Lawton Ritter Gray Funeral Home

Pick up the deceased and transport the body to the funeral home (anytime day or night) 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 embalm the deceased body, if necessary Prepare the body for viewing including dressing and cosmetizing Assist the family with funeral arrangements and purchase of casket, urn, burial vault and cemetery plot 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 police 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

The funeral home will help coordinate arrangements with the cemetery. Bring the following information to complete the State vital statistic requirements: ✓ Birthplace ✓ Father's Name ✓ Mother's Name ✓ Social Security Number ✓ Veteran's Discharge or Claim Number ✓ 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 by phone. 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.