How a Competent Funeral Director can Help With Funeral Home and Cremations in Morton, PA

Licensed funeral directors have a long list of responsibilities and obligations to the dead they care for and the families of the deceased who come through their doors. Their support in the death care process is invaluable and can make a challenging time a bit easier to manage. Many of the jobs that a funeral director must fulfill cannot be delegated to unlicensed staff. As you embark on planning for a funeral home and cremations in Morton, PA, here are some ways you can expect your licensed funeral provider to support you:

  • They will come to retrieve the deceased from the place of death. They are on call for this critical assignment night and day, all year round.
  • Your funeral director will see that those who still need to be notified of this death immediately (other family, friends, employers, etc.) will be made aware as gently as possible.
  • Another responsibility they will take on will be procuring certified death certificates for legal use.
  • Further, they will work with insurance agents and federal administrations (such as social security and veteran departments) to help you file for any applicable claims.
  • Your provider should prepare, finalize, and submit obituary notices to the appropriate publications, virtual or otherwise.
  • They will prepare the deceased for viewing and/or burial. They’ll wash and embalm (if it has been requested) the deceased. The remains will also need to be dressed for burial or presentation and any other finishing details with hair and makeup.
  • Directors assist the next of kin in choosing needful merchandise such as a casket or urn.
  • This expert works with the family to make all funerary arrangements.
  • They will coordinate with clergy if appropriate.
  • The director will oversee the scheduling of the funeral floral sprays to be built and delivered for the services.
  • This professional and their team will be available to offer grief support resources to the bereaved with appropriate aftercare solutions.



Different Types of Services for Funeral Home and Cremations in Morton, PA

Understanding the basic types of services can help you know what kind of service may best fit your needs. A full traditional service for a funeral generally includes a visitation meeting prior to the funeral. The visitation may consist of a public viewing of the deceased. This allows those in attendance a chance to “say goodbye” to the departed. Traditional services can be supportive of their familiar structure. The funeral creates a place for memories to be recalled and love to be shared amongst those facing this mutual loss.


Other service styles include gravesite services and memorials. Gravesite services are often brief and intimate gatherings, though the guest list may expand as large as you wish. This service is held at the site where the body will be interred shortly after the meeting ends. A memorial service works well if direct cremation or immediate burial has been selected. Memorials can be held soon after death, months down the road, or somewhere in between.


How Cremation Works

A full cremation service includes cremation and an honoring service such as a funeral or memorial. A common myth is that a funeral home and cremations in Morton, PA are only available as one or the other. The cremation process typically follows these steps with minor variations between different providers. Each cremation will be handled individually. A licensed funeral director must oversee this process.


After all of the necessary permits are obtained and mandatory waiting periods have been fulfilled, the body is laid within a lightweight container. The container will be consumed with the remains. It allows for the dignity of the deceased to be preserved with added privacy during this process. It also shields those performing the cremation to have a measure of protection by not needing to touch the deceased more than necessary. The extreme heat required to consume the contents will be ignited and sustained as long as needed.


Within just a few hours, the burning will be complete. The remaining bone fragments will be collected and separated. The cooled bones will then be processed into coarse granules through grinding. This is the material that we call ashes and return to the family for final disposition. The ashes can be displayed at home in a funeral urn or buried at a cemetery or memorial park. Some families choose to scatter cremated remains in natural settings that held meaning for the deceased.


Experienced Provider in Morton

Donohue Funeral Home is a longstanding and highly skilled provider of services for funeral home and cremations in Morton, PA. As a strong family-owned and operated presence with more than 120 years in the industry, they are a name to be trusted. The skilled and caring staff and funeral directors stay current with training to offer you the most comprehensive skill set to see you through this difficult time.

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