End-of-Life Services

AARP - How to Write a Memorable Obituary

"Pay tribute to the little and big things that made your loved one special."

"Carl Reiner, the legendary comedy writer, producer, director and performer, told CBS Sunday Morning in 2015 that the first thing he does in the morning before he has coffee is read the obituaries. “If I'm not in there, I know that I'm alive,” he said."

An informative article from AARP on how to tackle writing an obituary. Most of us have little or no experience and this article is a good way of pulling it together.

Answers to FAQ about Death Certificates

"Death certificates are the only legal proof of someone’s passing. Closing accounts, probating an estate, and dozens of other necessary tasks would be impossible without them. Get answers to the most frequently asked questions, including how, when, and where they’re issued."

This article prepared by ShareLife addresses many questions about Death Certificates. ShareLife.com is an organization of funeral homes, so the information provided is from the funeral director's perspective.

"It’s everything we do to make your event both personal and unforgettable. Whether we’re prearranging a funeral, planning a life celebration or helping you choose permanent memorialization, ShareLife combines a variety of products, services and options that transform traditional funerals into one-of-a-kind celebrations, making beautiful memories that last a lifetime."

Consumer Reports - The Last Goodbye: How to Plan a Funeral

A complete guide to giving loved ones the right send-off—from traditional services to new green burials from Consumer Reports.

"Many people are embracing a new model for saying goodbye to family members and other loved ones. Cremation, for instance, is growing in popularity, as are environmentally gentle burials and even at-home funeral services."

"And whether these services are traditional or more unusual, there are now more ways than ever to personalize end-of-life arrangements—and to keep them low-cost."

"The key is making some choices well beforehand, which more people appear to be doing. For instance, according to an April 2024 Consumer Reports nationally representative survey (PDF) of 2,042 adults in the U.S., 50 percent said they planned or intended to plan ahead either for their own funeral or for someone else’s."

Check out this July 2024 article for insights on current trends and costs.

J. Warren Funeral Services - Maricopa

At J. Warren Funeral Services, our purpose is to help you honor your loved one after they've passed away, no matter your personal preference, budget, culture, or religion.

Our family-owned funeral home is ready to help you with a variety of services, including funeral planning, onsite cremation, grief counseling, and more.

Our staff is available in Maricopa, AZ to lessen the burden on your family so that you can focus on celebrating your loved one's life and beginning your grief journey. Contact us with any questions you may have regarding our services.

Heritage Casa Grande Funeral Home and Cremation Society of Arizona

Service Options:

Planning a funeral service can be a very difficult process for families who have just lost a loved one. But it’s important to provide those who are grieving with a supportive environment in which they can begin to find closure, say goodbye, and come to terms with the loss.

Gathering with friends and family gives everyone the opportunity to connect, share memories, offer words of sympathy, and create a lasting network of comfort and support as they start the journey toward healing.

Burial Services

There are different services that you can choose for a loved one’s burial, depending upon your individual needs and preferences:

Immediate burial means that your loved one will be buried or entombed without a public service or gathering.

Visitation, also called a viewing, wake, or calling hours, allows family and friends to gather in a room with the departed loved one in an open or closed casket and say goodbye or offer their support and sympathy to the bereaved.

Funeral or memorial services can take place at a funeral home, in a church, or even at your home. The service is a ceremony which serves to celebrate, honor, and remember the life of the deceased. Whether traditional or unique, both the visitation and the funeral service can be personalized to reflect the individuality of your loved one.

Graveside, chapel, or committal services are held at the cemetery, and allow family and friends to be present as their loved one is transferred to his or her final disposition through ground burial.

Cremation Services

The biggest misconception about cremation is that there can't be a funeral service or visitation. This is absolutely not the case, and we encourage you to consider holding a memorial service to celebrate the life of the deceased as well. There are many options open to you when it comes to honoring your loved one's life. After the cremation and memorial services, there are a variety of choices for your loved one's final disposition:

Interment means that you'll bury or entomb your loved one's cremated remains. This can be in a family plot, a memorial site, a cremation niche or urn garden, or in a variety of other indoor and outdoor locations. Ask our staff for a detailed list of interment possibilities.

Graveside services are similar to those celebrated alongside a traditional ground burial, in which loved ones are present at the burial of the cremated remains and honor the deceased through memorial prayers or other meaningful tributes.

Scattering allows you to spread your loved one's cremated remains in a memorial garden, a cemetery, over water, or across any other meaningful site. You also can choose to scatter some of the cremated remains and retain the rest in an urn for interment or another form of disposition.

Placing cremated remains in multiple urns allows family members who are separated by distance to each feel the comfort of having their loved one's final resting place in a nearby location.

Green Burial Services:

For those who want to be more environmentally friendly with their end-of-life decisions, we offer green burial options. This way, you can honor your loved one’s life while reducing their environmental impact. A green burial service may be right for your loved one if they were an avid nature lover, worked in an environmental science field, or were passionate about living an eco-friendly lifestyle.

To learn more about our green burial options, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Afterall - A collective of more than 100+ death care companies.

A collaboration of more than 1,700 death care professionals.
Your partner through the end-of-life experience.

We’re here when you need us,
We’re here however you want us:
At a time of uncertainty, care and credibility.
At a time of grief, comfort and confidence.
At a time when you might not know what step to take next,
we help you put one foot in front of the other,
by providing compassionate guidance and clearly communicating your options.

While Afterall is here for you through a death,
We are focused on honoring life,
The one that has ended
And all of those that continue on.

Afterall provides an extensive repository of very useful end-of-life information and if you need it, a list of professionals who can provide services. Check their website. It is an excellent resource for recommendations on cremation, burial services, memorial services, etc.

Hospice of the Valley Salutes Program

SALUTING OUR VETERANS - Honoring those who served

Hospice of the Valley has specially trained volunteers who have not only served our country in uniform but are committed to saluting our veterans from every generation, who are facing end of life.

OUR SALUTING OUR VETERANS PROGRAM INCLUDES:

. A visit from a volunteer who also is a veteran.
. A special lapel pin honoring the patient’s military service.
. A gift of a flag to the patient’s family.
. Participation in community events recognizing veterans.
. Support from staff trained in issues that could emerge at end of life,
such as post-traumatic stress syndrome.

Volunteers meet with patients, listen and share stories about military service, and confer the special lapel pin and flag gift. Salutes volunteers say family members often say they hear stories about their loved one’s wartime experiences for the first time during a Salutes visit. The trust and camaraderie between fellow military veterans brings comfort to both.

What to do When a Loved One Dies

AARP provides a checklist of the tasks that must be considered and completed when a loved one dies.

What I learned from my Mom's Approach to Death

"My mother had been thinking about her own end of life for as long as I can remember. She’d nursed two parents through long, agonizing final chapters, one with cancer and the other with Parkinson’s. Being such a dutiful caregiver forged a determination in her not to end up like her parents. She was almost militant about “not being a burden” to her three girls at the end."

This 2023 article from AARP provides some insight on grief and coping with the end of life.

Navigating mortality? We'll be your guide - Cake.com

We are the largest end-of-life platform on the internet.

"Join millions of people turning to Cake each month for guidance on death, grief, and mortality. We provide thousands of articles and tools designed to help you learn about and prepare for end-of-life."

Note the following provided by Cake:

"Cake offers its users do-it-yourself online forms to complete their own wills and generalized educational content about wills. We are not attorneys and are not providing you with legal advice. Many users would be better served consulting an attorney than using a do-it-yourself online form. The fees for the advice of an attorney should not be compared to the fees of do-it-yourself online forms. We cannot give you customized advice on your situation or needs, which would require the service of an actual attorney. Any information you provide to Cake, and all communications between you and Cake, are not protected by an attorney-client privilege and are instead governed by our Privacy Policy. Usage of any form or other service on our website is subject to our Terms of Use."

For more information check the website.