Frequent Questions

The funeral director's job is to assist the bereaved in various ways to help them through the loss of a loved one. A funeral director provides bereavement and consolation services for the living, in addition to making arrangements for the cremation, burial, and memorial services for the deceased. He fulfills the role of funeral arranger, funeral director, funeral attendant, and embalmer.

The following list is not all-inclusive, but describes some of the major tasks of a funeral director: 

•     Removal and transfer of the deceased from the place of death to the funeral home
•     Professional care of the deceased, including embalming, casketing, and cosmetology
•     Consulting with family to make arrangements for the funeral service
•     Filing certificates, permits, and other required forms
•     Obtaining copies of the death certificate
•     Arrangements with the cemetery, crematory, or other places of final disposition
•     Creates and publishes the obituary
•     Arrangements for clergy, music, flowers, transportation, pallbearers, and special fraternal or military services
•     Directs and manages the funeral service and the funeral procession
•     Assists the family with death-related claims, including Social Security, VA insurance, grief counseling

A traditional funeral involves a number of services which add to the total cost. Besides a non-declinable basic services fee, other charges may include removal/transfer of the body to the funeral home; embalming; other preparation of the body; use of facilities and staff for viewing; use of facilities and staff for the funeral ceremony; use of a hearse, service car, or van; a basic memorial printed package; metal casket, a vault or grave liner, and purchase of a cemetery plot.

A funeral or memorial service provides an opportunity for the living to show respect for the deceased and pay tribute to their life. It provides a framework to freely and openly express our beliefs, feelings, and thoughts about the death of our loved one. It gives us permission to grieve our loss, share in solidarity, and gain strength from others who are experiencing the same loss.

The four main types of funeral services include the traditional funeral service, the memorial service, the committal service, and the affirmation or celebration of life service.

Yes, cremation or burial is merely the disposition of the body. Funeral services are to honor and remember your loved one, regardless of disposition.

Pre-arranging funeral services can be done regardless of the final disposition. Pre-arranging is simply recording your wishes with the funeral home and prefunding if you choose to do so.

• Advance Directives - If the deceased left any written advance directives concerning the disposition of his remains and memorialization, you need to bring them with you. These instructions may be found in a will, or there may be a formally witnessed disposition directive, funeral pre-arrangements, or a pre-need contract.
• Military Discharge Papers
• Details on any cemetery property owned by the deceased or the family (grave plot, columbarium space, etc.)
• Recent photograph of the deceased and any personal effects that you wish to be included in the viewing or burial
• Specific information on the deceased: 
•     Full legal name
•     Address
•     Marital status
•     Social Security number
•     Date of birth
•     Place of birth (city and state)
•     Educational history (number of years of schooling)
•     Armed Forces service dates and serial number
•     Occupation or profession
•     Parent's names, including mother's maiden name
•     Next of kin and other survivors

Publishing an obituary notice that announces the passing and details about the upcoming service is beneficial for friends and the community. Such notices can be placed in local newspapers or on the Internet.

We are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All you need to do is place a call to us at (870) 425-6978. If you request immediate assistance, one of our professionals will be there within the hour. If the family wishes to spend a short time with the deceased to say goodbye, it's acceptable. Then they will come when your time is right.

Embalming serves several important purposes: it sanitizes and conserves the body, slows down the natural decomposition process, and improves the appearance of a body that may have been affected by a traumatic incident or illness. This preservation technique also extends the period between death and the final arrangements, offering family members the time they need to organize and take part in a service that brings them the most comfort. Additionally, embalming allows loved ones the option to view the deceased if they desire, providing significant emotional support, especially for those struggling to cope with the loss.

Understandably, embalming is not always required. However, certain factors such as time constraints, health considerations, and legal mandates can make embalming either suitable or necessary. It's important to be aware that in cases where the deceased is being transported by air to another country, compliance with local laws may necessitate embalming as a prerequisite.

Certainly, cremation provides an alternative to traditional earth burial or entombment for the final disposition of the body. It's worth noting that cremation often follows a traditional funeral service. We are here to provide you with the essential information for arranging either a funeral with cremation following or a memorial service, according to your preferences.

Absolutely, cremation does not exclude the possibility of having a visitation period and a funeral service. It's important to understand that cremation is just one of the available options for the final disposition of the body, and families can still choose to have traditional services and gatherings as part of the process.

Yes, but not dramatically.

Similar to other open spaces, cemeteries are affected by rising population density in both urban and rural areas. Cemetery plots are a limited resource, and as a result, they are in high demand in certain regions.

"Perpetual Care" typically refers to the more accurate terms "Permanent Care" or "Endowment Care." These funds are collected with each Interment Space sale and are designated for the ongoing maintenance of the cemetery grounds, roads, and buildings.

Certainly, we can present you with a diverse array of personalization options, including tailor-made nameplates and military insignias to honor your loved one's unique identity and achievements.

Yes, we offer urn vaults, designed for in-ground burial of cremated remains.

Cremating multiple bodies simultaneously is not permissible due to legal restrictions, and most contemporary cremation chambers lack the capacity to accommodate more than one adult at a time. Consequently, attempting such a process would be practically unfeasible.

Indeed, our cutting-edge cremation facility is designed to facilitate the presence of family members during the placement of the body into the cremation chamber. In fact, certain religious traditions incorporate this practice as an integral part of their funeral customs.

Embalming is not mandatory for burial; it is entirely optional and depends on various factors. The choice may hinge on considerations such as whether there will be a public viewing with an open casket, the desire to improve the appearance for a private family viewing, transportation requirements (such as air or rail transport), or the length of time before the burial takes place.

In the majority of regions across the country, there are no state or local mandates necessitating the purchase of a container to encase the casket within the grave. Nevertheless, numerous cemeteries do mandate the use of such a container to prevent ground sinking. Both a grave liner or a burial vault can fulfill these specific cemetery requirements.

Mausoleum crypts provide a clean and dry alternative for individuals who have reservations about being buried in the ground. Additionally, given the increasing scarcity of land available for cemeteries, mausoleums offer a practical solution by allowing a maximum number of entombments in a relatively compact space.

A columbarium, often located within a mausoleum, chapel, or in a garden setting, is constructed with numerous small compartments (niches) designed to hold urns containing cremated remains.