Funeral Directors Role

The loss of a loved one and planning a funeral can be a difficult process, especially for those who have never dealt with grief and many grieving families often underestimate the amount of planning and organising that takes place behind the scenes in the days leading up to a funeral, and it is the funeral directors responsibility to ensure that every segment is carefully implemented in the correct order as requested.

The funeral directors role will usually consist of:

1). Providing a detailed estimate prior to the commencement of any funeral arrangements.

2). Meeting with the deceased's next of Kin and family to finalise the funeral arrangements, which will consist of selecting the desired options, completing the necessary legal documentation and collecting all relevant information.

3). Collecting the deceased from the place of death or other relevant institute such as the State Coroners Court, unless the funeral director has already collected the deceased from the family home or a nursing home which may be a possible scenario if the death was expected. 

4). Finalising all necessary bookings with the funeral venue such as the church or cemetery based chapel as well as the cemetery, crematorium, musician, florist, limousine company, printer, newspaper and all other third parties that provide services related to all types of the funeral options that have been selected.

5). Ensuring that the legal documentation for the cemetery or crematorium is correctly prepared to meet all legal requirements.

6). Arranging the required mortuary work for the deceased, that may also include embalming if needed.

7). Providing separate viewing services prior the funeral if requested by the family.

8). Conducting the funeral service to meet the families requirements.

9). Registering the death with the appropriate state or territory death registration office.

10). Collecting the cremated remains from the crematorium if needed and presenting the cremated remains to the family in the final urn if that has been requested.