When Death Occurs

Understanding What Comes Next

Losing a loved one is never easy, and the moments that follow can feel overwhelming. At Braman Mortuary & Cremation Services, we are here to guide you every step of the way. Here is a helpful overview of what to do immediately following a death.

Step 1: Contact the Proper Authorities

Before any arrangements can be made, a legal pronouncement of death must occur.

  • If the death occurs at a hospital, hospice, or nursing facility, the staff will handle this for you.
  • If the death occurs at home, call 911. Emergency personnel will respond and, if necessary, transport your loved one to a medical facility for legal pronouncement.
  • If your loved one was under hospice care, contact the hospice nurse directly. They are typically authorized to make the legal declaration.



Once this step is complete, you may contact the funeral home to begin arrangements.

Step 2: Contact the Funeral Home

After a legal pronouncement has been made, call Braman Mortuary. Our staff is available 24/7 to assist with:

  • Bringing your loved one into our care
  • Reviewing any preplanned arrangements
  • Guiding you through the next steps

If your loved one preplanned their funeral or cremation, we will help ensure their wishes are followed. If no plans are in place, we’ll walk you through all available options with care and compassion.

Step 3: Begin Making Arrangements

At your arrangement conference with the funeral director, you’ll make key decisions such as:

  • Burial or cremation
  • Type of service (funeral, memorial, graveside, etc.)
  • Service details (date, time, location, officiant, speakers, music)
  • Obituary drafting and publication
  • Selection of casket or urn
  • Pallbearers and honor guards (if applicable)

If your loved one was a veteran, we will also assist you in contacting the Veterans Administration to explore military honors and benefits.

Step 4: Gather Important Information

To complete the death certificate and other legal documents, your funeral director will need:

  • Specific information on the deceased: 
  • Full legal name (including suffixes, such as Senior, Junior, or III) 
  • Address
  • Marital status and Spouse’s Name (if applicable)
  • Date of birth
  • Place of birth (city and state)
  • Educational history (number of years of schooling)
  • Occupation or profession
  • Parent's names, including mother's maiden name
  • Details on any cemetery property owned by the deceased or the family (grave plot, columbarium space, etc.)
  • Recent photograph of the deceased and any personal effects that you wish to be included in the viewing or burial

Step 5: Locate Important Documents

Helpful documents include:

  • Pre-arrangement paperwork (if applicable)
  • Life insurance policies
  • Military discharge papers (Form DD214)
  • Social Security number/card
  • Beneficiary forms or account statements

These documents help facilitate benefits and financial matters.

Step 6: Notify Employers and Secure Personal Property

  • Secure property: Lock the home, vehicle, and secure valuables.
  • Pet care: Make arrangements for any pets left behind.
  • Mail: Have mail forwarded to a responsible family member to prevent accumulation.
  • Employer notifications: Contact your loved one’s employer (if applicable).
  • Cancel upcoming appointments: Notify key contacts of the passing.

What About Children?

Deciding whether a child should attend services depends on several factors—age, maturity, and relationship to the deceased. If a child does attend, explain in advance what to expect and how they should behave. Involving children in the grieving process can be healthy and healing when handled gently and honestly.

If you’re unsure about any step or need guidance, please call us. The Braman Mortuary team is always here to help you navigate this journey with compassion and clarity.

Contact the Proper Authorities

Before any arrangements and decisions can be made, a legal pronouncement of death must be declared. If your loved one dies inside of a medical or nursing facility like a hospital or nursing home, the staff will handle getting this declaration made. If your loved one dies at home, you need to immediately contact the local emergency officials to come and take them to a hospital where they can be legally declared dead. Family members who die under hospice care can be declared dead by the hospice staff. This legal declaration must be made before the family can proceed with making any funeral arrangements or handling any legal affairs.

Begin to Make Arrangements

Once your loved one has been declared dead you and your family can proceed with making any type of funeral arrangements. Your loved one may have pre-planned any type of services, and you and your family should first look into those choices. If your loved one has not made any previous type of arrangements, and you have decided on which funeral home you would like to use for the services, you will contact them and meet with the funeral director and begin discussing options.


During this time, if the deceased hasn’t made their final wishes known, the family will need to decide if they will bury or cremate the body, and what type of service should be held. These decisions include the time, date and location of any service; what type of casket or urn your loved one needs; drafting an obituary notice; deciding on pallbearers; and make any decisions about the specifics of the service like who the minister will be, what music will be played and who will speak.


As part of the process to begin making the funeral arrangements, if the deceased was active or retired military, contact the Veterans Administration to determine if they offer any death benefits or service options.

Information Funeral Directors May Need

Once you have met the funeral director, they will advise you on any information or paperwork they need for the death certificate or to proceed with making final arrangements.

Information Required:


  • Full name and address
  • Marital status
  • Race/Ethnicity
  • Date and city of birth
  • Highest level of education
  • Father’s name, mother’s maiden name
  • Name of spouse
  • Occupation and employer

Documents Funeral Directors May Need

Funeral directors will need important documents to complete any legal paperwork. These documents include:


  • Account statements
  • Beneficiary designations
  • Life insurance policies
  • Military discharge papers (form DD 214)
  • Social Security number

Taking Care of Personal Property

Following the death of your loved one, there are few things you need to attend to involving the deceased’s personal life. First, secure your loved one’s property. Make sure their home and vehicle are properly secure. If your loved one has a pet, make the necessary arrangements for the pet to be taken care of by family or friends. Any mail that comes to your loved one should be forwarded to a family member that plans to handle the deceased’s estate.

Any mail that piles up at a vacant home only alarms potential intruders that a home is empty. Make sure to contact the deceased’s boss and inform them of the death. If your loved one had any upcoming appointments, make contact to notify them about the death and to cancel the appointment.