Dealing with death – the people you need call
- Written by News Company
The death of a parent or loved one is never an easy thing to deal with. Emotions run high there are feelings of sadness in the air. There is also a lot that has to be done. As much as you might just want to grieve and remember the person that you have lost, the death brings with a load of administration and organization, which for most people, is nothing that they have ever experienced before. So, what is it that has to be done and who needs to be consulted? As much as it is not a position you ever want to go through, it is better to be prepared for when it does happen. With that in mind, here are a few key people you will need to reach to and work with following the death of a parent or loved one.
The law
The passing of a person needs to be dealt with from a legal perspective. Not just in terms of letting it be known tat they are dead, but more specifically in terms of what happens to their possessions and their debt. Death is not a free for all asset stripping exercise and neither is it an escape for the deceased from the debts and commitments to the living. If the deceased hasn’t already appointed one, the best placed to start is with finding a lawyer. A simple online search for something like ‘probate lawyers Portland’ should be enough to bring about results for experts in your area. Meet with the options and appoint somebody to help act as the executor of the will.
Religion
Almost all deaths are marked by some type of service. Traditionally this is a religious service, although for those who are not religious there still tends to be a memorial service of some sort. These services are opportunities for closure, and they are as much for the people left behind as they are to honour the memory of the deceased. Different religions deal with death differently and it is important to bear this in mind following a death. Muslims and Jews bury their dead on the same day of their passing, so there is a need to move quickly here, while Christian services can often take a long time to happen.
The press
It is much less of a thing now than it used to be, but death announcements in the newspaper are still done. Once a person has passed on there is some degree of obligation to let their friends and colleagues know what has happened. People lose touch but that doesn’t mean that they haven’t touched other’s lives. It is not always possible, nor is the inclination there, to tell everyone about the passing. Announcing it in the newspaper or posting it on Facebook are good ways to announce funeral details and get the word out.
Funeral director
As much as the funeral or memorial service will be organized by the church, there is still a need to make plans to move and dispose of the body. In this regard you will need to liaise with funeral directors to ensure that the burial is done in accordance with the deceased’s wishes.