Over 75 years of Excellence
Sawyer-Fuller Funeral Home & Cremation Services
2125 Twelve Mile Road, Berkley, Michigan 48072 | Main: (248) 398-6500 | Fax: (248) 398-0733 | info@sawyerfuller.com
Frequently Asked Questions
We have heard thousands of questions, and have selected to answers to some of the more common questions relating to a funeral, a funeral service and funeral homes. If you have further questions related to funerals, please contact us and we will do our best to give you the most reliable information possible.
When someone has passed...
What happens when someone dies?
When a death occurs, the order in which things need to be done often depends on where the death occurred.
At Home or at Work
When a death occurs at home or in the workplace, a family member or co-worker should contact emergency personnel and, if possible, the person's physician if he or she was under a doctor's care. If a loved one was in the care of a hospice program, a hospice representative will give family members instructions and procedures to follow. The police will be notified by hospice. Following their release, the hospice nurse will contact the funeral home. It is always a good idea for the family to contact us prior, so that we will be aware of the pending call from hospice.
However, if the death occurs in a residence and no one is there at the time of death, the police will need to be notified and respond to the residence before the deceased is removed from their home.
If in any case you are not sure of who to notify or what to do, you may call the Sawyer-Fuller Funeral Home, and we will assist you in notifying the proper agencies.
While Under Supervised Care
When a death occurs in a care facility, such as a hospital or nursing home, the professional staff will notify you and the necessary authorities. If the name of the funeral home has been left with them, the institution will notify the funeral home at the time of the death. The funeral director will contact you immediately following their notification to help you proceed. (However, we suggest you contact the funeral home immediately, so you have the reassurance everything is taken care of properly.)
What should I do if the death occurs in the middle of the night or on the weekend?
Call us! We are here to help 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Our staff will come to the home usually within an hour and transfer your loved one into our care. We will schedule with you a time that is convenient for you to come in an complete the final arrangements.
What should I do if a death occurs while away from home?
The staff is here to help if something happens anywhere, anytime. We can coordinate with a funeral near the place of death and make all the necessary arrangements to bring your loved one back home.
What should I expect when I come to the funeral home?
One of the first things the funeral director will do is to provide you with our general price list. They will then guide you through the entire arrangement process, explaining how you can create a personal celebration of your loved one's life. This is not a one-way conversation; we want to hear your ideas and thoughts, and incorporate them into the arrangement process.
This process may include:
Preparing the official death certificate
Scheduling the location, date and time of services or events
Selecting a casket, urn or other items
Preparing an obituary notice
Scheduling vehicles
You may also sign necessary authorizations or make arrangements to have them signed by the appropriate family members.
We would like you to bring any photos, a favorite song, or memorabilia so that you and your funeral arranger can better discuss how you would like your loved one to be remembered. Having these things and knowing them better will help us create a truly fitting service.
Funeral Services
What is a funeral?
A funeral is a ceremony for celebrating, sanctifying, or remembering the life of a person who has died. This is a personal tribute from the family of the deceased to their loved one.
Can I personalize my funeral service?
Absolutely. The staff at Sawyer-Fuller Funeral Home can help plan the perfect personalized service for you or a loved one.
Can I have a visitation period and a funeral service if cremation is chosen?
Most assuredly. It would be exactly the same as a traditional funeral service, with the final disposition being the difference.
Is it possible to have a traditional funeral if someone dies of a contagious disease (i.e. AIDS, Hepatitis C)?
Yes, a person who dies of a contagious illness is entitled to the same service options afforded to anyone else. The funeral home takes every precaution in ensuring the health and safety of everyone entering the funeral home.
Embalming
Is embalming mandatory by law?
This a slightly complicated answer. Embalming is not required by law, but it may be neccessary, however if you select certain funeral arrangements, such as a funeral with viewing or visitation. Most common carriers also require embalming. If you do not want embalming, you usually have the right to choose an arrangement that does not require you to pay for it, such as a direct cremation or immediate burial. Michigan law requires embalming when death was caused by certain infectious diseases, or, with very limited exceptions, when the body is not taked to its final destination with 48 hours of the time of death.
What is the purpose of embalming?
Embalming is the art and science of temporarily preserving human remains to forestall decomposition and to make them suitable for public display at a funeral. It makes it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final disposition, thus allowing family members time to arrange and participate in the type of service most comforting to them.
Does a body have to be embalmed before it is buried?
No, if an immediate burial is selected (in which the body would be buried with 48 hours of death).
Cremation
Can I have a visitation period and a funeral service if cremation is chosen?
Most assuredly. It would be exactly the same as a traditional funeral service, with the final disposition being the difference.
Can two cremations be performed at once?
No, it is against the law to perform two cremations in the same retort at the same time.
Are there vaults for cremated remains?
Yes, we do have urn vaults that are made of reinforced concrete. We also sell urns that can be used for burial of cremated remains. There are made of marble or hardened polystyrene.
Can my family witness the cremation process?
With the facilities we use, families cannot actually view the cremation. However, they may assist in placing their loved one inside the retort and press the button to begin the process. They may wait until the process is completed (roughly two to three hours) and may witness the processing of the remains, if they wish.
Merchandise
Are there vaults for cremated remains?
Yes, we do have urn vaults that are made of reinforced concrete. We also sell urns that can be used for burial of cremated remains. There are made of marble or hardened polystyrene.
Must I purchase a burial vault?
Most times, you will be required to purchase a burial vault if you having an interment within a cemetery. Some older cemeteries may not require a vault. Call (248) 398-6500 if you have questions about vaults in your cemetery.
Can the vault be personalized?
Most definately. Our vault company allows us the choices of thousands of emblems for you to decide on. And if they don't have it, they'll make it.