Your first step is to contact Ryan Funeral Home. They are here to guide you and your family through your loss, helping coordinate personalized funeral arrangements to honor your loved one with dignity, respect, and compassion.

If the death occurred at home or another location without anyone present, you must first contact emergency medical or law enforcement personnel to identify the cause of death for legal documentation before the deceased can be moved. The authorities will then notify the funeral home directly.

If the death occurred in a nursing home, hospital, or hospice care, the facility will notify Ryan Funeral Home. Otherwise, a Medical Examiner or appropriate authorities will notify the funeral home.

After receiving notification of the death, a Funeral Director from Ryan Funeral Home will contact the family to schedule a meeting to discuss final arrangements. Below is a checklist to help you prepare for that meeting:

• Decide on the location, date, and time for the visitation, funeral, and/or memorial service.

• Plan meaningful features: keepsakes, photos, readings, poems, prayers, songs, hymns, pallbearers, favorite flowers, or colors. Reflect on the deceased’s preferences.

• For burial, confirm the cemetery and verify if a plot or headstone is already arranged.

• Plan the Celebration of Life or luncheon, including location, timing, and menu.

• Consider the obituary. Ryan Funeral Home can assist in writing it, submitting it to your chosen publications, and scanning and returning your selected photo.

Optional information can include age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, education, memberships or affiliations, volunteer work, military service, personal traits, list of surviving family members, and those that were preceded in death. Include time and place of services. 

You may also consider choosing an appropriate memorial to which monetary gifts may be made in lieu of flowers. (I.e., charity/association, church, hospice, library, or school).

Ryan Funeral Homes will assist you in determining the number of copies of the death certificates you will need and can order them for you. The information you will need to provide includes Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Father’s name (including middle initial), Mother’s name (including middle initial and maiden name), Social Security Number, Years of Education, and Industry/Occupation.

If there is eligibility for Veteran’s Services, you will need a copy of the Veteran’s Discharge Paperwork (DD-214) or Claim Number. The funeral home can assist with arranging the desired Veteran’s Honors services.

The funeral home will notify Social Security. The family will need to contact Social Security to schedule a time to meet with them directly. If Social Security checks are automatically deposited, it is recommended to notify the bank of the death as well.

Make a list of immediate family, close friends, employers, and business colleagues who will need to be notified. Determine who will be responsible for notifying these individuals.

We also recommend arranging for members of family or close friends to take turns answering the door or phone, keeping a careful record of calls.