When a death occurs in your family and you need our assistance:
Call us at 1-800-937-1728. We are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to assist you with the details and offer our guidance. We will gather information to be able to transfer your loved one to our care.
Bearing the responsibility of making funeral arrangements can be overwhelming. Remember that you are not alone. In fact, one of the first and most important things you can do is call us.
What happens next?
The information below is to make you aware of how the process works, our team will guide you through this process.
*If the death occurs in a residence and the person is not under hospice care, the police will need to be notified and respond to the residence. The police will notify the county death investigator (who responds for the medical examiner) and their office will contact the funeral home for you.
*If the death occurs when a loved one is in the care of a hospice program, a hospice representative will give family members instructions and procedures to follow. The medical examiner will be notified by the hospice personnel, and then hospice will contact our funeral home.
*If the death occurs in a care facility, such as a hospital or nursing home, the professional staff will notify you (the family). If the name of the funeral home has been left with the facility, they will notify the funeral home at the time of death, also. The funeral home will respond when given permission by the family and the facility. Once the funeral home has been notified, the funeral director will contact you to help you proceed.
*When death occurs away from home please call us. It is usually not necessary for you to contact an out-of-state funeral home. We can do this for you. We can make the arrangements necessary to transport the deceased to the out-of-state funeral home for embalming, preparation, and return to Minnesota. We will need some basic information from you, and we will ask you to call us upon your arrival to Minnesota to set a time for an arrangement conference.
*In any case, when a death occurs and you are not sure who to notify or what to do, please call us and we will assist you in notifying the proper authorities.
Information we need you to provide to us
- Full name of the deceased?
- Location of the deceased (hospital, nursing home facility, residence, etc.)?
- Your name, address and telephone number?
- The name, address and telephone number of the next-of-kin?
- Is there a pre-arranged funeral plan? (We will also check our files)
- Is there a church and/or clergy we can call for you?
- The type of service you are thinking of having (traditional, cremation, or traditional with cremation following)?
- Would you like a notice on the local radio stations or in the local newspaper?
**While you may ask our funeral director any questions at the time of the initial call, you will be able to discuss the arrangements in detail when we meet in person. We will set an appointment for you to come to the funeral home to complete the details of the funeral arrangement.
When you visit us for the funeral arrangements
When you visit us for the funeral arrangements, the funeral director will guide you through the entire arrangement process, provide you with price lists, and explain how you can create a memorable celebration of your loved one’s life.
The arrangement process may include:
- Preparing information needed to file the death certificate
- Scheduling the location, date, and time of visitation/gathering and services
- Selecting hymns, musicians, casket bearers, flowers, and memorial folders for the service
- Selecting a casket, urn, or other items
- Preparing information that will allow us to write an obituary
Feel free to bring any photos, music, or memorabilia so that you and our funeral arranger can discuss how you would like your loved one to be remembered. More and more families today choose to personalize the funeral services they plan for their loved ones. A favorite song, favorite gathering place, or even a favorite activity can all become part of the service.
The following are some items we will ask you to bring to the appointment that will be necessary to complete the arrangement:
- Clothing for the deceased
- Recent photograph(s) of the deceased
- Veteran’s discharge papers (if applicable)
- Pre-arrangement paperwork (if applicable)
- Cemetery lot information (if applicable)
- Information that we need to complete the death certificate:
- Social Security number of the deceased
- The deceased’s birth date and birth place
- The deceased’s parents’ names, including mother’s maiden name
- Information about the deceased’s education
- Marital status of the deceased
Our funeral directors will listen and assist you in planning a loving tribute that captures the spirit of the person whose life you wish to honor.
Hantge Funeral Chapels 1-800-937-1728 answered 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.