Cemeteries has tips for families after a death

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The Catholic Cemeteries of the Archdiocese of St. Louis offers some helpful advice to families who have experienced the death of a loved one.

Information needed for obituaries and death notices, insurance and other financial professionals and funeral and burial proceedings include:

• Time and place for funeral

• Time and place for visitation

• Birth date, birthplace and age

• Names of father and mother, their birthdays and places of birth

• Social Security number

• Veteran's discharge or claim number

• Education

• Marital status, date and place of marriage

• Mother's maiden name

• Date and place of baptism

• Date of death

• Cause of death

• Occupation

• Grandparents' names

• Memberships held

• Military service

• Outstanding work, hobbies, interests

• Survivors in immediate family

• Power of attorney

• Charities for memorial contributions

Find someone to help answer sympathetic phone calls, cards and letters and greet friends and relatives who call during the grieving period.

There is much to do, including finding the will and notifying lawyers and other personal representatives; checking all life and casualty insurance and death benefits, including Social Security, credit union, fraternal and military; checking promptly on all debts and installment payments, including credit cards (some carry insurance clauses that cancel balances upon death); if the deceased lived alone, notifying the post office, utilities and landlord or mortgage company, providing information on where to send mail.

A booklet, "The Family Record," is available from Catholic Cemeteries and is designed to include all such information that will be needed. The booklet can be obtained by visiting the offices of Calvary Cemetery in north St. Louis and Resurrection Cemetery in south St. Louis County; by phone, (314) 352-5300; or go online to archstl.org/cemeteries and click "contact us" and "information request" to order a booklet via e-mail.

The Catholic Cemeteries reminds us: No matter how deeply rooted in faith a family may be, death brings great emotional pain for survivors. "Christ, Himself, wept at the tomb of Lazarus, although He knew He would soon bring him back to life."