Funeral Planning

When Death Occurs

WHAT TO DO FIRST

CALL Dykstra Funeral Home - (616) 392-2348 day or night

Our staff is experienced in helping families make the necessary arrangements regardless of where the death has occurred. We will handle all the arrangements properly. Due to the costs involved in other areas, the most efficient way for you, will be to call us first to handle everything.

If you find yourself….

…In Another Community

When death occurs, the family should contact our funeral home before arranging any type of final disposition services, particularly if you wish to transfer the deceased back to the Holland area.

…Outside the United States

If a person dies while traveling outside the United States , you will need to notify the U.S. Embassy in the country where the death occurred (though officials in the foreign country may notify the embassy for you). Please contact us here at Dykstra Funeral Home and we will make sure that the necessary procedures are taken care of and we will work with the embassy to get your loved one back to the Holland area.

… When Traveling

Contact Dykstra Funeral Home and notify us of the death so we can help make arrangements through a local funeral home to transfer the remains to our facility. If the coroner or medical examiner is involved, they can also help coordinate arrangements with our funeral home.

Documents Required

Regardless of where the death occurs, it is helpful to have the following information ready. Officials in the locality of the death will need some of this information for the death certificate, and we will need this information in order to make the necessary arrangements for the preparation and transit the deceased.

Date and place of birth (city and state)
Social security number
Veteran status
Educational level
Parents' names including mother's maiden name
Place of burial/cremation
Usual occupation

Why Pre-Arrange A Funeral?

Planning a funeral, especially at the time of need, can be an emotional and daunting task. More than 100 decisions must be made in funeral planning, sometimes in just a matter of hours following the death of a loved one. To ease the burden on family and to ensure final wishes are honored, the best thing to do is plan ahead and make these decisions in a calm, clear setting. Pre-arranging a funeral is something you do not only for yourself, but for the people you love more than anything else in the world.

Benefits of Funeral Pre-Arrangement

Logistically, a significant amount of personal data and coordination is required in funeral planning. Will loved ones know the maiden name of the deceased’s mother, or the parents’ places of birth? Will they know the dates and locations related to education or military service? What about locations and amounts of life insurance policies? Pre-planning ensures personal data is organized and documented, negating the need for loved ones to track information down following a loved one’s death.

Emotionally, pre-arranging a funeral removes the burden of decision-making from grieving loved ones. Should it be a traditional burial or cremation? Who will be pallbearers? To whom should memorial donations be designated? Which casket is preferred? What hymns will be sung? Pre-planning gives loved ones the gift of certainty that the deceased’s final wishes are fulfilled.

Financially, if you choose to pre-pay as well as pre-plan your funeral, you lock in funeral costs at today’s prices, even though these funds may not be accessed for years or decades to come. With funeral costs rising at approximately 3 percent each year, the financial benefit of pre-planning and pre-paying can be quite significant.

Personal Choice, Funeral arrangements are a deeply personal choice. Pre-planning provides you with the time needed to make practical, detailed decisions that reflect your standards, lifestyle, taste and budget. And we assure you and your family that the choices you make will be carried out as planned.

Peace of Mind, Many who have undergone the emotional strain of arranging a funeral within hours of losing a loved one have made the choice to pre-plan their own funeral. Doing so lifts the burden from their loved ones by relieving decision-making pressure at a time of grief and emotional stress.