Many factors are involved in planning a funeral, cremation or memorial service that you will need to think about in order to complete your arrangements. The first step is to establish an appointment at the funeral home to discuss the type of service that you and your family prefer and to plan arrangements and details.

The following information addresses many of the questions that frequently arise when making funeral, cremation, memorial or pre-planning arrangements.

The importance of a Funeral or Memorial Service

History has shown societies have honored their dead through ceremonies for the purpose of properly sending them on their journey into the next life. Today, psychologists and other experts agree that such ceremonies and rituals benefit those left behind who must reconstruct their lives following their loss.

Before family and friends can fully adjust to their loss, however, it is important that they first express their grief in meaningful ways. The funeral or memorial service provides the opportunity to do just that.

Why think about funerals now?

At the time of death, it is common for those making the funeral arrangements to question whether they are making the right decisions and honoring the wishes of the deceased. The only exception is when a funeral has been pre-planned by an individual, stating his or her wishes concerning the service, memorialization and final resting place. By pre-planning, not only can a person specify options in advance of need, but the family is relieved of having to make these important decisions. We will explain further options under Pre-arranged Funerals.

Planning the Funeral or Memorial Service

Clark Associates Funeral Home is available to service you 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and will be available to help you immediately when a death occurs. The first service of a funeral home staff will be to transfer the diseased to the funeral home where our Licensed Funeral Directors will provide the appropriate services and guidance needed.
The process of planning a funeral or memorial service itself usually begins by meeting with the Funeral Director. At this meeting – referred to as an arrangements conference – we present our general price list and listen to the family’s preferences to help plan a service that will truly reflect the life of the diseased. The funeral director will explain the details involved in planning the service, and discuss the various options.

Among these preparations, the Funeral Director will help you……

• Decide the time, structure and aspects of the visitation and/or service;
• Coordinate with the clergy and/or fraternal orders;
• Place the obituary and death notice in the newspaper;
• Select the appropriate merchandise, such as casket, urn or vault;
• Obtain necessary paperwork, including the death certificate; and
• Arrange motor vehicle for transportation and the procession.

Location of a Funeral or Memorial Service?

A funeral or memorial service can take place in a funeral home, church other location or at gravesite, as directed by the family or as pre-arranged by the deceased. Regardless of the chosen location, our funeral home has the knowledge, personnel and means to fulfill the requirements of any family’s faith or traditions.

Personalization is available

Many families are tailoring a funeral or memorial service to reflect the personality or life of the deceased. Prayers and remembrances offered by family and friends, favorite music, treasured belongings, photos and mementoes, items from a hobby, or awards can play a role in making the final tribute fitting and meaningful. Audio/visual effects have become more common, adding a unique dimension to a service. Such tributes also can shift emphasis from the circumstances of the death to memories of a life lived.

What disposition choices are available?

A majority of funerals in North America conclude with earth burial. Purchases made for this option generally include a casket, vault, cemetery plot, and headstone or grave marker.
Another choice is cremation. People choose cremation for a verity of reasons, including environmental concerns, personal preference, flexibility, religious beliefs, changing family surroundings and traditions. Cremation is not intended to replace the elements of the traditional funeral; it is simply an alternative to earth burial or entombment. Accompanying services can range from the most traditional with full visitation and memorial service to cremation with minimal services.

Above-ground entombment is provided in mausoleums, buildings designed and maintained to house remains. Mausoleums are especially popular in certain religions of North America. The availability and price ranges form mausoleum crypts vary depending on geographic location.

Burial Site

Often, a family plot exists where husbands, wives, brothers and sisters can be buried together. If a burial site has yet to be selected, Clark Associates Funeral Home can provide information on cemeteries and their requirements. Some cemeteries require families to visit their property to sign authorization forms and make financial arrangements.

Clergy

We will arrange with your clergy person to conduct the funeral or memorial service on your behalf. If you are not affiliated with a member of the clergy but would like one involved in the service, we will contact one for you.

It is common for a member of the clergy to lead the memorial or funeral and graveside service, and offer support to family and friends. What is most important is that the process has special meaning for those closest to the deceased, regardless of the service options chosen. If the person being honored was active in a church, it is fitting for the clergy to be an important part of the funeral. If the deceased had little or no church affiliation, however, it may be more appropriate to have a few friends or family members conduct a non-denominational service and share thoughts with those attending the service.

Clothing

The selection of clothing to dress the deceased for burial or visitation is a personal decision. When choosing the clothing, keep in mind that women’s clothing should have high necklines and long sleeves. Men’s clothing also should be long-sleeved and should have close fitting collars. Although neck ties are not necessary, they can be worn by the deceased. You should include undergarments, as well as slippers. Shoes are not usually worn.
We also have available Linen shrouds for both men and women.

Flowers

Friends and relatives often send flowers as a way of expressing their sympathy and offering support to family and close friends. As floral tributes arrive, we will take care of receiving and arranging them for the visitation, funeral or memorial service.

Memorial Donations

In memoriam some families prefer a donation to a favorite cause or charitable group in memory of the deceased. A memorial fund also can be initiated, especially if the deceased had minor children or a dependent with a disability. In these cases, the family will inform those offering support that “Memorial gifts can be made in memory of (the deceased) to (charity, fund or organization).”

Merchandise

Merchandise and services provided by our funeral home will be itemized, allowing you to choose from a complete list of items at various prices.
You will know exactly what each item costs, making it easier to select the merchandise and service appropriate for you and your family.
During the arrangement conference, we will discuss various types of merchandise with the family, such as caskets or urns, outside containers and appropriate stationary. Many cemeteries require an outside burial container or vault to prevent the grave from settling. The funeral director can answer your questions about quality, construction or price of the merchandise and the many options available to you.
We offer a full selection of funeral merchandise including caskets, alternative containers, urns, outer burial containers, stationary and burial shrouds.
Our selection includes traditional burial caskets of wood or metal. We also have available a full line of Jewish heritage all wood constructed caskets with rabbinate approval.
The alternative containers and environmentally conscious wood cremation caskets are also immediately available.
There are no delivery charges to our funeral home and most caskets and alternative containers are available immediately or on a daily schedule.
These caskets and containers are manufactured in the United States and are of the highest quality.

Caskets and Outer Burial Containers

A casket should be selected keeping in mind how the deceased lived and finances available. No family should go beyond their means. The casket is certainly not the funeral and our complete services are provided no matter what casket is selected. A price list will be shown to you prior to your selection. Our alternative containers and caskets range from $ 90 to $ 8100.

Outer Burial Containers or Vaults are requires by several cemeteries in our area. This lessens the care of filling sunken graves and allowing a burial to be made years afterward next to that vault with no disturbance to that grave. We have a complete range of concrete containers and Burial vaults in our selection rooms to meet all cemetery requirements and family preference. These containers start at $750.
The price of these alternative containers and caskets starts at $90.
We have a selection of permanent cremation urns. The cremated remains are returned to our funeral home in a temporary tin or plastic box.
Most families select a permanent urn. These start at $275
Our shrouds and burial clothing start at $95 and our stationary products start at $25.

Pallbearers

Usually, those asked are close relatives and friends of the deceased. Traditionally, six pallbearers are used; however, you may chose as many as you wish. Those selected should be physically capable of lifting without injuring themselves. Honorary pallbearer status can be given to those unable to lift or attend service.

Personal Information

Accurate biographical information is necessary to organize and place the obituary and to file with appropriate government authorities. In preparation, you should review the biographical Record questioner.
If you don’t know some of the answers, please try to find the information. It will help you, your family in document completion. Another way to help us serve you is to have the deceased’s Social Security Number (SSN), and a copy of the discharge if the deceased was a veteran.

Photographs

It will be helpful for preparation purposed to have a recent photograph of the deceased. Please bring the photograph with you, along with the clothing, and jewelry and glasses, to your appointment. The photograph will be returned.

Time of Service

When the time for the service had been determined and confirmed, the funeral home will notify its staff, the clergy member or facilitator performing the service, the chosen cemetery or crematory. Please note that cemetery requirements can effect the times available for services. Their hours vary, as well as their charges.

Visitation

The visitation is a time when family and friends gather to share their grief and to offer support. Visitations precede the funeral or memorial service and can take place at the funeral home or other appropriate venue. The visitation had become an increasingly important way of expressing sympathy. In some cases, more people attend the visitation than the funeral service it self. Visitations are often held during non-working hours, giving friends and family a flexible time-frame in which to offer their support.
During visitation, the casket may be opened for viewing or closed (at the family’s discretion).
Holding a visitation is a personal decision that should be made by you and those involved in planning the service.

Details

Death Certificate

It is the funeral home’s responsibility to file the death certificate with the local registrar of vital statistics. The funeral home also can obtain copies of the death certificate on your behalf if needed. Note that filing and distribution procedures, and the number of certified copies required by different agencies, can vary from state to state.

Social Security/Pension Benefits

The funeral home will notify the local Social Security Administration that death has occurred. Through this administration, numerous benefits, such as Medicare in the
U. S., and survivors’ benefits may be available to you. Your local Social Security can provide additional information.

Veteran Benefits

If the deceased was a veteran, you may qualify for benefits through the U. S. Veterans administration. The Department of Veterans Affairs will provide guidelines to determine available benefits, which can include a flag, a grave marker and in some cases an allowance toward funeral expenses. The local VA will likely be involved in the service, as well.

Checklist

The following checklist will help you remember the items that will be needed at the arrangements conference:

Biographical information
Cemetery/crematory
Clergy/facilitator preference
Clothing
Glasses (if appropriate)
Jewelry
Music preference
Names of pallbearers
Names/relationship of survivors
Recent photograph
Social Security number (U. S.)
VA/DVA discharge (if deceased was a veteran)

Funeral Pre-arrangement and Elder Care Services

What is pre-arrangement?

Pre-arrangement is the planning of funeral services before the need arises, often years before death occurs. A funeral director will record your wishes for the type of service desired, music and flowers, casket selection, people to involve, clergy or religious preferences, veteran considerations, and other details. You and your family then receive a copy of these preferences; the funeral home keeps a copy as well. We suggest keeping these records in a place that surviving family members will be able to access.

Why should I pre-arrange?

Many people decide to pre-arrange funerals to relieve their families of having to make these difficult decisions during their time of grief. Pre-arrangement is also possible for those considering cremation. Pre-paying allows you to eliminate yet another worry for your survivors. If you are interested in pre-arrangement, please discuss it with your family first. We can help you with pre-planning and guaranteed funding options. It is a good idea to let at least one person close to you know about your wishes. This will eliminate any added stress to your loved ones at time of death.

A complete general price list is available upon request. In most situations, funds invested today, in compliance with New York State Law, will be sufficient to cover the total cost of the funeral at time of need.

If you would like to begin the preplanning process please call 914-232-3033 to discuss your wishes.

Funeral Planning

What are my choices?

The total cost of a funeral will depend on the choices made by those responsible for its planning. Those choices can range from the selection of the casket o r urn, to the funeral or memorial service, visitation or wake, clergy fees, or many other options. All these expressions of remembrance should be made freely, after thoughtful review of the many choices available and their associated costs.

These costs fall into three basic categories:

1. Use of the funeral home facilities and equipment
2. Professional services of the funeral home staff
3. The merchandise selected

The assistance given to the family we serve will never be influenced by the amount spent on the funeral. Every family receives unlimited assistance and full attention based on their needs and wishes – regardless of the choices made.

Do I have to pre-pay?

No, although many choose to for a number of reasons. Because pre-financing ensures funds are available when needed, the family’s financial concerns are alleviated, preventing an unnecessary burden at a time of loss. Pre-financing also can help offset inflation, allowing you to guarantee tomorrow’s cost at today’s prices. Additionally, some choose to pre-finance to preserve one’s Medicaid or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) eligibility.

Guarantee

We guarantee the delivery of service and merchandise selected in the Pre-arrangement when paid in full at the signing of the Pre-arranged goods and service statement.
Our guarantee is that the balance including interest in the Pre-financed trust will pay for the funeral selected. If certain merchandise is no longer available it will be replaced with like or better merchandise.
If you would like to begin a preplanned arrangement please call one of our directors at 914-232-3033.

Elder Care Service

At Clark Associates Funeral Home we are able to offer specific insurance products through our general insurance agent.
These products are specifically geared towards senior or elder care.
We have available through a A and M Best A+ Insurance referred New York Company. Through our products we offer, Long Term Health Care, Medicare Supplement and Term or Whole Life Insurance.
These products are presented to assist our client families to prepare a comprehensive program in conjunction to pre-planning their funeral arrangement.

Funeral Pre-Arrangement/Pre-Financed

The master trust we use is F.D.I.C. insured and meet all the standards and is acceptable to the New York State Department of health. Trusts can be revocable or irrevocable. In most cases, they are revocable, meaning that funds can be withdrawn at any time. At the time of death, however, these funds can be paid directly to the funeral home upon presentation of death certificate, assuring that your funeral expenses are taken care of properly.
Often trusts are used to protect an individual’s assets and to solve some estate consequences. For those in nursing homes, for instance, this method helps ensure that funds will be available long after all other finances are depleted, as well as preserve Medicaid or SSI eligibility.

Read more about:

• Pre-Planning
• Cremation and Memorial Planning
• Arrangements and Supervision

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