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 Death
is difficult to accept. When a loved one dies, we feel
confused or emotionally numb. We experience grief, which though
painful, is a necessary part of the transition and healing process
that allows us to separate ourselves from the deceased.
The funeral
ritual helps survivors to begin healing by focusing their emotions
and bringing meaning to the experience of death. A funeral gives
mourners "permission" to express feelings of sadness and
loss.
The funeral
ritual has existed since the beginning of civilization, resulting in
varying funeral customs worldwide. When someone dies, the family,
the family's clergyperson and funeral director and other mourners
all have roles they are expected to fulfill.
Our Role as
Funeral Director
From the hour of death until the deceased's final disposition, the
Dennison funeral director is there to help you through a difficult time.
We will serve as an adviser, an administrator, a supporter and a
caregiver.
When we are
called, one of our first responsibilities is to bring the deceased
person's body to the funeral home. Our funeral director also secures
information for the deceased person's death certificate, which is
then completed and filed with the proper legal authorities.
Our funeral
director meets with the family to discuss arrangements for a
visitation, if the family requests one, and a funeral. In accordance
with law, custom and especially the family's wishes, the funeral
director helps them choose the place, time and type of service, and
any other funeral arrangements. We provide convenient access to a
choice of casket or other burial container, a memorial stone or
appropriate marker, and alternatives of final disposition—usually
burial, cremation or entombment. We will also offer other
considerations from which the family may select, and explain these
so that the family may select appropriately.
On the day
of the funeral, the funeral director attends to a number of
ceremonial and administrative details as well as to logistical
matters such as transportation. Both before and after the service,
we help the family complete necessary paperwork, including obituary
notices and claim forms for social security, veteran's and union
benefits and insurance. Because the emotional impact of death often
makes it difficult to concentrate on the details of legal forms, the
funeral director's help in this area is especially appreciated by
grieving families.
Our funeral
directors can also answer questions about coping with death,
recognize when a person is having difficulty accepting the loss of a
loved one and recommend sources of professional counseling for those
who need it.
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