Frequently Asked
"Bill and Gary, I wanted to let you know how grateful I am for the way you helped our family through the unexpected death of my father last week. While we grieved, it was a comfort to not have to worry about the things you all took care of for us. Thank you for your caring professionalism." - Sara, Estes Park
| Question #1 | What information should I bring with me to the Funeral Home following the death of a family member? |
| Answer: | In order to prepare for the funeral arrangement conference, we suggest that you put together the following information pertaining to the deceased: Age Date of Birth Social Security Number Type of occupation Name of mother (including maiden name) Name of father Number of years of education We will use this information for the death certificate. If you wish to prepare for the obituary we will also ask about such information as: Date and place of marriage Work history Hobbies Groups or organizations the person was involved in Family information such as name of sons, daughters, brothers and sisters and where they reside. |
| Question #2 | How will Allnutt Funeral Service help me to make the most meaningful tribute for our family and friends? |
| Answer: | We listen! We will work with your family during the funeral arrangement conference to suggest ideas that may help us create a meaningful tribute. |
| Question #3 | What can I do to personalize the service? |
| Answer: | We are all unique people. As people, no two funeral services should be alike. Personalizing a service should reflect on the uniqueness of that person. For example, if she or he were an artist then we may suggest bringing in drawings or sketches. If they were a fisherman, trophy fish and maybe their fishing rod. |
| Question #4 | What is the purpose of embalming? |
| Answer: | The purpose of embalming is to allow a visitation or viewing in a safe environment. Embalming sanitizes, disinfects and preserves the body to slow down the eventual process of decomposition. Embalming may also play a restorative role when a traumatic event may have occurred. Embalming also makes it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final disposition allowing enough time for the family members to travel to the funeral. |
| Question #5 | When death occurs, what should I do? |
| Answer: | Our funeral directors are available 24 hours seven days a week. When a death occurs call us and we will walk you through the steps that need to be taken. |
| Question #6 | How soon will someone respond to my call when a death occurs? |
| Answer: | We will call you as soon as we receive notification to let you now that we have been notified. Our pledge to you is to be at the place of death within 30 to 45 minutes, whether it is 3 am or 3 pm |
| Question #7 | If my family member dies out of town, state or country, can you still help? |
| Answer: | Of course we can. Being members of Selected Independent Funeral Homes allows us to be a part of a network of quality funeral homes through out our country, Canada, and the world who hold the same standards and ethics as we do. |
| Question #8 | If I want to pre-arrange my funeral do I have to prepay? |
| Answer: | No. Although there are many benefits to prepaying your funeral one of the most important things to do is to have your instructions written down and kept at the funeral home. This will provide valuable instruction to your family once death occurs. |
| Question #9 | I do not attend church now nor am I affiliated with a clergy. Can I still have a service? |
| Answer: | Yes. We have held many services in our chapel and other places that have not had a religious theme. There are many options to developing a service like this. |
| Question #10 | Do I need to purchase a casket for a cremation? |
| Answer: | It depends on the type of cremation arrangements you choose. If you choose a funeral service with a viewing, you may wish to purchase, or rent a viewing casket. If you choose Direct Cremation, a formal casket is not required, however a cardboard enclosure is suggested. |
| Question #11 | Can we have a viewing if we want cremation? |
| Answer: | Yes. Visitation helps in the grieving process by helping confirm the reality that a death has occurred. We encourage visitation as a final closure. |
| Question #12 | How many death certificates do I need? |
| Answer: | The answer to this question will depend on how involved or detailed the estate is. We usually recommend 4 to 8 death certificates however you may need more or less based on the number of insurance policies, bank accounts, investments, real estate etc. |
| Question #13 | My mother is going to be cremated. How will I know the cremated remains I receive will be the cremated remains of my mother? |
| Answer: | Our funeral home has a strict identification policy for cremation. No person will be cremated unless the person has been identified by the family being present at the time of removal, through visitation or viewing at the funeral home or through the use of a picture. A stainless steel numbered disk is placed with each procedure to insure identification. We take cremation very seriously. |
| Question #14 | Can my family member leave his or her rings on? |
| Answer: | Yes they can, however you may want to consider keeping the jewelry in the family as keepsakes or family heirlooms to be passed on to other family members. |
| Question #15 | What purpose does a funeral serve? |
| Answer: | A funeral is an opportunity for family and friends to get together and remember or "celebrate" the life of the person who died. A funeral may also help to satisfy religious beliefs. |
