3.0 Q: What is a mortuary or funeral home?
A: A mortuary or funeral home is a business with professionals who assist, arrange, and prepare for all arrangements relating to death and a final resting place. Mortuaries and funeral homes will store decedents, file permits, and arrange funerals, cremations, and burials. Staff are typically licensed and specialized for their particular job duties.
3.1 Q: Are funeral homes and mortuaries the same thing?
A: Generally speaking they are the same thing. When you get into specifics, there are some subtle differences between the two and what they specialize in. Funeral homes often focus on the ceremony and celebration of the decedent in addition to arranging the final disposition. Mortuaries are often focused on streamlining the process with less options. This does not mean that the next of kin should focus solely on the name of the facility, and they should always ask what specific services they can offer.
3.2 Q: What is a cremation center?
A: Cremation centers are solely focused on cremation arrangements and not burials, embalming, etc. The staff are still able to file all the proper permits just as a funeral home/mortuary, but they are focused on only make a few different services available with a direct cremation. Occasionally you will hear about cremation societies in which living people become members and make their own cremation arrangements before death.
3.3 Q: What is a funeral and what purpose does it serve?
A: A funeral is a gathering of a group of people to memorialize someone who has passed away. The purpose is celebrate and honor the life of the person who has died, and to begin closure and healing for those in attendance. Funerals have existed for thousands of years and are a traditional way of showing respect for the decedent. Funerals can be arranged with a burial or cremation and may be formal or informal (memorial).
3.4 Q: What is a funeral director and what’s their certification?
A: Consider a funeral director as a certified experienced professional who readily understands all aspects of body preparation & preservation, viewing, ceremonies/funeral, burial, cremation, and other final arrangements. Funeral directors are a step above what are referred to as funeral arrangers or assistants. Funeral directors typically have a degree in mortuary science, have have completed an apprenticeship, and hold licensure in their particular state.
3.5 Q: Are funeral directors and embalmers the same thing?
A: They are not. As the name implies, the funeral director is responsible to organize and accomplish the family’s arrangements from start to finish. An embalmer is responsible for preparing and preserving the body for viewing, burial, or cremation, and also is a position that requiring special training and certification. It is normal to find individuals who are certified, trained, and licensed in both occupations.
3.6 Q: What information should I bring to the funeral home or mortuary?
A: The following is information about the decedent that will be needed:
3.7 Q: When can I see my relative?
A: Seeing your loved one after the mortuary has picked them up from the scene is referred to as ‘viewing’ the decedent. There are many forms of viewing that can take place to include simple viewing, wake viewing, and funeral viewing. Funeral homes and mortuaries will typically allow ‘viewing’ at their facilities. This can be restricted based on circumstances associated with the death. If the facility staff believes the decedent is too gruesome to view for the family, they will advise you that the decedent is “not viewable”. Please understand that this is not the staff attempting to keep you from your loved one, but for your own protection.
3.8 Q: How is my relative stored while arrangements are made?
A: Most mortuaries and funeral homes have what is referred to as 'cold storage’, which is a large cooler unit that stores bodies just above freezing temperatures. Bodies are typically not frozen, but on occasion a mortuary will have freezer capabilities for long-term storage situations. Cooling the body is essential to preservation.
3.9 Q: What if the decedent is a current or prior military member (veteran)?
A: There are benefits associated with military service. These range from a small financial reimbursement, to assistance with an autopsy, to covering all or a portion of the mortuary arrangements. This can also include burial spots and special ceremonies. For more accurate information, the family should ask the funeral director they are working with, or contact your local Veteran Affairs Hospital.
3.10 Q: What is cremation?
A: Cremation is the act of incinerating the decedent's body. Following incineration, the remains and ashes are ground into smaller particles referred to as cremains, and then placed into a container. Cremation is a popular disposition throughout the world.
3.11 Q: What is a burial?
A: Burial is the act of placing the decedent into the ground. Most often the decedent is placed into a casket, which in turn is placed into a grave liner or vault, which is buried under the ground. This is considered a grave and is marked by a gravestone for identification.
3.12 Q: Can the decedent be transported from one location to another?
A: Most mortuaries offer some sort of transportation service, whether this be transportation from the scene of death, to another mortuary, to the cemetery, or to another state. There are also specific companies who specialize in transportation of decedents. Each county, state, and country has regulations pertaining to the transport of bodies, so it is best to consult someone with local knowledge regarding this topic.
3.13 Q: What is embalming?
A: Embalming is the act of injecting a preservative into the decedent to slow down the decomposition process. Although there are multiple methods to accomplish this task, the basics are cavity/trocar and arterial. Cavity embalming involves injecting the decedent’s abdomen and chest with preservative. Arterial embalming is the act of using the decedent’s circulatory system and replacing the blood with preservative. The preservative is generally formalin, but in recent years there has been an increase in natural or ‘green’ preservatives that are being offered.
3.14 Q: Are there any additional costs to think about?
A: This is a very tricky question to answer because every county, state, etc. may have additional fees, permits, and taxes associated with death arrangements. Occasionally the coroner or medical examiners' office will have an investigation, removal, or transportations fees. The funeral home may have costs associated with extensive days of storing the decedent (cold storage), costs per death certificate, transportation, viewing the decedent (making the decedent presentable to view), etc.
3.15 Q: What is an exhumation or exhuming the decedent?
A: Exhumation is the act of disinterring the decedent from the ground, or essentially digging the decedent up from the grave. Exhumation is a big decision as it often requires a large investment of money, filing and getting multiple permits approved, coordinating multiple agencies, the physical labor associated with disinterring, and finally the storage of the decedent for whatever purpose. Exhumation questions are best answered by your trusted funeral director.
3.16 Q: What is a grave liner? And what is a vault?
A: A grave liner is a concrete box that encases a casket. The purpose of a grave liner is to support the weight of the soil as the casket deteriorates. Vaults are a fancy version of a grave liner that completely seal and prevent water from entering.
3.17 Q: What is a mausoleum?
A: A mausoleum is an above ground structure or vault built for the purposes of storing one or more decedents. They are often decorative and conducive to visitation and celebration of those decedents interred within.
3.18 Q: Where does the body go when it leaves the scene?
A: This question varies greatly based on the county in which the decedent passed away. When a death occurs, the coroner or medical examiner (ME) will decide if they are going to assume jurisdiction over the death (investigate the death) or not. Based on this decision there are three main locations where a body will be transported to for storage and/or autopsy. The hospital morgue, the coroner/ME office, or a funeral home/mortuary. Not every hospital has a morgue and not every Coroner/ME office has the ability to store a body, so where your loved one ends up really depends on the county in which the death occurs.
3.19 Q: So how do I find out where my relative is?
A: The best person to answer this question is whoever picked the body up from the scene of death. If you do not know, start by calling your local coroner/ME office, and then the local mortuaries in the area where the decedent passed away. An internet search to include the ‘county name and state’ and ‘coroner’, or ‘county name and state’ and ‘mortuary’, will get you started in the right direction.
For example: I know my loved one died in Dallas, Texas:
3.20 Q: What do I do with cremains (ashes)?
A: The remaining ashes after cremation are referred to as cremains. Cremains may be buried, stored in an urn, scattered in a special location or the sea, made into jewelry or other memorial, or multiple other options. Please check with your local funeral director for applicable state laws.
A: A mortuary or funeral home is a business with professionals who assist, arrange, and prepare for all arrangements relating to death and a final resting place. Mortuaries and funeral homes will store decedents, file permits, and arrange funerals, cremations, and burials. Staff are typically licensed and specialized for their particular job duties.
3.1 Q: Are funeral homes and mortuaries the same thing?
A: Generally speaking they are the same thing. When you get into specifics, there are some subtle differences between the two and what they specialize in. Funeral homes often focus on the ceremony and celebration of the decedent in addition to arranging the final disposition. Mortuaries are often focused on streamlining the process with less options. This does not mean that the next of kin should focus solely on the name of the facility, and they should always ask what specific services they can offer.
3.2 Q: What is a cremation center?
A: Cremation centers are solely focused on cremation arrangements and not burials, embalming, etc. The staff are still able to file all the proper permits just as a funeral home/mortuary, but they are focused on only make a few different services available with a direct cremation. Occasionally you will hear about cremation societies in which living people become members and make their own cremation arrangements before death.
3.3 Q: What is a funeral and what purpose does it serve?
A: A funeral is a gathering of a group of people to memorialize someone who has passed away. The purpose is celebrate and honor the life of the person who has died, and to begin closure and healing for those in attendance. Funerals have existed for thousands of years and are a traditional way of showing respect for the decedent. Funerals can be arranged with a burial or cremation and may be formal or informal (memorial).
3.4 Q: What is a funeral director and what’s their certification?
A: Consider a funeral director as a certified experienced professional who readily understands all aspects of body preparation & preservation, viewing, ceremonies/funeral, burial, cremation, and other final arrangements. Funeral directors are a step above what are referred to as funeral arrangers or assistants. Funeral directors typically have a degree in mortuary science, have have completed an apprenticeship, and hold licensure in their particular state.
3.5 Q: Are funeral directors and embalmers the same thing?
A: They are not. As the name implies, the funeral director is responsible to organize and accomplish the family’s arrangements from start to finish. An embalmer is responsible for preparing and preserving the body for viewing, burial, or cremation, and also is a position that requiring special training and certification. It is normal to find individuals who are certified, trained, and licensed in both occupations.
3.6 Q: What information should I bring to the funeral home or mortuary?
A: The following is information about the decedent that will be needed:
- Birth Date & Birthplace
- Father Name
- Mother's Name (Maiden name occasionally required)
- Social Security Number
- Military/Veterans Information (Discharge or Claim Number)
- Highest Education Level Achieved (grade, degree, post-education, etc.)
- Marital Status
- Pre-arranged funeral/burial paperwork
- Insurance benefit paperwork related to paying for death arrangements
3.7 Q: When can I see my relative?
A: Seeing your loved one after the mortuary has picked them up from the scene is referred to as ‘viewing’ the decedent. There are many forms of viewing that can take place to include simple viewing, wake viewing, and funeral viewing. Funeral homes and mortuaries will typically allow ‘viewing’ at their facilities. This can be restricted based on circumstances associated with the death. If the facility staff believes the decedent is too gruesome to view for the family, they will advise you that the decedent is “not viewable”. Please understand that this is not the staff attempting to keep you from your loved one, but for your own protection.
3.8 Q: How is my relative stored while arrangements are made?
A: Most mortuaries and funeral homes have what is referred to as 'cold storage’, which is a large cooler unit that stores bodies just above freezing temperatures. Bodies are typically not frozen, but on occasion a mortuary will have freezer capabilities for long-term storage situations. Cooling the body is essential to preservation.
3.9 Q: What if the decedent is a current or prior military member (veteran)?
A: There are benefits associated with military service. These range from a small financial reimbursement, to assistance with an autopsy, to covering all or a portion of the mortuary arrangements. This can also include burial spots and special ceremonies. For more accurate information, the family should ask the funeral director they are working with, or contact your local Veteran Affairs Hospital.
3.10 Q: What is cremation?
A: Cremation is the act of incinerating the decedent's body. Following incineration, the remains and ashes are ground into smaller particles referred to as cremains, and then placed into a container. Cremation is a popular disposition throughout the world.
3.11 Q: What is a burial?
A: Burial is the act of placing the decedent into the ground. Most often the decedent is placed into a casket, which in turn is placed into a grave liner or vault, which is buried under the ground. This is considered a grave and is marked by a gravestone for identification.
3.12 Q: Can the decedent be transported from one location to another?
A: Most mortuaries offer some sort of transportation service, whether this be transportation from the scene of death, to another mortuary, to the cemetery, or to another state. There are also specific companies who specialize in transportation of decedents. Each county, state, and country has regulations pertaining to the transport of bodies, so it is best to consult someone with local knowledge regarding this topic.
3.13 Q: What is embalming?
A: Embalming is the act of injecting a preservative into the decedent to slow down the decomposition process. Although there are multiple methods to accomplish this task, the basics are cavity/trocar and arterial. Cavity embalming involves injecting the decedent’s abdomen and chest with preservative. Arterial embalming is the act of using the decedent’s circulatory system and replacing the blood with preservative. The preservative is generally formalin, but in recent years there has been an increase in natural or ‘green’ preservatives that are being offered.
3.14 Q: Are there any additional costs to think about?
A: This is a very tricky question to answer because every county, state, etc. may have additional fees, permits, and taxes associated with death arrangements. Occasionally the coroner or medical examiners' office will have an investigation, removal, or transportations fees. The funeral home may have costs associated with extensive days of storing the decedent (cold storage), costs per death certificate, transportation, viewing the decedent (making the decedent presentable to view), etc.
3.15 Q: What is an exhumation or exhuming the decedent?
A: Exhumation is the act of disinterring the decedent from the ground, or essentially digging the decedent up from the grave. Exhumation is a big decision as it often requires a large investment of money, filing and getting multiple permits approved, coordinating multiple agencies, the physical labor associated with disinterring, and finally the storage of the decedent for whatever purpose. Exhumation questions are best answered by your trusted funeral director.
3.16 Q: What is a grave liner? And what is a vault?
A: A grave liner is a concrete box that encases a casket. The purpose of a grave liner is to support the weight of the soil as the casket deteriorates. Vaults are a fancy version of a grave liner that completely seal and prevent water from entering.
3.17 Q: What is a mausoleum?
A: A mausoleum is an above ground structure or vault built for the purposes of storing one or more decedents. They are often decorative and conducive to visitation and celebration of those decedents interred within.
3.18 Q: Where does the body go when it leaves the scene?
A: This question varies greatly based on the county in which the decedent passed away. When a death occurs, the coroner or medical examiner (ME) will decide if they are going to assume jurisdiction over the death (investigate the death) or not. Based on this decision there are three main locations where a body will be transported to for storage and/or autopsy. The hospital morgue, the coroner/ME office, or a funeral home/mortuary. Not every hospital has a morgue and not every Coroner/ME office has the ability to store a body, so where your loved one ends up really depends on the county in which the death occurs.
3.19 Q: So how do I find out where my relative is?
A: The best person to answer this question is whoever picked the body up from the scene of death. If you do not know, start by calling your local coroner/ME office, and then the local mortuaries in the area where the decedent passed away. An internet search to include the ‘county name and state’ and ‘coroner’, or ‘county name and state’ and ‘mortuary’, will get you started in the right direction.
For example: I know my loved one died in Dallas, Texas:
- If you know your family member died in a hospital, call that hospital directly and they will have record of whether they released the body to the coroner/ME or a mortuary.
- If the death was not in a hospital, start by internet searching, ‘What county is Dallas Texas in?’ I learn the answer is Dallas County.
- The next internet search would be ‘Dallas County Texas Coroner’. The immediate search result is Dallas County Medical Examiner Office (DCME) and all of the associated contact information for me to call them. If DCME does not have possession or information about the decedent, then move on to the next step.
- Internet search for ‘Dallas Texas Mortuary’. I now have a list of mortuaries in that area to call and see if they have my loved one.
- As you can see this a step-by-step method for locating your relative. If you do know which county the decedent was residing in but know of the region or state, you can slowly eliminate possibilities by using this method in each county. Often times states will have electronic death reporting/certificate programs that coroner/ME investigators and funeral directors will have access to. They may be able to search these databases and locate the decedent.
3.20 Q: What do I do with cremains (ashes)?
A: The remaining ashes after cremation are referred to as cremains. Cremains may be buried, stored in an urn, scattered in a special location or the sea, made into jewelry or other memorial, or multiple other options. Please check with your local funeral director for applicable state laws.
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