Preplanning funerals at funeral homes in Clinton Charter Township, MI is one of the best and most caring gifts people can leave with their families when they die. At least 125 decisions must be made when a person dies, and the time to make those decisions is compressed into a very short space of time.

Your family will be in shock – even if your death was expected – and grieving when you die. They will be on emotional overload, which will impact their ability to function normally just to get through the day. Having to plan a funeral from start to finish on top of what they’re already dealing with will increase the stress your family is already under.

The best gift that you can leave with your family is to preplan your own funeral. Document everything and make sure your family is aware of your funeral plans.

Start preplanning your funeral by making an appointment with the funeral home. The funeral director will help guide you through the process of making sure that all 125-plus decisions are covered.

There are some broad areas that need to be addressed up front. One area is whether you want to be cremated or buried. If you have decided to be cremated, you’ll need to decide whether you want to be cremated with no service (your family can arrange for a memorial service after the cremation) or to have a funeral service before you’re cremated.

Next, you’ll need to decide what you want done with your remains (cremains) after cremation. They can be returned to the family, buried, or stored in a columbarium (a specially-designed structure that has slots where urns can be stored and that are marked with gravestone).

If you want a burial, you’ll need to choose a cemetery and purchase a plot. If you have a spouse, you may want to go ahead get two plots side by side. If you and your spouse will be buried side by side, you can purchase a double headstone and have both names engraved with birth dates. You can also have the headstone placed on the cemetery plots in advanced. The dates of death will be engraved when they occur for a nominal cost.

Next, you’ll need to choose the type of casket you want to be buried in. Most cemeteries require that the caskets be placed in vaults, so that the grounds of the cemetery don’t cave as heavy equipment moves over them. The funeral director can assist you with determining whether a vault is required.

If you want a funeral service before cremation or burial, the funeral director can help you plan out the service, including what type of service you want and where you want it to be held. If you’d like a reception after the funeral service, the funeral home can help with catering ideas from a full meal to light snacks and beverages like coffee, tea, juice, and water.

Another part of funeral preplanning is to provide the funeral home with all your vital information, such as your date of birth, your city of birth, your occupation, etc. The funeral home will keep this on file and use it to complete the death certificate.

A final part of funeral preplanning is to prepare a contact list. These are the people who should be notified of your death. Include full names, relationship to you, phone numbers, and email addresses. Don’t forget to include a contact person at your place of employment.

If you want to learn more about preplanning funerals at funeral homes in Clinton Charter Township, MI, our compassionate and experienced staff at Lee-Ellena Funeral Home can help. You can come by our funeral home at 46530 Romeo Plank Rd., Macomb, MI, 48044 or you can contact us today at (586) 412-8999.