I’ve had a death in the family what do I do?
If you have just had a death, please accept our sincere condolences. We are aware of and respect the situation you are now in and we are honored to be considered to assist at this difficult time. Be assured, our staff of dedicated and trained professionals will offer expert assistance and guidance in caring for your loved one.
The next steps are somewhat dependent upon the circumstances of the death, and where it occurred. We are available 24/7 by telephone at (423) 968-2111 to answer any of your immediate questions. Following are some general guidelines.
If the death occurred in a medical or care facility:
Most hospitals and care facilities have procedures in place and staff to guide you through the process of contacting a funeral home. As part of the admitting procedures, they may have record of the funeral home and will make contact with us once their procedures are completed. We will then contact the designated representative as soon as possible unless otherwise directed.
If the death occurred in a residence:
If the deceased was enrolled with a hospice program, hospice should be the first contact. Your Hospice representative will come and handle all the initial notifications including contacting the funeral home. In most other cases the local police department will need to be contacted and make certain notifications before the deceased can be transported. Generally the responding officer will call the funeral home. Please call us at (423) 968-2111, if you have any questions or need guidance on your next step.
When making initial contact with us:
The initial information we will need is:
Legal Name of the deceased
Their current location and is that where they passed
Their date of birth
Legal Next of Kin including all contact information
Authorized representative of the Legal Next of Kin and their contact information if they can speak on behalf of the Next of Kin
Name of Attending Physician
Any preliminary plans you may be considering
Though there are situations that may cause a delay, we will transport your loved one to our secure facility as soon as reasonably possible. Soon after we will schedule our meeting to discuss and plan your loved one's unique remembrance.
Remembrance Planning Conference:
For those who have not had the chance to discuss plans with family or friends; don’t worry. Our staff is trained and experienced in offering options that will allow you to plan an appropriate and meaningful tribute to your loved one. Please don’t hesitate to call (423) 968-2111 to speak with one of our experienced professionals.
If you have a good idea of the type of remembrance, we would like that information when it is available. We are honored to be serving you and your family. Please feel free to contact us via phone or email about any questions you may have. We're always available to help.