What Should I Bring to the Funeral Home?

By: Matthew Funeral Home
Friday, March 8, 2019


When making arrangements for a loved one who has recently passed away, the whole process may seem overwhelming. We are here to help, with both your loved one’s service, as well as with the grief of loss. The first steps towards preparing a service for your loved one is to bring these important items with you when you come to the funeral home.

Clothing

Please bring the clothing that you want your loved one to wear for the service or cremation. This includes any undergarments, shoes, glasses, and jewelry. Traditionally, these clothes are a suit and tie for men, and a dress or gown for women. Your loved one may have left instructions on what they wanted to wear specifically. If that is the case, bring the requested clothing. Religious attire, work uniforms, and more may also be appropriate, depending on the requests of your loved one. 

Personal Information

Personal information of the deceased is required for both the paperwork as well as the obituary, if desired. The more information we are given, the better. Social Security number, date of birth, wedding date, parents’ full names and birthplaces, schools, employers, legal address, physician’s name, names of surviving relatives, and military service details (if applicable), can all be helpful in creating a proper and full obituary. A photograph for the obituary should also be included. The obituary can be posted online, as well as in the local newspaper(s); to the wishes of the family. An obituary is not mandatory, but most families want one, as it is a beautiful testament to the life of their loved one.

Important Forms and Paperwork

Certain paperwork is required by the state. Please bring copies of life insurance forms, cemetery paperwork, funeral prearrangement forms, or funeral wishes made during estate planning. If your loved one was in the military, you should also bring a copy of their discharge papers.

Photos for Our Video Tribute

As part of our services, Matthew Funeral Home offers families a personalized video tribute. This tribute includes photos of your loved one along with a selection of music. The tribute can be running silently on a screen in the viewing room, and in addition to any eulogy or religious ceremonies, the tribute can be played with sound for your loved one’s family and friends. Our tribute videos generally include 30 photos plus a portrait of your loved one. The tribute is a video slideshow that comes on a keepsake DVD for you and your family to take home afterwards It is a beautiful celebration of their life.

For almost 50 years, Matthew Funeral Home has been serving the Staten Island community. We can help with almost every aspect of your loved one’s memorial service. Our family is here to serve yours, every step of the way.
 

Leave a comment
Name*:
Email:
Comment*:
Please enter the numbers and letters you see in the image. Note that the case of the letters entered matters.

Comments

Please wait

Previous Posts

How Does Cremation Work?

Most people understand that cremation is a process by which the remains of the deceased are burned and converted to ashes. But there are many steps to the process in order to ensure that everything...

What To Do When a Loved One Passes

When a loved one passes, there is going to be a lot of pain and grief. Loved ones will need to be contacted and brought together. But there are also a few practical steps that need to be taken, as ...

Combating Senior Loneliness After the Loss of a Spouse

After the loss of an elderly loved one, their spouse can feel incredibly lonely. After spending a long time with a partner, losing a spouse can be difficult. For many, this is a time of learning to...

Why You Should Consider Cremation

Cremation is a topic that many people may find uncomfortable or difficult to discuss. For a long time, it was not accepted by many major religions, most notably Catholicism. However, it is an impor...

Leaving Your Digital Assets Behind in 2023

The internet has evolved in many ways since the advent of the smartphone. And more people use social media and other websites to express themselves daily. Many elderly individuals have learned how ...

Essential Coping Tools When Dealing With Loss

After the loss of a loved one, you may feel like your whole life is turned upside down. And after dealing with funeral arrangements and families coming in from out of town, it can be hard to pick u...

Supporting a Bereaved Coworker

When a coworker has a death in the family, it can be important to support them during their difficult time. There is no clear-cut or easy way to help someone who is grieving. But lending a supporti...

Processing Anger in Grief

Anger is the second stage of grief, and it is often one of the hardest to deal with. Anger can be a raw emotion, and it is easy to be overwhelmed during your grief. This article will discuss how an...

What Does My Religion Say About Cremation?

Cremation is rapidly becoming more and more popular in America, with a projected over 54% of Americans opting to cremate in 2020. If you or a loved one are considering choosing cremation for your e...

Reasons You May Want to Contest A Will

After your loved one passes, their Will will be presented, if they have one. It is possible that you have some issues with how your loved one has divided their estate. Generally, an individual shou...