Funeral Checklist

It often may be difficult to remember all that must be done for the funeral. A few items that may need to be addressed quickly are:

• Make appointment with Kohn Funeral Home by calling (618) 662-6165 or toll free at (855) 662-6165. We can help coordinate arrangements with the cemetery. Some information to complete the State vital statistic requirements should be collected:
  
• Birth Date
• 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, including age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, college degrees, memberships held, military service , outstanding work , list of survivors in immediate family. Give 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.
  
• Coordinate the supplying of food for the next several days.
  
• Consider special need of the household, such as cleaning , etc., which might be done by friends.
  
• Arrange for child care, if necessary.
  
• Arrange hospitality for visiting relatives and friends.
  
• Select pallbearers and notify the funeral home. (Avoid anyone with heart or back difficulties, or make them honorary pallbearers).
  
• Plan for disposition of flowers after funeral (church, hospital or rest home.)
  
• Prepare list of distant persons to be notified by letter and/or printed notice, and decide which to send to each.
  
• Prepare list of persons to receive acknowledgments of flowers, calls, etc. Send appropriate acknowledgments (can be written note, printed acknowledgments, or some of each). Include "thank you's" to those who have given their time as well.
  
• Funeral Director will prepare Social Security Form SSA 721. Check with Social Security to see that number is retired.