What to Do When Death Occurs

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There are few things in life more traumatic than the death of a family member. Most people are not totally prepared to know exactly what should be done or the sequence to do them in. This section will offer some thoughts on what to do.

An Unanticipated Death

If a seizure or accident or foul play occurs ... call 911 immediately! Give the address of the scene, telephone number you are at, name of the victim, your name and any other pertinent information. The police and emergency service personnel will determine the appropriate steps to take, depending upon the situation. In the case of a non-suspicious death of an apparently healthy individual, the police will call the State Medical Examiner's Office for instructions.

If the victim had been under a physician's care the Medical Examiner can release the deceased to a funeral home. In all cases, the Medical Examiner has the right to order an autopsy. However, many times it only requires that the M.E.'s office check with the physician and the family before a release is approved. We then can take charge of the deceased for transfer to the funeral home.

General Guidelines

Regardless of when and where a death occurs, the family should call us as soon as possible at (800) 994-7600. Our phone is answered by a member of our full time staff at all times, 24 hours every day. Many times we can offer help, suggestions or answer questions to relieve anxiety. We will ask some specific questions, such as the name of the deceased, the place of death, the name of the person calling, their relation to the deceased, their phone number and any other information they would like to provide. If you want to tell us about any service that you desire or information that you need, we will help in any way possible. Finally, we will set up a convenient time for an appointment to complete all arrangements.

An Anticipated Death in a Healthcare Facility

When a death occurs in a hospital or nursing home, there is little the family needs to do immediately, except to call us. The medical staff at the healthcare facility will pronounce the death and sign the Death Certificate. We will be in contact with the facility about releasing the deceased to us. Although some healthcare facilities will call the funeral home on behalf of the family, this is the exception rather than the rule. They may encounter another emergency or patient need that delays notification. To be safe, it is best that the family calls us directly at (800) 994-7600.

An Anticipated Death at Home

Many people with a debilitating terminal illness want to die at home in more familiar surroundings with family close by. When a death occurs outside of a healthcare facility, the first step would be to call the attending physician who cared for the individual or the hospice or visiting registered nurse in charge. One of them must come to the home to pronounce the death. If neither of them can come, then we must call the M. E.'s Office for approval before the deceased in transferred. Once the pronouncement has been made, no matter what time of day, we will come to the home to take charge of the deceased. Once you have called the physician, your next call should be to us at (800) 994-7600. Let us be of help.

When Death Occurs Out of Town

Wherever the death occurs, call us immediately at (800) 994-7600. There is no need to call an unknown funeral director in a place that you might be unfamiliar with. We can act as your agent, with resulting savings, through a network of participating funeral homes. We will handle all of the details and arrange transportation. Only if you plan to have services or visitation in the town where death occurred and you know a local funeral home, should you call them directly. We will certainly cooperate with them for transportation and services locally.

Consider Advanced Arrangements

Many times an elderly person will move out-of-town to be with a family member, but they still desire to be returned "home" for funeral services. We frequently meet with the family prior to the move to plan for an eventuality. We begin the process of gathering information and discussing services. In this way, the family is not overwhelmed or unprepared at the time of death. Everyone knows what to do and who will do it. To begin the process, simply give us a call at (800) 994-7600. We will record your requests and keep them on file. Call us at (800) 994-7600 or e-mail us at info@petkusfuneralhomes.com for details. You can also start the process by filling out our online pre-planning form.

What to Do

When a death occurs, there a many thing that you will need to do. Here is a list of suggestions to help you.
Contact our funeral home. We are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Then, provide us with:

• Your name
  
• The name of the deceased
  
• The current location of the deceased
  (if at a hospital or nursing home, give city/town and state. If at home, give address and telephone number.)
  
• Your relationship to the deceased
  
• Your telephone number
  
• The name of the next of kin, and whether or not they've been notified
  
• The phone number of the next of kin

Whom to Notify

When a death occurs, there is a need to notify many individuals. Our list might not conform to your priorities, but we hope it will be helpful.

• The physician (depending on where death occurred)
  
• Your immediate family (certainly those close by)
  
• Petkus & Son (we are available 24 hour a day )
  
• Your clergyperson (many like to be notified ASAP)
  
• Other relatives and close friends
  
• Your attorney

Personal Items to Bring With You to the Funeral Home

• Photograph, taken within the last 2-3 years
• Dentures, glasses
• Suit, shirt, tie, underwear for a man (shoes optional)
• Dress or suit, blouse, underclothing for a woman (shoes optional)
• Jewelry and religious items
• Family pictures to be displayed during the visitation
• Songs or scripture reading for the funeral service (If used in a church, must be approved by clergy)

General Information on Chicago Death Notices

(Chicago newspapers charge per line of text in the notice to be posted.)
Provide next of kin: spouse (nee maiden name), children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, parents, brothers and sisters, etc.

Obituaries in Local Newspapers (Some papers have a fee)

Additional Items Requested:
Age, year of residence and name of town, place of death, date and place of birth, school and military information, church and community associations, and employment history.
Visitation - Place - Day - Time
Name of Clergy - Place of Burial
Offerings or donations to: (include address)