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 to Choose a Good Funeral Home

When a loved one passes, or when pre-planning your own funeral, it is important to choose a funeral home that you are comfortable with. While dealing with the loss of a loved one, planning a funera...

Talking to Your Children About Cancer

    When a loved one is diagnosed with cancer, it can be hard for the whole family to process. But if you have young children, you may have to approach the news differently. The conc...

Why do People Look Different In the Casket?

When attending a funeral for a loved one, it is not uncommon for people to think that the body in the casket looks a bit different from their loved one. The reason for this is both real and psychol...

Tips for Grieving During the Holidays

The holiday season is here. For many, it is a light at the end of shorter days and cold, blistering nights. But when dealing with the loss of a loved one, the holidays can sting. Celebrating a holi...

Winter Safety for the Elderly

Winter is almost here, and with cold weather comes safety risks for elderly individuals. Between icy paths and freezing temperatures, it can be important to help your older loved ones stay safe in ...

Memorial Services for Veterans

As Veteran’s Day approaches, we wanted to share information on veteran memorial services and funerals. A big part of planning a funeral for veterans or servicemembers is the memorialization of thei...

Choosing a Casket for Your Loved One

Choosing a casket is an important part of the funeral process. Many families choose the casket after their loved one has passed, but some people choose their casket ahead of time. This article will...

Grief and Tragic Backstories in Media

From superheroes to romantic comedies, many movies and TV shows rely on tragedy to help us connect or sympathize with characters. Grief of some form, or a tragic past leads a character on a path. E...

Alcohol Use and Coping with Grief

While in grief, many people turn to things that can comfort or distract them. It is not uncommon for some people to reach for alcohol in this way. For many people, alcohol can serve as a way to avo...

Apathy and Grief

On this blog, we often talk about how grief is a complicated emotion, and how everyone experiences it differently. However, we don’t often talk about grief and apathy. Apathy is a state of numbness...