FUNERAL PRE-PLANNING CHECKLIST

There’s a lot that goes into planning a funeral, but making those arrangements beforehand gives you time to consider all of your options and make sure that you’re covering all of the necessary details. The following checklist will help you to make sure you’ve thought of everything when you begin creating your personalized plan.


Information you'll need to assemble:

 

Vital Statistics

  • This includes your father’s name, your mother’s maiden name, your level of education, and your social security number.

Affiliations

  • This includes fraternal, service, or union membership, along with any special recognitions you might have

If you’re a veteran, you’ll also need to include:

  • Military service

  • Branch rank

  • Date of enlistment

  • Date of discharge

  • Name(s) of war/conflict(s) toured

  • Serial number

 

Planning notes and considerations:

 

General

  • Gather personal information for your obituary

  • Choose a charity to direct donations to, if desired

  • Decide on burial, cremation, or green burial.

  • Make note of any special instructions you desire for your services and final disposition


Funeral Service - Memorial Service - Celebration of Life

  • Select a casket or cremation container

  • Choose the location(s) and type of service - Pathlight Specialists can assist

  • Decide whether you’d like to have a viewing or visitation

  • Choose a floral arrangement if desired

  • Select which photographs and memorabilia you’d like to display

  • Consider any customs, traditions, or religious rites that are important to you and your family

  • Choose the clothing you’d like to be dressed in

  • Select music and hymns, if desired

  • Select a style for your stationery and memorial register book

  • Arrange transportation for your physical remains and your family

  • Brainstorm any additional ways you’d like to personalize the services or pay tribute to your accomplishments, hobbies, personality, and life story.

  • Will you want to have a luncheon (repast), celebration of life event, or other gathering after your service?

Here are additional considerations to clarify how you will want to honor your loved one:

Who will be invited? The number of guests define the where, when, and how of your celebration of life. Write down the names of everyone you think would want to be there and then set it aside. You can add new names to the list as you go along.

Where, and when, should the event take place? Here's where your imagination is tempered by any scheduling or travel-related issues facing those who will be invited. Be sure to check in with out-of-town relatives and friends about their situation before settling on these critical details.

Who will orchestrate or conduct the event? If your loved one was religious, you may opt to have their pastor or church minister perform these tasks. However, many families today hire a non-denominational celebrant to oversee the celebration of life.

Who wishes to speak at the event? Many times family members or friends will be very direct about their desire to make a short presentation at the celebration of life; other times you need to come out and ask folks if they would be willing to publicly share their thoughts and feelings. Either way, you'll want to select those people who have shared a close relationship with the deceased and have something meaningful to contribute.

What group activities would be appropriate? We've heard some exciting celebration of life ideas over the years. This question involves thinking about what your loved one liked most about their life and gives everyone a remarkable space to share memories, laugh, and even cry together.

What food or beverages should be served? Perhaps your loved one’s favorite restaurant, the site of a special event with catered food of your choice, or simple outdoor barbeque - selecting a time to gather and reminisce with family and friends is a way many find solace in this difficult time. There are many local options to consider and Pathlight can help with these options and details as well.

What readings and music should you include? Music is an integral part of life for many people, and a celebration of life is the perfect event in which to showcase the meaningful music of your loved one's life. But, if your loved one didn't appreciate music (and lots of folks don’t), it may be more appropriate to read chosen spiritual selections, or excerpts from literature.

What details of your loved one's life do you want to share with guests? Not every biographical detail needs to be highlighted; rather you're trying to capture their essence by telling revealing anecdotes or stories. Sometimes you can reveal their character by detailing one short moment in their life experience.

What decorations will you have? Many families create a tribute video and use it as the centerpiece of the event. Others choose to use a memory table of photographs and other memorabilia instead.


Participants

  • Choose a clergy member or officiator to preside over the service

  • Select any musicians whose talents you’d like to employ

  • Select pallbearers if traditional funeral/ burial

  • Choose friends or family members to perform the eulogy, read scripture, or prepare a speech


Cemetery (if selecting to be buried)

  • Choose a cemetery

  • Select a burial or cremation plot, or a mausoleum, if appropriate

  • Decide between above- and below-ground burial

  • Select a memorial or grave marker and inscription