Have you ever wondered exactly what your local funeral director does? To most people, arranging a funeral service is a bit of a mystery. That’s because a vast majority of people have never had to plan a funeral.
eziFunerals has partnered with some of the best Independent Funeral Directors in Australia to help you say goodbye to your loved one.
The following list covers the key duties that our member funeral directors in Australia do every day with great dedication and attention to detail.
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Care for and prepare the body of the deceased for final disposition
Firstly, independent funeral directors in Australia will coordinate the transfer of the deceased into their care, day or night. Then, they will direct and supervise the work of embalmers (if required), funeral attendants, and other staff.
Preparation and care of the body may include all the following:
- Washing of the body
- Embalming preparation
- Dressing the body
- Hairdressing
- Cosmetology
If direct cremation is chosen, our member funeral directors in Australia will oversee the cremation and return the cremated remains to the family. In cases where the body must be transferred interstate, the funeral director will coordinate the transfer of the body to the final place of rest, in accordance with the family’s wishes, applicable laws and regulations.
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Plan the funeral with the family
Next, our member funeral directors in Australia will arrange to meet with the family for the arrangement planning. During this time, our member funeral directors will build a relationship with the family and provide guidance and support on how to plan a personalised and meaningful service.
Our member funeral directors will listen to the family and offer ideas, insights, and advice. During this time, our member funeral directors in Australia will share the elements of a meaningful funeral and offer suggestions for visitations, gatherings, readings, music, eulogies, symbols, and other options.
In addition, our member funeral directors operate in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Australia wide can assist with funeral customs based on the family’s preferences. Personalisation may include traditions of religious groups and/or civic organisations, or cultural rites and rituals.
Our member funeral directors are able to offer a variety of options to suit the family’s needs. They are there to answer any questions the family may have and help them make choices that are right for them. That way, the funeral or memorial service brings comfort and peace to all who mourn the loss of someone they love.
Coordinate all the details behind the scenes
In addition to helping the family plan the funeral arrangements, our member funeral directors in Australia carry out other duties behind the scenes. For example, our member funeral directors will usually:
- Prepare and submit obituary information to newspaper outlets, as needed
- Help the family coordinate with clergy or celebrants, a venue for the service, and musicians
- Ensure that clergy or celebrant and musicians know where to be when
- Help order funeral sprays and other flower arrangements as the family wishes
- Ensure that the funeral, memorial, and/or graveside service venues are properly prepared
- Coordinate any cremation or burial processes
- Make sure that the funeral service is streamed live or digitally recorded, if the family wishes
- Provide additional memorialisation products; for example, a register book, prayer cards, acknowledgment cards, and funeral folders
- Coordinate vehicles for the funeral procession
- Handle all memorial contributions presented to the family
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Take care of permanent memorialisation needs
Next, our member funeral directors in Australia will assist the family consider permanent memorialisation needs. For instance, they may discuss options such as a cemetery plot, columbarium niche, plaque, grave marker, deciding on where to scatter ashes, and more. As part of their role, our member funeral directors in Australia will help you review your options and choose what fits best for your family. Then, they will help with the details. They will:
- Schedule the opening and closing of the grave with cemetery personnel
- Help the family choose a casket, urn, burial vault, and cemetery plot
- If scattering is chosen, they will offer location options and suggestions
For a graveside service, they will:
- Provide transportation for your loved one, primary mourners, and flowers between sites
- Coordinate with the cemetery to prepare and decorate the site for the service
- Make sure gravestones or grave markers are ordered and placed in the cemetery
Assist with legal documentation
After losing a loved one, there are a lot of legal documents to complete and file with the government agencies. Our member funeral directors in Australia will take the lead on some of this documentation, ensuring that everything is taken care of as needed. For instance, they will:
- Submit documentation for an official death certificate
- Help the family obtain certified copies of the death certificate
- Request cremation or burial authorisation documents and permits
- Assist with submitting claims for prepaid funeral plans, insurance policies, or annuities on behalf of surviving family members
- Stay informed on any policies, regulations, or laws to ensure that funeral service operations are in compliance
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Share grief resources
After the funeral or memorial service, our member funeral directors in Australia may continue to check in with the grieving family to see how they are doing. As the funeral director listens to and assesses the family’s needs, they may:
- Provide grief assistance and grief resources
- Connect the families and friends with local grief counsellors
- Share support group activities in the area
Help families plan ahead
While most of a funeral director’s responsibilities occur after a loss, not all do. For instance, our member funeral directors in Australia will often help families record funeral wishes ahead of time. Planning ahead for funeral wishes can be extremely helpful to loved ones. The more your family knows about your final wishes, the easier the funeral planning process will be after you’re gone. At the time of loss, many families are plagued by the question, “Did we do the right thing?” It would be so much easier if they knew exactly what you wanted. This is why our member funeral directors in Australia will work with eziFunerals to create a written plan that will benefit surviving family members. The funeral director will:
- Ask questions about your wishes
- Determine whether you prefer cremation or burial
- Review coffin, urn, and grave liner/vault options
- Go over permanent memorial options
- Share the benefits of having a meaningful service
- Brainstorm ways to personalise the funeral or memorial service
- Gather vital information
- Discuss payment options (if you would like to pay in advance to save your family from the expense in the future)
- And more!
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Run a small business
Lastly, our member funeral directors operate in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Australia wide are mostly family-run businesses, and may need to wear a few different hats. When they aren’t assisting families, our member funeral directors may need to:
- Work with various third party suppliers such as florists, caterers, and cemeteries to fulfil the family’s wishes
- Submit death certificates to the state agencies
- File necessary documentation and permits
- Complete billing, bookkeeping, and payroll duties
- Keep accurate records of inventory
- See to any last-minute details for the family
- Other duties to keep a small business running
As you can see, our member funeral directors in Australia do quite a lot. While there may be some things you’d like to do yourself, our member funeral directors are professionals and are there to take care of you! They know exactly what is needed and can make everything a little easier.
*NOTE: This article seeks to list the vast majority of the responsibilities of a funeral director, but it’s not comprehensive.
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About eziFunerals
eziFunerals supports individuals and families coping with end of life decisions, death and funerals. We are an independent, Australian-owned and operated company. We are not part of any other funeral company.
Our member Funeral Directors operate in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and Australia wide. They are chosen for their knowledge, quality, service, personalisation and experience. They go above and beyond, and will take the time to support the family.
For more information or to make contact with a trusted Independent funeral director, call eziFunerals on 1300 236 402 or visit www.ezifunerals.com.au.
DISCLAIMER: Death and Funeral Notices online is provided by Death & Funerals. Users of this site are subject to eziFunerals privacy policy and terms and conditions. eziFunerals may receive a commission from Death & Funerals.
