Where to Start

When you begin funeral planning, the amount of decisions can seem overwhelming — but don't worry. We are here to help you tackle the choices one by one and make the process one of love, healing, and life celebration.

When a death occurs at home or in the workplace, you'll need to contact emergency personnel or your loved one's physician if he or she was under medical care. If no one else was present when the death occurred, you'll also need to notify the police before the deceased is moved to a secondary location.

When a death occurs while your loved one is in a hospital, care facility or hospice program, the professional staff will notify you and contact the appropriate authorities. If you've already given them the name of a funeral home, the facility will contact them as well.

The professionals you've contacted will help you with obtaining a medical certificate and appropriate registration procedures. If you're unsure of whom you should notify or what your next steps should be, please call us for assistance in determining the appropriate course of action for your situation.

You’ll want to notify friends and relatives of the death. If it is too painful for you to do this yourself, it's absolutely okay for a trusted friend to make the call in your place. Now is the time to review any of your loved one’s prearranged wishes, and meet with the professionals at Walker Funeral Home and Cremation to begin funeral planning. You'll also write a death notice or obituary to notify the community of your loved one's passing.

Don't hesitate to contact us with any questions, even if your concerns aren't directly related to the funeral. We're well-versed in all topics relating to the loss of a loved one, and we'd be honored to provide you with answers, advice, and guidance in your time of need.

We encourage you to get in touch with relatives, neighbors, friends, clergy members or other spiritual advisors, and other trusted members of your community. They're often more than happy to prepare food, look after children, help with arrangements, or simply offer a kind word and open arms.

Your initial call with our funeral director allows us to inquire about any pre-arrangements and gather the information we need to transport your loved one to our facility. At later meetings, you'll be able to discuss your arrangements in greater detail. But we're always available to answer questions, provide emotional support, a sympathetic ear, and careful guidance.

If your loved one has not specified any arrangements beforehand, there are some initial questions you will likely need to answer when you consult with your funeral home:

• Should I choose embalming?
• Do I need to purchase a casket?
• Will I care for my loved one's physical remains through burial or cremation?
• What sort of funeral or memorial service should I plan?
• Are there any religious traditions or customs I need to plan for? Should I engage the services of a clergy member or spiritual leader?

These questions are just a starting point, and you don't need to know the answers right away. Don’t hesitate to contact us to gain a better understanding of your options and discuss what might be the most appropriate solution for your situation. We're here to make this process easier for you.

When you meet with a member of our staff to discuss your arrangements, we'll first provide you with a general price list to give you a basic idea of what our services cost.

To help express your loved one's personality and life story, feel free to bring along any personal items — like photos, videos, music, crafts, or treasured items — that might give us a better understanding of how you envision paying tribute to your loved one.

We'd like to make this process as stress-free for you as we can. If possible, please bring along the following information about your loved one to the arrangement meeting:

• Full legal name and home address
• Social security number
• Date of birth
• Place of birth
• Father's name
• Mother's maiden name
• Veteran's discharge papers (DD-214), if applicable
• Highest education
• Occupation
• Chosen place of burial, if applicable
• Clergy name and phone number, if applicable
• Names and relationships of survivors
• Insurance policy information, if applicable

Please also bring a recent photograph and any clothing you'd like us to use when dressing them for the service.