Cherokee Memorial Park and Funeral Home: What to Do

Immediate Need - Help

Let us guide you through the process of what to do next when a death occurs. Who do you call? What is my next step?

Our friendly and compassionate staff is here to help.

What To Do When Death Occurs

Ask us what to do next. Our professionally trained staff is here to help you with the important decisions at this difficult time. Cherokee Memorial Park & Funeral Home is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to help guide you through this process.

When a death occurs call Cherokee Memorial Funeral Home at (209) 334-9613 or (209) 944-9898.

Our compassionate Funeral Home staff will ask for:

The full name of the deceased.
The name and address of the facility where the death occurred.
The name and phone number of the next-of-kin.

During business hours we will arrange an appointment for you to finalize the arrangements of your loved one.

Several items of information are required for the California Death Certificate. You may wish to bring this information in with you to simplify the process. Fill in the fields ahead of time directly on this page and print it or print the form blank and write in the information by hand. Select "File" from the above menu to print this page.

This will make the information gathering process easier for you and your loved ones.

If you have any questions about this process, please feel free to call us and one of our friendly staff can assist you.

Click here for the Vitals Information Sheet PDF

During the appointment you will be guided through the details of the funeral arrangement. In order to complete the necessary arrangements we will ask you to bring in some items and personal information. These items will include:

The Vital Statistics Sheet. (see above)
Clothing for the deceased. For men, socks, underwear and t-shirt and outer-clothing reflective of your loved one's life style. We prefer shirts with long sleeves and a collar.
For women, stockings or socks, undergarments and outer-clothing reflective of your loved ones life style. We highly encourage three quarter to full length sleeves on blouses or dresses and no low cut tops.
Shoes are not necessary.
Eye Glasses, dentures, prosthesis, jewelry
Veteran's discharge papers or DD-214.
Pre-arrangement paperwork (if applicable). The funeral home will assist you in determining the number of copies of the death certificates that you will need and will order them for you.
Obituary information, including a photo, age, place of birth, cause of death, occupation, college degrees, memberships held, military service, outstanding work and a list of survivors in the immediate family. Include the time and place of the funeral services. The funeral home will usually write the obituary and submit it to the newspaper(s).
Decide on an appropriate charity, if applicable, to which gifts may be made (church, hospice, library, organization, school).
Select pallbearers (customary number six). (People with heart or back difficulties may be named honorary pallbearers).
Favorite Bible verse or poem (The funeral home has a large selection to choose from).
Other items: Bible, rosary, music CD of favorite songs.

Come into our office at the cemetery and let our understanding Cemetery Family Counselors guide you through either the purchase of new cemetery property or to complete the necessary steps in finalizing your existing pre-arrangements.

Important things to remember

Make a list of family, friends and business colleagues, and notify each by phone. You may wish to use a "branching" system: make a few phone calls to other relatives or friends and ask each of them to make a phone call or two to specific people.

Arrange for family members and/or close friends to take turns answering the door or phone. Keeping a careful record of visitors and flower deliveries will make it easier to thank people later on.

Over the next few days . . .

If Social Security checks are deposited automatically, notify the bank of the death.
Coordinate the food supply in your home for the next several days.
Delegate special needs of the household, such as cleaning, food preparation, etc., to friends and family who offer their help.
Arrange for child-care, if necessary.
Arrange hospitality for visiting relatives and friends.
Plan for the disposition of flowers after the funeral (to a church, hospital or rest home).
Prepare a list of distant friends and relatives to be notified by letter and/or printed notice.
Prepare a list of people to receive acknowledgments of flowers, calls, etc. Send appropriate acknowledgments, which may be a written note, printed acknowledgments, or both. Include a thank you to those who have given their time, as well.
Notify insurance companies of the death.
Locate the will and notify the lawyer and executor.
Carefully check all life and casualty insurance and death benefits, including Social Security, credit union, trade union, fraternal, and military. Check on possible income for survivors from these sources.
Check promptly on all debts and installment payments, including credit cards. Some may carry insurance clauses that will cancel them. If there is to be a delay in meeting payments, consult with creditors and ask for more time before the payments are due.
If the deceased was living alone, notify the utility companies and landlord and tell the post office where to send the mail.