When a loved one passes away, you will most likely be in a state of shock for quite some time. This will leave you feeling lost, confused, and not sure what to do or where to begin with making arrangements. Whether you are dealing with a funeral home or cemetery in Wheat Ridge, CO., there are some important items and documents you should try and have with you for the first meeting.
Of course, each individual home or cemetery may have different items they require. As a way to help you get started, we are listing general items that most funeral homes need when you meet with them.
Biographical Information
First, the funeral home will need all the biographical information for your loved one. This will include:
- Birth certificate
- Social security card
- Date of birth
- Legal address
- Spouse’s full name and maiden name (if applicable)
- Name of schools attended
- Name of employer
- Primary care physician name
- Names of surviving relatives such as siblings, grandchildren, children, etc.
- Marriage certificate (if applicable)
Paperwork and Documents
This list will vary depending on what your loved one had or didn’t have. A general list can include items such as:
- Life insurance policies
- Deeds to cemetery paperwork
- Any preplanned funeral paperwork
- Military papers (DD 214 Form)
Personal Items
Other than paperwork, you will need to gather some personal items for your loved one and bring these with you. These items include:
- Clothing to be buried in including undergarments, shirt (preferably long sleeves), shoes, socks, or hosiery
- Dentures (if applicable)
- Any jewelry
- A recent photograph that can be used as a reference for hair and makeup
- A photo to be used for the obituary
- Photos to be used in the memorial tribute video
Other Items to Bring
While you don’t have to bring these items right away, other items you will want to gather and have ready are things for the memorial tribute table. These can be things such as:
- Awards
- Framed photographs
- Crafts
- Ribbons
- Other memorabilia
- Tips to Make This Easier
This is a difficult time for you and having to deal with your grief and handle gathering all these items can be a daunting task. To help make it a little more manageable, here are some tips:
- Enlist help – Don’t be afraid or feel bad to ask for help. Enlist another family member or a close friend to help you keep track of what you need, find papers, make copies of documents, or whatever else you need. Your family member or friend would be glad to help you.
- Stay organized – Keeping track of so many documents and papers can be tough. Make sure to stay organized by having one binder or folder you can collect everything. With personal items such as clothing, having one box or basket for everything can help keep it all together and organized.
Final Thoughts
While this list consists of items you should take to the funeral home, meeting with a cemetery in Wheat Ridge, CO. may require you to have additional or different documents. The documents you need can also depend on if your loved one made any arrangements ahead of time concerning their funeral and/or burial.
