When Death Occurs

When death occurs people are generally overwhelmed. The following can help you navigate through this stressful time.

If your loved one has died in a hospital or a nursing home, you will need to let the facility know we are the funeral home to be called. Typically the nurse on duty or hospital clergy will make that phone call for you.

If the death occurs at home and Hospice is involved, call your Hospice worker first and then the funeral home day or night. The hospice worker is able to pronounce a death at home which will enable the funeral home to come to the home to receive your loved one.

Weymouth Funeral Home (757) 930-2222 will set up an appointment time for you and your family to get together to coordinate all the arrangements including the cemetery.

Loved ones information and items to bring for the arrangement conference

• Social Security Number
• Mother's Maiden Name
• Father's Name
• Place of Birth
• Clothes including undergarments and shoes (optional)
• Jewelry (optional)
• Picture for the obituary and/or Memorial Cards
• Discharge Papers, DD-214 (if a Veteran)
• Insurance Paperwork

Things to consider before the service

• Make a list of family, friends and business colleagues to contact
• Determine how many copies of the death certificate you will need
• Gather obituary information. We will organize/write it in the obituary format
• Consider who will serve as pallbearers and notify them
• Select a charity of choice for memorial donations to be given: church, hospice, charity, library
• Choose special reading, poems, biblical passages and/or music
• Choose speakers to read a special poem or passage
• Find the Will
• Choose the Clergy

Things to consider after the service

• Cancel Credit Cards
• Close Accounts with Deceased’s name on them
• Contact Social Security…The Funeral Home will make the initial contact
• Contact Clerk of Courts
• Change Vehicle Title
• Check Insurance Policies
• Check Safe Deposit Box
• Inquire about Savings Bonds, Stocks and Retirement Accounts
• Close Email and Social Media Accounts

If the deceased lived alone

• Cancel cable, power, telephone, newspaper, water, post office, etc.
• Change mailing address
• Put house lights on a timer

Additional Resources

We have several brochures to help families before and after a death. If you would like, please contact us to send you one or more of the following:

• Coping with the Holidays
• Answers to a Child’s Questions about Death
• Pre-Planning, Personal Profile Guide
• Cremation Overview