“When you start to plan a cremation or funeral service, you will learn that there are a number of decisions that need to be made, regardless of whether you’re dealing with a death or pre-planning.”

1. Shop around for an experienced funeral director and licensed cremation representative and arrange a no-obligation meeting over the phone or in person.
2. Predetermine your memorial service location. (Mortuary chapels or a church are the most common.)
3. Decide on a date and time for the service.
4. Choose the kind of service you want: traditional, non-traditional, military, etc.
5. Choose a casket (or cremation urn).
6. Choose a burial container or mausoleum crypt.
7. Appoint a reliable guest coordination and support person.

At Simpson Family Mortuary, planning a funeral or cremation can be a multi-layered process. We have a simple checklist that we use that will help you with the coordination of your service.

After you've completed the initial service arrangements with a funeral director or cremation representative, to get things started for you, there are a number of additional things to be done:

1. Be sure to submit any additional information needed by your assigned representative as soon as possible.
2. Provide information for obituaries (if they have an obituary partner)
3. Prepare a Family & Friends Stay-In Touch sheet for your guest
4. Consider finding a babysitter for any young children who might attend