Arranging

Chances are, within the first 24-48 hours of your loved one’s death, you will need to meet with a funeral director to begin the final arrangements. While you could choose to meet with us, you could also decide to meet with another funeral provider. Either way, the following information will help you prepare for what is often called “the arrangement conference.”

Without a doubt, this is a difficult time for you and your loved ones. Yet, it’s comforting to know Evergreen Cremation Centre’s staff will be there to do their utmost to make this difficult time a little bit easier. The Funeral Director will guide you in making all the necessary decisions. It’s good to know you are not alone.

Perhaps you’d like another member of the family to come along with you, or maybe you’d rather have a friend or close neighbor join you. While it’s not necessary to bring someone with you, it can be very beneficial for moral and emotional support.

 Please don’t hesitate to ask someone to join you. 

It’s important to know exactly who is legally responsible for making the final decisions for a loved one. The Cremation, Interment and Funeral Services Act, states that: 

1. The right of a person to control the disposition of the human remains or cremated remains vests in, and devolves on, the following persons in order of priority: 

a. the personal representative names in the will of the deceases (executor) 

b. the spouse of the deceased 

c. an adult child of the deceased 

d. an adult grandchild of the deceased 

e. if the deceased was a minor, a person who was a legal guardian of the person for the deceased at the date of death; 

f. a parent of the deceased 

g. an adult sibling of the deceased 

The person designated as the responsible party, whoever they may be, needs to be present to make decisions, and sign documents. If you have questions about the accepted kinship-related order of precedence, or are unclear as to who is the responsible person in funeral planning, please contact us by email or phone.

While assigning responsibility is an important part of funeral planning, it’s also very important to include any children, friends, or other family who would like to be a part of arranging the funeral. Despite the fact that they may not have any legal decision-making rights, their input could be very valuable to the process.

Assisting in making the final arrangement decisions can be very empowering, and help someone come to terms with the loss. If there are people in your life who you feel should be asked to participate, make sure you ask them. They can always decline.

Life and death are full of legalities. When a loved one dies, it is not just an emotional matter for those left behind; it is a legal one which requires the timely completion of paperwork. The Funeral Director will tell you that the first step in caring for your loved one involves completing, and filing, the Death Certificate and Cremation permit.

These documents need to be completed as accurately as possible and if you are not prepared with the necessary information, then most of your initial meeting will be spent retrieving this information.

To assist the funeral home in preparing all the necessary documents, it’s helpful to bring some of the following things with you:

• Deceased's Birth Certificate
  
• Deceased's Marriage Certificate
  
• Deceased's Social Insurance Number
  
• Deceased’s BC Care Card
  
• Deceased’s Driver’s license / Government issued Identification Card
  
• Deceased’s Pass Port
  
• Deceased's Funeral pre-arrangements documents (if available)
  
• Last Will and Testament and any Codicils
  

If you’ve got questions about the legal documents you should bring with you, please contact us.