral expenses
- Clothing and a recent photograph of the deceased.