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Monthly Archives: February 2022

cemetery in Charlotte, NC

Death Certificates and Cemeteries

A death certificate is an official document that formally declares a death. They usually list the date, time, location, and cause of death as well as some other personal information about the deceased. You will need to get a death certificate for almost any service at a cemetery in Charlotte, NC.

There are a lot of different reasons why you might need a death certificate, but they all have to do with proving a death. Some of the most common reasons you would need a death certificate are to access insurance policies, Social Security, property ownership, Veteran’s benefits, safety deposit boxes, last will and testaments, post office accounts, bonds, stocks or brokerage accounts, pension plans, treasury bills, IRAs, and tax records.

No matter what the reason you need a copy, there are a few different ways you can order a copy of a death certificate: through the funeral home that did the service or cremation, in person at your state’s vital statistics office, or online at your state’s vital statistics website. It’s important to note that not just anyone can access death certificates and copies. The only people that are eligible to get a copy of a death certificate are immediate family members like spouses, parents, children, siblings, or grandchildren or legal guardians, representatives, state agencies and federal agencies.

You must submit proof of relation to the deceased when applying for a copy of a death certificate with your state’s registrar. Proof of relation could be a birth certificate, legal document, or a letter stating how the applicant has legal representation rights to the deceased. There are some cases in which someone needs a copy of a death certificate, but they are not one of the eligible relations. For example, a cousin of the deceased might be eligible for death benefits but cannot access the death certificate. In these instances, the person must ask an eligible person or party, like a life insurance holder, to request the death certificate for them.

Though death certificate laws can vary slightly from state to state, they generally are required to be registered with a state’s Department of Health and Vital Statistics. If you need a copy of a death certificate you can visit your state’s vital records office to be issued a certified copy. Death certificates are not free. Their exact cost depends on your state and how you order them. For example, the cost of extra death certificate copies from the funeral home is probably different than the cost of copies from the office of vital statistics or the state’s website. You can make it easier to obtain death certificates quickly and affordably by having your funeral home or cremation provider order several directly from the state office.

cemetery in Charlotte, NC

Do you want to learn more about death certificates or Charlotte, NC cemeteries? Call or visit Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Gardens today for more information on what we can do for you in your time of loss. We are happy to do whatever we can.

cemetery in Matthews, NC

Mourning Rituals and Cemeteries

Mourning is an important part of grief after a service at a cemetery in Matthews, NC, and mourning rituals are symbolic activities that help ease the pain of loss and the heavy weight of grief, you should look into forming rituals of your own. Mourning rituals help those in grief connect with others over the loss and find support in one another. They are traditionally based in religion, like the catholic funeral service or the Jewish Shiva. However, as classic religion is on a decline, many people are looking other places for their mourning rituals.

Are you looking for inspiration for a ritual of your own? You can try burning sage. Sage burning is another very traditional ritual. Sage has long been associated with cleansing and can therefore help you feel like you’ve aided the deceased in their passing or can assist in cleansing away negative emotions. You could also carry a remembrance item. You can carry an item that belonged to or reminds you of the deceased and help you remember that they are always with you. Remembrance items can be anything, such as a watch, handkerchief, lighter, or piece of jewelry.

Some ancient cultures would host a “giveaway” in which they would each take a piece of the deceased’s possessions to use as their own. You can do a modern version of this in which you go through and donate the deceased’s possessions with other grieving people. There are often many things left unsaid when someone dies. A healthy way to say those unsaid things is to write a letter to the deceased. You can bury the letter with your loved one, burn it to release the feelings, or hold onto it for later remembrance.

Food brings people together, especially in hard times. Cooking the deceased’s favorite meal and then sharing it with others allows you to honor their memory and connect with those that are also grieving the loss. What about lighting a candle? Candles have a long history of being associated with both rituals and grief. Take this tradition and make it your own by lighting a candle for the deceased at a certain time of day, a special date, or whenever you need to feel connected to them.

Coloring a picture, painting, or sculpting is a wonderful way to release feelings of grief and loss. Create in the deceased’s memory in whatever medium feels comfortable to you. Though altars are traditionally more Eastern, they have recently become more and more popular in Western cultures. An altar for your lost loved one can be anything from a collection of meaningful items to an array of photos, candled and incense.

cemetery in Matthews, NC

These are simple yet powerful mourning rituals you can use after a loved one’s death. Do you want more information on mourning rituals or Matthews, NC cemeteries? Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Gardens is here to help in any way that we can. You can stop by and visit us or give us a call today for more information on what we can do for you.

Huntersville, NC cemeteries

Deaths Overseas

Most people do have some arrangements preplanned for service at cemeteries in Huntersville, NC for themselves or their loved ones. It’s a good idea to plan, but almost no one plans on having to deal with a death or bringing a body home. The process of bringing a body home, called body repatriation, can take a long time and a mountain of paperwork, so it’s best to get started as soon as you can. Move quickly and efficiently to make sure that you stay on top of all that needs to be done.

If you lose a loved one while they’re traveling, the stress of that death is usually compounded by the question: “what do I do now?” Generally, the local embassy of the country where the person died will contact the United States State Department, who will in turn notify the appropriate next of kin. That’s when it’s time to get moving with an executed and signed Next-of-kin Affidavit and a Letter of Instruction that details your wishes for the body’s repatriation.

There are some instances in which confirmation of the deceased is tricky, so the next-of-kin may be asked to provide dental or medical records to assist with confirming the identification of the body. The exact process of body repatriation can differ slightly from country to country, but it’s important that you follow the laws of the country where the death occurred. There are generally three different methods of body repatriation.

The first is Local Cremation and Return of Cremains. Cremation is usually available in most countries. However, cremation might be more costly or less available in countries that are predominately Muslim or Catholic. You can also choose Local Burial. Local burial is possible if the country in which the death occurred allows for burial of foreign nationals. The local embassy will generally make burial arrangements and send the next-of-kin the details.

There is also Preparation and Return of an Embalmed Body. In this method the body is embalmed at a funeral home in the country where the death occurred and then returned to the USA. Sometimes the embalming standards of the local country are not at the same level as American embalming, so a viewing of the body will not be advisable. Keep in mind that the next-of-kin will be responsible for all body repatriation costs as the US government does not have funds set aside for these instances. Embalming prior to repatriation is the most expensive, with local cremation and local burial coming behind. Also, it’s important to note that there might be extensive delays in body repatriation if the deceased was a victim of a crime as the local police will need to investigate.

cemeteries in Huntersville, NC

If your family is put in the unfortunate situation of losing a loved one overseas, you need a provider you can count on. Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Gardens offers Huntersville, NC cemetery services with the compassion and expertise needed to help you through this difficult time. Call or visit us today to learn more about what we can do for you.

cemetery in Charlotte, NC

POAs, Executors and Guardians

Do you know what executors, guardians and people holding powers of attorney are? Or what they have to do with planning a memorial or a service at a cemetery in Charlotte, NC? If you don’t, its ok. You’re not alone. Many people are confused about what these different things are and what they have to do with end-of-life planning.

Executors, guardians, and people holding powers of attorney (POA) are similar in many ways, but they all have unique roles to play when it comes to planning cremation services, funerals and other death-related matters.

To begin, a Power of Attorney is not a person. A POA is a legal document in which one person, the principal, gives another person, the attorney-in-fact, the power to act on their behalf in financial and legal matters. Most POA documents are financial, legal, or both and are only applicable when the principal is still alive. If the document is financial, the attorney-in-fact does have the power to preplan and prepay for the principal’s funeral, cremation, or other death-related service. However, the attorney-in-fact cannot make any death-related arrangements after the principal has already died. The attorney-in-fact is also not able to make funeral plans for another person on the principal’s behalf, such as a spouse or a child.

What about guardians? Guardians are given legal control to make personal and financial decisions for someone else when that person, the ward, is deemed unable or unfit to make such decisions for themselves. Guardians may or may not have control over the final disposition. This is determined case-by-case and depends on the powers given to the guardian in probate court. Guardians are usually the ward’s spouse or adult child, but anyone can be appointed a guardian if the court believes he will act in the ward’s best interests. In some cases, if there is no next of kin, a Public Guardian appointed by the state will make funeral arrangements.

And finally, an executor is the person that has control over a deceased’s assets. Though many people believe executors have control over the details of a deceased’s final disposition, this is not true. In fact, an executor’s main, and often only, role when it comes to disposition is to inform the funeral agent or director of their particular role in the deceased’s will. An executor is mostly intended to deal with more financial matters from locating the deceased’s property and opening an estate checking account to probating the will, paying bills, and filing all necessary tax forms. The executor’s job is over after the estate is divided up and closed.

cemetery in Charlotte, NC

To begin, some of the laws surrounding these roles vary from state to state, so be sure to research your local laws. Gethsemane Cemetery and Memorial Gardens is here for you if you want to learn more about North Caroline death-related law or your options for Charlotte, NC cemeteries. We are happy to offer you our services in your time of loss or preplanning. Give us a call today.