Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes

Transcription

1 Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes Fred C. Dames Funeral Home 3200 Black Road at Essington Road Joliet, IL Phone Advance Funeral Arrangements Planning Guide Prepared Especially For Fred C. Dames Funeral Home 1201 West Route 6 at Deerpath Drive Morris, IL Phone Hour Toll Free @fredcdames.com

2 To Our Families and Friends: The Dames Family has always aspired to provide the finest service to those who call upon us at their time of need. Our family has been privileged to serve the families of Will County for five generations, beginning in 1854, and continuing today as the Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes. We are pleased, as well, to have the opportunity to extend our care to the families in Grundy County, with the opening in 2004 of our Morris Chapel. Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes are family-owned and operated, full-service funeral homes. We are able to arrange services for all faiths and traditions, and offer traditional funeral services, cremation oriented services as well as many other personalized services. No detail is ever too large or too small for us to accommodate. This booklet is but one of the many services we offer our families, and is a resource to help in planning and making funeral arrangements in advance of need. A pre-arrangement is a gesture of love and concern for your family. This assures them that they will not be burdened with all the important decisions which must be made at a time of great emotional distress, and will not be left with any unplanned financial responsibility. Your wishes as to funeral and burial, degree of formality, persons involved, funeral costs and other related details are fulfilled. Knowing that all the arrangements are complete, and that nothing is left undone, provides great peace of mind for you and the survivors you leave behind. John Dames Joseph Dames Fred C. Dames John Dames Joseph Dames Fred C. Dames 1 st Generation 2 nd Generation 3 rd Generation Five generations of the Dames Family have served the needs of the Joliet community since As funeral directors, we have no desire to see you go beyond your means in selecting an appropriate funeral. As both compassionate and realistic individuals we also understand preferences you express

3 now may be cost prohibitive in later years. Because of this we would also like to introduce you to ways to financially provide for your funeral arrangements in advance. There are many options one has when making a prearranged funeral. One option includes completing all the necessary documents, selecting the type of funeral service and merchandise which would be appropriate to your wishes. These wishes would then be filed with us to be followed through and paid for at the time they are needed. This booklet will help you organize all this important information. When the funeral pre-arrangements are funded in advance, the Fred C. Dames Funeral Home will ensure that the funeral costs selected today will be guaranteed regardless of rising inflation, service or merchandise costs. This booklet also provides detailed information regarding the advantages and benefits of funding your funeral arrangements in advance. The staff and facilities of Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes are available to you and your family 24 hours a day, every day of the year, to assist you whenever the need arises. Our phones are personally answered by a member of our staff 24 hours a day, so you will never deal with an answering service. This is just one example of our commitment to provide the utmost care, respect and dignity and to lessen the burden of grief at your time of need. You can rely on the Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes for the best of service at the most decisive hour. Mark L. Dames 4 th Generation Jeffrey M. Dames 5 th Generation Brian L. Dames 5 th Generation Sincerely, The Fred C. Dames Family Fred J. Dames 5 th Generation

4 W e have found that the most loving and caring thing that you can do for your family is to leave behind details and information which permit your family to make the funeral service a loving tribute honoring the memory of the one they loved so much. The wrong way is to compel your family to make numerous decisions and possibly a major financial transaction while they are burdened and confused with grief; they may be faced with unusual and unfamiliar situations and responsibilities.

5 I If f something had had happened to to you last last night, these are are some some of of the the decisions decisions someone someone you you love love must must make make today. today. Arrange for the service Provide a complete family history Give all required information for the death certificate Select a casket Choose Pallbearers Give information for social security papers Arrange for a burial vault Decide if cremation services and/or a burial space is needed Arrange for transportation of family members Decide how much should be spent Plan and display tributes Arrange for clothing Answer and make numerous phone calls Choose special music File any necessary documents and papers Notify newspapers Contact insurance companies Arrange for various permits Allow time for family to reflect

6 The Right Way is to plan ahead for your family and loved ones, calmly and sensibly without the emotional burden. Making a funeral prearrangement in advance may involve simply recording you family history of names, dates and places, or may include sharing general thoughts and instructions regarding the type of services you want. Some families have very specific instructions about special details and want a more detailed prearrangement record. Still other families want every detail to be taken care of and the arrangements to be completely paid for in advance. Regardless of how detailed your prearrangement is or whether or not you fund your arrangements in advance, your family and you will benefit from the advantages of making arrangements in advance. Making arrangements in advance: Eases the burden placed on your family at a most difficult time. Permits you to make decisions while you are clear-headed Reduces emotional decision making and overspending. With the permission of your family, permits the initial planning of your arrangements to begin if your family is out of town or not immediately available. Permits the funeral home to provide your family the very best care and professional service. Allows the ability to change your mind at any time in the future.

7 If you choose to financially provide for your funeral arrangements in advance. When a person makes a pre-paid funeral arrangement, the funeral home opens a memorial account in your name which takes care of all the details and freezes your funeral costs at a price you select today regardless of any future price increases. This account is always yours and cannot be accessed by anyone other than you until the time it is needed for funeral expenses. The Memorial Account is opened in your name, relieves the burden of the funeral expenses from your family, and freezes the cost at today s prices. Your Memorial Account is fully guaranteed by the Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes, which is licensed by the State of Illinois to accept burial funds, bonded and insured. Your Memorial Account is an inflation-proof, pre-funeral trust account. Payment plans can also be used to fund a funeral prearrangement. The funeral home accepts all state recognized burial insurance plans and offers the Universal Funeral Service Contract Acceptance Program (AFSCAP) The funeral home is paid only after your services have been completed. Universal Funeral Service Contract Acceptance Program Member The cost of funerals has risen dramatically over the years. Funding a funeral in advance can freeze the cost of your services at today s prices.

8 Beginning your prearrangement is as simple as considering the following questions It is my wish to have o A traditional funeral service with a visitation, a funeral ceremony at church or at the funeral home, followed by burial or entombment. o A traditional funeral service with cremation following services o A Memorial Service o Direct Cremation with no services o Direct Burial o Other Final Disposition: Regarding burial in a cemetery, or entombment in a mausoleum: o I wish to be buried in the ground at the following cemetery o I wish to be entombed above ground in the following mausoleum Regarding Cemetery/Mausoleum Property: o I already own property in a cemetery or mausoleum for my final disposition. The name of the property owner is o I or my family still need to make arrangements with a cemetery or mausoleum for my final disposition If you are selecting cremation for your final disposition, you may still wish for your cremated remains to be buried in a cemetery or placed above ground in a mausoleum or columbarium niche. Families selecting cremation should always discuss what will happen when the urn is given to the family following cremation. Services and Visitation: I would like my funeral ceremony conducted o At my church (Name) o At the funeral home Do you have a favorite pastor?

9 Services and Visitation (continued): Do you have favorite scriptures or readings you would like included in your services? Is there any special music, favorite songs, or special musicians you would like For your funeral services or visitation? Pallbearers may be needed for your services. Do you have special family or friends you would like your family to ask to be pallbearers. Please feel free to note any pallbearers names you would like. I would like my visitation/wake to be o A public visitation o A private visitation o I would like no visitation o The day before the funeral o The same day as the funeral o Between the hours of and Clothing and Personal Effects: You may or may not have specific wishes regarding the clothing you are dressed in, the style of your hair, a particular hairdresser, jewelry you would like to wear, or special things you would like placed in your casket with you. Please feel free to note any special instructions you may have on these matters. Would you like to wear your eyeglasses? Yes No Would you like to wear jewelry? Yes No Are there special instructions regarding jewelry which is to be left with you or returned to your family? If so, please note. Memorials in lieu of flowers are often named. Do you have a charity or organization to which memorials may be made in your name?

10 Biographical Record of: Date Home Address City County State ZIP In state since: In city since: Moved from/formerly of : Home Phone: Other Phone: Social Security Number Birthdate: Birthplace: City County State Father s Name: Mother s First and Maiden Name: Education: (Schools attended) Occupation/Career (If retired, previous career) Employer, or retired from: Marital Status: Married Never Married Widowed Divorced Spouses Name Maiden Name Date of Marriage: Place of Marriage If Veteran Complete the Following Name of War Serial Number Branch Place/Date Inducted Place/Date Discharged Rank when discharged Discharge papers are located:

11 Activities, Interests, and Additional Comments: Do you have any particular interests or hobbies? Are there any clubs or organizations in which you are active, or are a former member? Are there any awards or degrees of which you are especially proud? Are there any special relatives, friends, or caregivers, for example, who you would especially like to acknowledge? Notes and Comments:

12 Living Family and Relatives Please list your surviving children, brothers and sisters, grandchildren and other immediate family members. If the family member is married, please put their spouse s name in parenthesis for example, Robert (Susan) Jones, Son. If an immediate family member is deceased, please list their name on the next page. Phone numbers are optional. Grandchildren Number of Grandchildren Great-Grandchildren Great-Great-Grandchildren

13 Other Relatives and Special Friends Family members who are deceased.

14 In Payment for my funeral services o I would like to place this information in the Fred C. Dames files, with financial considerations arranged at the time of need. o I would like to pay for my funeral arrangements in advance, either in full, or selecting a payment option o I would like to transfer my prearrangement from another funeral home to the Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes with no increase in cost to my family o I would like the cost my funeral prearrangements to be frozen at today s prices and guaranteed inflation proof o I would like to assign the proceeds of an insurance policy I already own to pay for my funeral expenses at the time of need. Guaranteed Inflation Proof Pre-Funeral Trust Account A funeral trust account is established to provide inflation proof monies for a prearranged funeral. The monies deposited into a trust account guarantee, through the interest earned on the account, that these monies including interest will be available to pay the funeral bill at the time of need. There are two options in selecting a trust account. The first option is when the funeral bill has been totaled; the monies in the same amount are deposited into the trust account. The second option is a person can make payments to the trust account in any amount they choose, and when the total is reached, there will be no further payments made and the funeral would be guaranteed to be paid in full at the time of need. Your funds are protected by a bond required by the Illinois State Controllers Office and each individual trust account is insured and reviewed annually by that office. All funds must remain in the trust account until they are needed to pay for the pre-arranged funeral. If you move or simply change you mind, all funds with accumulated interest are released to you, because the funds are always yours and never the funeral homes. There are many benefits to a trust. The money deposited into the trust account is yours. If at any time a crisis should arise, or if you change your mind regarding the type of service you would prefer, those funds can be depleted or added too at any time. The Fred C. Dames Funeral Home also guarantees their trusts. Even if the current inflation out paced the interest accrued on the trust account, we guarantee there would be no additional charge to our families. It there is a positive balance after the funeral bill is paid, those monies would be refunded to the estate of the deceased.

15 Insurance Plans Insurance plans are designed for those families looking to the future. They offer the opportunity to fully fund the guaranteed present and future cost of a selected funeral service with a number of payment options. This is accomplished through the use of a specially designed life insurance policy that, by its guaranteed inflation adjustments, protects effectively the insured costs from the results of inflation. There are many insurance products available on the market today each with their own advantages. If your family is interested in Burial Insurance we can discuss all of the products available, and which one would best suit your family s needs. Even though you have been told you cannot get full coverage insurance because of advanced age or poor health, you should investigate this opportunity with us at your convenience. Universal Funeral Service Contract Acceptance Program A new concept in funeral service based on an old idea, is value. This program was designed with traditional values in mind, as well as financial considerations at heart. The program is simple. If you or any member of your family has a pre-arranged funeral contract with any other funeral home providing funeral home service in Illinois or anywhere in the contiguous United States, the Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes will honor that contract in its entirety regardless of other funeral home charges. This means a family s arrangements at any funeral home will have the same funeral service, merchandise and amenities at either of the Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes spacious facilities at no additional cost. This is the Fred C. Dames Funeral Homes promise, here when you need us.

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