Arrange a Funeral Ceremony on the Mid North Coast
Important Funeral Considerations
A Funeral Ceremony is an important time to remember and say your final goodbyes to a family member, friend or acquaintance who has passed away. At Mid Coast Funeral and Cremation Service, we take the uncertainty and anxiety out of planning funeral arrangements, giving you more time to grieve and heal at your own pace.
When planning a funeral ceremony, there are a number of key things to be considered:
- Will there be a service?
- Where will it be held?
- When will it be held?
- How will it be conducted?
- Who will be speaking?
- What are the key things that need to occur before, during and after the ceremony
We assist by working with you or anyone who will be leading the ceremony. If you don’t have someone to facilitate the ceremony, we can provide options for you. Call us today at
(02) 6584 1233 to find out more. We offer our services in
Port Macquarie,
Wauchope,
Lake Cathie,
Forster
and surrounding areas.
Dedicated Assistance
Personalised Services
Tailored Funeral Options
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do when someone passes away suddenly or in an accident?
If a loved one dies accidentally or suddenly, the police and emergency services will be the first people contacted.
Often, a coroner is responsible to officially determine the cause of death.
In the meantime, determine if a pre-paid or pre-arranged funeral was planned.
If so, contact the funeral director holding the planned documents, and they will support you in processing the wishes of your loved one. If not, then you may contact us, and we will determine an appropriate time to meet with you and arrange the funeral.
Once the coroner has completed their report, your loved one will be transferred into our care. If no coroner is involved, we can transfer into our care once we have your signed and authorised approval, and Doctor certification.
What do I do when someone passes away at home?
If a loved one passes away at home, please contact your doctor, and if it was unexpected, also contact the emergency services, then call us on 02 6584 1233.
If the passing was expected, the doctor will write out a certificate. We can then be contacted and we will arrange, at your convenience, to transfer your loved one into our care.
Either at the initial contact with us or during the transfer, we will determine an appropriate time to arrange the funeral together with one of our caring staff.
If the passing was unexpected, then your loved one will most likely be transported to a coroner, who may be required to do an examination and write a report determining the cause of death.
Once the coroner has completed the report, your loved one will be transferred into our care.
We will determine an appropriate time for one of our caring staff to meet with you to arrange the funeral or memorial service.
What do I do when someone passes away in hospital?
Call us on (02) 6584 1233.
You will need to contact us and inform us when you are okay for a transfer to be made.
Having spoken with the family, we organise and ensure the correct paperwork is completed in order to arrange the transfer of your loved one into our care.
Once the relevant hospital paperwork, including a certificate signed by the doctor is ready, and we have a signed authorisation from the family, we will transfer your loved one into our care.
One of our team will contact you to determine a time and location to meet and make arrangements for the funeral.
What do I do when someone passes away at a nursing home?
Upon entry into a nursing home, it is usual for the resident or family to nominate a funeral home of their choice.
At the time of passing, the family will be the first to be notified and informed by the home. The nursing staff, with the approval of the family, will contact us if we were the nominated funeral home.
We will arrange the transfer of your loved one into our care at a time of your convenience.
If you have not contacted us, we will make contact to determine a time to arrange the relevant details for a funeral or memorial service.
Who needs to be notified?
There are some institutions that we will inform of a passing, but the following ones may need to be contacted by or on behalf of the next of kin or estate executor:-
Department of Transport
Superannuation companies
Public Trustee
Solicitor
Accountant
Insurance companies (Life, accident, home and contents, vehicle)
Doctor, dentist, optometrist, chemist (return unused medication)
Electoral office
Health Benefits funds
Clubs, organisations, associations
Home nursing service
Post office
Local government authorities
Executor
Home delivery services
Who do we notify on your behalf?
With your permission and on your behalf, we will inform the following institutions or people of the passing of your loved one: –
Media – newspapers, radio etc
Centrelink
Medicare
Births, Deaths and Marriages
Minister or celebrant
Funeral service location
RSL, and/or other clubs and associations
What we arrange on your behalf?
Service day and time
Service location
Floral arrangements
Music
Photos
Order of Service
Clergy or celebrant
How do I write a eulogy?
Our suggested topics include:-
When and where was the deceased born
Nicknames, or names, known to others
Parent’s names
Brothers and sisters
Early childhood
Localities and interests
Schools attended, awards gained
Academic or trade qualifications and achievements
Some interesting items or stories about childhood days
Details of any war or military service
Details of marriage, divorce, children, significant relationships
Club memberships or positions held
Sporting or community achievements
Hobbies, interests, travel, crafts etc
Preferences, likes, dislikes
Activities – music, theatre etc
Special stories, sayings, qualities that are significant to others
Special readings, music or poetry may be included
Is there a funeral check-list I can use to help me plan the funeral?
Yes, we have a list available to cover many of the aspects of a service, this is provided to our clients.
While not all will be either relevant or appropriate to your particular celebration of life, they may prompt you in certain directions.
There is no right or wrong way to either conduct a service or criteria required for content or activities included in a service.
There is flexibility for you to ensure a dignified and honouring farewell.
The Key Events of a Funeral
In most cases, the key events of a funeral include the folllowing:
- The announcement of the death
- Setting the date for the funeral
- The invitation to the funeral ceremony
- The ceremony
- The burial
- The post-funeral wake
When we commence guiding you through this process, we will advise on ideas and options to support you in making this a celebration of the person who has passed away.
Ceremony Options: You can find out more about our various funeral options here.
Post Ceremony - The Wake: After the service, one of the most important aspects in remembering a loved one is to gather together for refreshments, drinks, and story-telling.
There are many options available to you, including having it catered at a private location (residence) or gathering at a venue (which can be either catered or guests pay their own way) for a celebration and reflection.
