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     FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

  • Why have a Funeral?

    GRAUMLICH FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES


    Whether the final disposition of a loved one is 

    burial or cremation, a funeral can still take place.


    The Funeral

    Helps confirm the reality and finality of death.


     Provides a climate for mourning and the expression of grief.


     Allows the sorrows of one to become the sorrows of many.


      Is one of the few times love is given and not expected in return.


      Is a vehicle for the community to pay its respect.


    Encourages the affirmation of religious faith.


     Is a declaration that a life has been lived as


     well as sociological statement that a death has occurred.




    Reprinted from…


                                                        “The Funeral: Ancient Egypt to Present Day America”




    • You can have a full funeral service even for those choosing cremation. 
    • Planning a personalized ceremony or service will help begin the healing process.
    • Overcoming the pain is never easy, but a meaningful funeral or tribute will help.
  • What does a Funeral Director do?

    At GRAUMLICH FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES Andrea Graumlich & Leigh Graumlich see it as a privilege to serve families during a difficult time of sadness and loss. It's about meeting the needs of the family to help them through the process of arranging services to honor their loved one.


    PLAN –Whether families are planning ahead with pre-arranging a funeral or making arrangements for an  unexpected loss of a loved one, Andrea Graumlich and Leigh Graumlich will explain the different options  of services and work to devise a thorough and thoughtful plan that meets the specific needs and budget of the family.  Andrea and Leigh are there to guide you through this difficult time of honoring your loved one.




                  PARTNER –The services to honor a loved one should be personal and be a reflection of what each family values. We work in collaboration with the families we serve to make arrangements that meet the specific, personal and faith-based desires to fulfill their vision.


                        PERFORM –We manage and perform components of the funeral or memorial/cremation service as agreed to in the plan we created together so families can focus their attention on their loved ones, Addressing unexpected needs with compassion. Meeting the individual needs of the grieving family. Intentionally creating a sense of home for all who come through our doors which includes Lexie, Andrea’s yellow Labrador Retriever, there greets and calms all visitors.


               THESE ARE SOME OF THE TASKS WE DO IN ARRANGING FOR SERVICES

    • Transfer the deceased into the care of GRAUMLICH FUNERAL HOME & CREMATION SERVICES   
    • Notify proper authorities, family and/or relatives
    • Arrange and prepare death certificates
    • Provide certified copies of death certificates for insurance and benefit processing
    • Work with the insurance agent, Social Security or Veterans Administration to ensure that necessary paperwork is filed for receipt of benefits
    • Prepare and submit obituary to the newspapers of your choice
    • Bathe and/or embalm the deceased body.
    • Prepare the deceased for viewing including dressing and cosmetizing
    • Licensed Funeral Director will assist the family with funeral arrangements and selection of casket, urn, burial and vault
    • Schedule the opening and closing of the grave with cemetery personnel, if a burial is to be performed
    • Coordinate with clergy if a funeral or memorial service is to be held
    • Arrange a motorcycle escort and transportation to the funeral and/or cemetery for the family
    • Order funeral sprays and other flower arrangements as the family wishes
    • Provide Aftercare, or grief assistance, to the bereaved
  • What do I do when a death occurs?

    It's important if your loved one is residing in Assisted Living or a Nursing Home, to give the facility the contact information of Graumlich Funeral Home & Cremation Services to have on file.  This will give clarity to the facility of which funeral home to call when the death has occurred and family notified.


    • Bring the following information to complete the State vital statistic requirements:
    • Birth Date
    • Birthplace
    • Father's Name
    • Mother's Name
    • Social Security Number
    • Veteran's DD214 Honorable Discharge and claim number if applicable
    • Education
    • Marital Status
    • Contact your clergy. Decide on time and place of funeral or memorial service. This can be done at the funeral home.
    • The funeral home will assist you in determining the number of copies of the death certificates you will be needing and can order them for you.
    • Make a list of immediate family, close friends and employer or business colleagues. Notify each one.
    • Decide on appropriate memorial to which gifts may be made (church, hospice, library, charity or school).
    • Gather obituary information you want to include such as age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, college degrees, memberships held, military service , outstanding work, list of survivors in immediate family. Include time and place of services. The funeral home will normally write article and submit to newspapers (newspaper will accept picture and they will be returned intact).
    • Arrange for members of family or close friends to take turns answering door or phone, keeping careful record of calls. If Social Security checks are automatic deposit, notify the bank of the death.
  • When I call, will someone come right away?

    If you request immediate assistance, yes. If the family wishes to spend a short time with the deceased to say good-bye, that’s perfectly acceptable. Graumlich Funeral Home will come once we are notified by the family that they're ready for us to transport their loved one into our care.

  • Should I choose Burial or Cremation?

    GRAUMLICH FUNERAL HOME


    It is not uncommon to be unsure what type of service to have to

     honor your loved one.  Andrea & Leigh will go through the different 

    options available and we will devise a thorough and thoughtful

    plan that meets the specific needs and budget of the family.


    Each service should not only reflect that individual's life but also

    be comforting to the family and friends involved.


    Whether families are planning ahead with Pre-arranging a service, or

    needing to make arrangements for a loved one who has passed away,

    Andrea Graumlich & Leigh Graumlich will guide your through the process. 




    There are Different Options available when making arrangements for your loved one. 

     

    TRADITION BURIAL OPTIONS: 

    • Traditional Burial with visitation/viewing the day prior to the the funeral service.
    • Traditional Burial with visitation/viewing the same day of the funeral service.
    • Direct Burial with no services.

    • CREMATION OPTIONS: full service with visitation/viewing with a Ceremonial Casket Rental.  Visitation day prior to funeral service or the same day as funeral service;
    • Direct Cremation with Memorial Service that can include a visitation prior to the memorial service
    • Direct cremation with no services.

    A funeral service followed by cremation need not be any different from a funeral service followed by a burial. Usually, cremated remains are placed in urn before being committed to a final resting place. The urn may be buried, placed in an indoor or outdoor mausoleum or columbarium, or interred in a special urn garden that many cemeteries provide for cremated remains. The remains may also be scattered, according to state law.

  • Why have a public viewing?

    Viewing a loved one or friend who has died, is a part of many cultural and ethnic traditions. Many grief specialists believe that viewing aids the grief process by helping the bereaved recognize the reality of death and helps bring closure. Viewing is encouraged for children, as long as the process is explained and the activity is voluntary.

  • What is the purpose of embalming?

    Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body (embalming is not as invasive as many think it to be and we can explain the process if requested).  Embalming makes it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final disposition, allowing family members time to arrange and participate in the type of service most comforting to them.

  • Does a dead body have to be embalmed, according to law?

    The Federal Trade Commission says, "Except in certain special cases, embalming is not required by law here in the state of Ohio.


    However, embalming may be necessary if you select certain funeral and/or cremation options, such as a service with a public and/or private viewing. If you do not want embalming, you usually have the right to choose an arrangement that does not require embalming, such as direct cremation or immediate burial (there may be circumstances that embalming may be needed). In such cases the funeral director would consult with you in this

  • Do I have to make different funeral arrangements if I choose cremation?

    Regardless of the type of disposition (burial or cremation) for your loved one, there are arrangements that need to take place.  Both burial and cremation dispositions, with or without services, still have certain procedures to follow and be coordinated.

  • What can be done with the cremated remains?

    With cremation, your options are numerous. The cremains can be interred in a cemetery plot, i.e., earth burial, retained by a family member, usually in an urn, scattered on private property, or at a place that was significant to the deceased. (It would always be advisable to check for local regulations regarding scattering in a public place-your funeral director can help you with this.)


    Today, there are many different types of memorial options from which to choose. Memorialization is a time-honored tradition that has been practiced for centuries. A memorial serves as a tribute to a life lived and provides a focal point for remembrance, as well as a record for future generations. The type of memorial you choose is a personal decision. 


    It's also important to establish a "final resting place" for the cremains of a loved one.  This is especially important if there is not another family member who can take possession of  the cremains when the one who had them dies.

  • What is memorialization for a cremation?

    You might choose ground burial of the urn. If so, you may usually choose either a bronze memorial or monument. Cremation niches in columbariums are also available at many cemeteries. They offer the beauty of a mausoleum setting with the benefits of above ground placement of remains. Many cemeteries also offer scattering gardens. This area of a cemetery offers the peacefulness of a serene garden where family and friends can come and reflect.

  • Can we scatter the cremated remains?

    If you wish to have your ashes scattered somewhere, it is important to discuss your wishes to be scattered ahead of time with the person or persons who will actually have to do the cremation ashes scattering ceremony, as they might want to let your funeral professional assist in the scattering ceremony. Funeral directors can also be very helpful in creating a meaningful and personal ash scattering ceremony that they will customize to fit your families specific desires. The services can be as formal or informal as you like. Scattering services can also be public or private. Again, it is advisable to check for local regulations regarding scattering in a public place-your funeral director can help you with this.

  • If I am cremated, can I be buried with my spouse even if he or she was in a casket?

    Yes — Depending upon the cemetery's policy, you may be able to save a grave space by having the cremains buried on top of the casketed remains of your spouse, or utilize the space provided next to him/her. Many cemeteries allow for multiple cremated remains to be interred in a single grave space.  Here at Graumlich Funeral Home we will reach out to the cemetery on your behalf to find out their policies and procedures to bury your loved one's cremains at an existing family grave plot.

  • What do I need to know about income tax when I lose a spouse?

    Uncertainty about income tax issues can add to the stress experienced from the death of a spouse. You should meet with your family attorney and/or tax advisor as soon as possible to review your particular tax and estate circumstances. Bring a detailed list of your questions to the meeting. If you do not have an attorney or tax advisor, call the IRS toll-free at 800-829-1040 for answers to specific tax questions.

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