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What to do... When Death Occurs
- Make appointment with Hawthorne Funeral Home by calling (914) 769-4404. The funeral home will help coordinate arrangements with the cemetery. Some information is needed to complete the State vital statistic requirements:
- Birth Date
- Birthplace
- Father's Name
- Mother's Name
- Social Security Number
- Veteran's Discharge or Claim Number
- Education
- Marital Status
- Contact your clergy. Decide on time and place for the funeral or memorial service. This can be done at the funeral home.
- The funeral home will assist you in determining the number of copies of the death certificates you will need and can order them for you.
- Make a list of immediate family, close friends and business colleagues. Notify each by phone.
- Decide on an appropriate organization for memorial gift donations (church, hospice, library, charity or school).
- Gather obituary information, including age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, college degrees, memberships held, military service , outstanding work , list of survivors in the immediate family and the time and place of services. The funeral home will write article and submit it to the newspapers. (Newspapers will also accept pictures and they will be returned intact).
- Arrange for members of family or close friends to take turns answering door or phone, keeping careful record of calls.
- If Social Security checks are automatic deposited, notify the bank of the death.
- Coordinate meal preparation for the next several days.
- Consider special need of the household, such as cleaning, etc., which could be done by friends.
- Arrange for child care, if necessary.
- Arrange hospitality for visiting relatives and friends.
- Select pallbearers and notify the funeral home. Avoid anyone with heart or back difficulties, or make them honorary pallbearers.
- Plan for donation of flowers after the funeral to a church, hospital, rest home or another location.
- Prepare list of distant persons to be notified by letter and/or printed notice, and decide which to send to each person on the list.
- Prepare list of persons to receive acknowledgments of flowers, calls, etc. and send the appropriate acknowledgments (can be written note, printed acknowledgments, or some of each). Include acknowledgements for those who have given their time as well.
- Notify the insurance companies.
- Locate the will and notify the lawyer and executor.
- Check all life and casualty insurance and death benefits carefully, including Social Security, credit union , trade union, fraternal, and military. Check also on income for survivors from these sources.
- Check promptly on all debts and installment payments, including credit cards. Some may carry insurance clauses that will cancel them. If there is to be a delay in meeting payments, consult with creditors and ask for more time before the payments are due.
- If deceased was living alone, notify utilities and landlord and tell the post office where to send mail.
- The Funeral Director will prepare Social Security Form SSA 721. Check with Social Security to see that number is retired.
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