Frequently Asked Questions
Who do I call when a death has occurred?
If an unexpected death occurs, call the police immediately and wait for assistance. In the event that your loved one has died in a hospital or it is an expected death at home, call the location that is most convenient for you. One of our professionals will be able to assist in answering your questions and arranging for your loved one to be brought into our care.
What do funeral directors do?
Funeral Directors:
- Transport the deceased to the funeral home, crematorium, and/or cemetery.
- Notify the government of passing, request permission for cremation or burial to take place and complete authorizing paperwork.
- Arrange and prepare death certificates, registration of death, burial permits.
- Provide certified copies of death certificates for insurance and benefit processing.
- Assist with submitting obituary notices to the newspapers, social media, and radio stations of your choice.
- Prepare the body for viewing including bathing, dressing, and cosmetizing.
- Assist families with funeral arrangements and selection of casket, urn, burial vault or cemetery plot.
- Schedule the opening and closing of the grave with cemetery personnel.
- Coordinate with clergy if a funeral or memorial service is to be held.
- Assist with ordering funeral sprays floral arrangements, and keepsakes as the family wishes.
- Provide guidance to the bereaved.
Is it possible to pre-plan and pre-pay for funeral services?
While we do not collect pre-payment for funeral services, we are able to make “pre-arrangements” that are confidential and securely stored on file. We will connect you directly with an insurance company if you wish to purchase a funeral insurance policy.
How do I find the location where my loved one was buried?
If you know the area or cemetery in which your loved one was buried, we recommend calling the city or the cemetery directly. While we work with cemeteries, our funeral homes are not affiliated with the operations, mapping, nor management of any cemetery.
For information pertaining to the Williams Lake Municipal Cemetery, please contact the City of Williams Lake: 250-392-1784
For information pertaining to the 100 Mile House Municipal Cemetery, please contact the District of 100 Mile House: 250-395-2434
The website https://www.findagrave.com/ may be helpful as well.
Funeral expenses explained
The cost of a funeral includes not only merchandise, such as caskets and urns, but the services of a qualified funeral director in making arrangements; completing appropriate documentation, coresponding with various individuals and agencies and seeing to all the necessary details. Funeral providers and directors look upon their profession as a service, but it is also a business that needs to succeed in order to continue serving communities in the future.
When related to other major life events such as births and weddings, funerals are not expensive. Weddings may cost up to three times as much; but since it is a happy event the cost is rarely criticized. A funeral home is a 24-hour, labor-intensive business, with extensive facilities such as: viewing rooms, chapels, hearses, preparation rooms, specialized equipment, and licensed staff.
Are the Funeral Home and coroner’s service affiliated with one another?
The British Columbia Coroner’s Service is an independent government agency. When this agency has determined they will be involved in the investigation of a death, the funeral provider, like the family, must wait for official correspondence giving permission to proceed.
Unfortunately, there can often be a delay, please know that this is completely out of our scope of control. We always endeavor to move forward with the arrangements in a timely fashion.