Temple Shalom

Guide to Funeral Practices

Death is the final chapter for all that live. It is inevitable and always sorrowful. Since we have lived as Jews, it is only fitting that we observe death in a Jewish way. We are the beneficiaries of the wisdom and psychological insights of generations of Jewish scholars and laymen. Their understanding of the needs of the living has come down to us as our Jewish laws, customs, and practices of death and mourning.

We, at Temple Shalom, present these laws, customs, and practices for your consideration. No single way is the only correct one. We merely offer background and recommendations for preserving physical, spiritual, and psychological health during trying times. The decision are yours. Prepare now, while you are strong and vital, for the death of your loved ones or yourself. Please think about arrangements you need to make and make them now. Take time to provide necessary information to your family and to Temple Shalom, using relevant forms at the end of this guide (or elsewhere). Keep these forms and other information in a safe place and make their location known to your family. Temple Shalom stands ready to offer services and comfort to you. The primary objectives of this guide are to acquaint you with concerns that may arise, to suggest the necessity for adequate advance preparation, and to provide information for your assistance.

Every adult should have a will, a legal document. A holograph, or handwritten layman's will, can only suffice for someone with no property. A lawyer may be required if there is any property, however slight. A resident of South Carolina with a will executed outside the state should have the will reviewed to make sure it complies with South Carolina law.

For example, if a married person dies without a will, the children (whether minors or adults) share in the estate. If a parent wishes to leave most or all of the estate to the surviving spouse, this can be accomplished only by a will. Other reasons for having a will are to reduce probate and other legal costs, to appoint an executor/executrix of one's choice, or to provide for a guardian of one's choice for minor children. A will also can indicate funeral arrangements. For example, cremation (which is not recognized in traditional Judaism) can be specified in a will. An individual can donate his or her body, or parts of it, for medical use or transplant. Such explicit written directions prevent charges that the decisions are those of the survivors and not the deceased. To provide essential information for the family and the temple, we ask you to fill out the family information form and the essential information registry form at the end of this guide. Many people decide that they do not desire to be kept alive through extraordinary medical means or with permanent mechanical assistance when there seems to be no hope for recovery. This desire to determine the direction of medical treatment can be expressed in an advanced directive in states where it is legal to do so. The effect of an advanced directive is to assist an individual’s doctor and family in understanding the patient’s wishes in regard to medical treatment. For your information, a copy of a living will is included at the end of this guide. South Carolina recognizes the legality of these wills when signed while the individual is healthy. Although every person hopes that such instruction will never need to be used, the time to consider your personal views of this question is while you are well.

Ethical Will

An ethical will contains the beliefs you wish to perpetuate. This has been a Jewish tradition for centuries. Our clergy have examples of such ethical wills on file and they will be pleased to share them with you. It is a mitzvah to prepare an ethical will for the moral edification of your family, particularly the children. As with other wills, it is advisable to prepare an ethical will when you are strong and healthy. All wills should be left in a safe place that is known to the family. Information Needed at Time of Death The family information form is for the use of the family and contains information about the estate, insurance, funeral instructions, and so forth. Every family member should know where this form is kept. The essential information registry form should be returned to the Temple Shalom office. One form should be filled out for each individual in the family. Clergy and the temple can then be of prompt assistance in case of need.

2. ILLNESS

There are several Jewish practices in connection with illness. Judaism prescribes prayer by and for the sick, although never as a substitute for competent medical treatment. It is a mitzvah to pray for the seriously ill. It is also a mitzvah to offer a prayer of thanks when one recovers from a serious illness. Such prayers may be found in On the Doorposts of Your House and Gates of Healing, published by the CCAR and available on the web.

In case of serious illness, our clergy should be informed. Visiting the sick is also a mitzvah. The object of the visit is to cheer the sick, to be of service, and to offer hope. Our Caring Community Committee will be pleased to help families where needed. They can provide a meal, offer a ride, run an errand, or do whatever is needed to ease the burden of family illness. All that is necessary is to let the clergy know what services might be needed. It is a mitzvah for a critically ill person to recite a special prayer of confession. It is equally a mitzvah to help a person to recite it who has asked for help. The prayer of confession, Viddui, may be personal, or found in On the Doorposts of Your House on page 160. It should conclude with the traditional Shema.

Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad.Hear O Israel, The Eternal Our God, The Eternal Is One.

4. DYING AND LAST RITES

Unless death occurs suddenly, it is a mitzvah to help dying to make peace with God, with oneself, and one’s fellow beings. It is a time for closure, for repairing damaged relationships, and for permitting wholeness to be restored. Family and close friends can see to it that the individual's pain is eased and last wishes are granted. It is a religious obligation not to leave a person who is on the threshold of death all alone. The familiar presence of loved ones can ease the passing of the final hours both for the dying and for the survivors. Judaism forbids the hastening of death, or "active euthanasia," in case of terminal illness. However, many classic texts of Judaism assert that neither should one hinder the departure of the soul. Heroic measures to keep a person alive, when there is no hope for recovery, are not required. In case of impending death, our clergy should be called. If the dying person has left an advanced directive or other written instructions, the family should consult with the clergy. Please do not hesitate to contact the clergy staff in the case of a suicide. Reform Jewish tradition encourages approaching the tragedy of suicide with compassion and understanding, and full funeral rites will be given. When it is evident that the end is near, those present say the Viddui on behalf of the dying. Immediately after death, it is traditional for family members to say: Baruch dayan ha-emet Blessed is the Judge of Truth.

5. AT TIME OF DEATH

You should also call a family member or close friend to stay with you and aid you during the next few hours.

This individual should be given a copy of the family information form. Many questions could be answered and some arrangements could be undertaken by this person. The clergy may contact our Caring Community Committee, and request that a committee member contact the bereaved.

One branch of the Caring Community Committee was formed to help you after a death in the family. The type of help provided depends on what you request through the clergy. Because of privacy issues, you will not be contacted without your permission, but if you express a need, a committee member will promptly contact you to ask what your wishes are. The committee stands ready to assist in any way possible. Its members will assist with funeral arrangements or help during shiva’h. The committee will also assist in arranging, though not providing, a minyan, or quorum, for home prayer.Since Jewish law and practice require early burial, it is imperative that funeral arrangements be made quickly.

Arrangements for the funeral can be made on the Shabbat, the festivals, and on Rosh Hashanah, if necessary, but not on Yom Kippur. The funeral service itself is not held on these days. Judaism requires that burial shall take place as soon as possible, usually within 48 hours of death. The Temple Shalom clergy should be informed before funeral arrangements are made. Any local funeral home may be used, but Temple Shalom has an arrangement with McMillan Small Funeral Home to provide a simple, dignified, and inexpensive funeral for temple members. (Contact information at the end of guide.) A traditional wooden casket will be provided. Funeral arrangements made in advance should be noted on the essential information registry form in the temple office and in the more complete family information form kept at home. (Both forms to be found at the end of this guide.) McMillan Small Funeral Home provides the following basic package of services (subject annually to their contract with the Temple Shalom Jewish Funeral Practices Committee of Myrtle Beach):

Transfer of the deceased to the funeral home; Preparation of the body without embalming; Preparation of all documents, including a death certificate (Additional copies will be necessary and are available at extra charge; it is suggested that a minimum of ten be ordered.) Provision of basic standard all-wood coffin Supply of seven-day shiva candle, acknowledgment cards, and guest book; Placement of death notices in the local papers at the family's expense; Coordination with other funeral homes and cemeteries as necessary. In addition, the funeral director can arrange for limousines and drivers (at additional charge) to take the family from their residence to the temple, the cemetery, and back to their residence. The cemetery plot number should be available at the time funeral arrangements are made, If the deceased was a veteran, he or she has death benefits including privileges at certain national cemeteries. Cemetery plots are available to Temple Shalom members at low cost at the Southeastern Memorial Gardens Cemetery Jewish section, in the city of North Myrtle SC. The plot price includes perpetual care. The easiest procedure is to call the temple office at 903-6634 for more information. Families should be aware that cemeteries charge fees for opening graves and these fees may be determined by the time of day of the burial. Non-Jewish family members may be buried In the Jewish section that is Temple Shalom’s, but the burial privileges are limited to the plot-holder's immediate family. This includes the spouse, lineal descendants and their spouses, a brother or sister of the plot-holder or spouse, the parents or grandparents of the plot-holder or spouse.

No non-Jewish burial services may be performed and no non-Jewish symbols may be inscribed on headstones. All headstones/markers must meet the approval of the Cemetery as defined by South Eastern Memorial Gardens . It is strongly recommended that families pre-arrange their purchase of funeral plots, to ease the many burdens at the time of death.

If a death or funeral occurs out of town, the funeral provider should be chosen based on the site of the funeral rather than where the death occurred. Contact a local funeral provider at the location where the funeral is to take place and to assist with the necessary shipping arrangements. For interstate shipping, the body must be packed in cool packs, enclosed in a sealed metal case (Zigler case) or embalmed (see below for more on embalming).

Reform Judaism permits autopsies as long as they are performed for the clear purpose of increasing medical knowledge that will help others to live. If the deceased has forbidden autopsy, these instructions should be honored, except when an epidemic threatens or civil law requires it.

The Reform Movement permits cremation, but it is important to note that more traditional members of a family may observe the Hallachic prohibition against cremation. If you desire to be cremated, please make your wishes known to your loved ones and to the clergy. Leave written instructions - in addition to what is in your will. These written instructions can be noted on the family information form kept in your home and on the essential information registry form left at the temple. A memorial service can be held in lieu of a funeral with coffin. Ashes may be taken home, spread, or interred in a cemetery with that cemetery's permission. You will need to check with the particular cemetery regarding their rules regarding the ashes.While Jewish tradition forbids donating one's entire body to science, Reform Judaism permits this practice, provided that the scientific institution to which the body is donated is known to treat the body with respect, and the remains are buried or cremated when the study is completed.

It is a mitzvah to donate organs to help the living. In South Carolina, the uniform donor document on the driver's license establishes your desire to donate and must be duly signed and witnessed. It is recommended that you discuss your intention with your loved ones and with the clergy. Your desire should be indicated in the essential information registry form left in the temple office and in the family information form kept at your home. Pertinent instructions also should be included in your will.

Embalming is the replacement of body fluids with a preservative. Traditional Jewish law prohibits it. Contrary to general thinking, civil laws usually do not require it. It is not recommended except under rare circumstances. However, if you take a body across state lines, you will need embalming or other special treatment of the body.

6. BURIAL PREPARATIONS

There are three traditional practices, regarded as fundamental religious obligations in traditional Judaism a Jewish person, or shomer, to watch over the body until burial; ritual washing of the body, and; burial in a simple white garment, a shroud Although Reform Judaism does not require any of these rituals, it recognizes that there will be members who desire to observe some or all of them. The usual Reform practice is to bury the body in whatever clothes the family wishes, usually something of the deceased’s regular wardrobe. If you desire to observe some of the traditional rituals, discuss the availability of a chevra kedisha or holiness group, with the clergy. They and/or the funeral chapel, will be happy to assist you with your wishes.

Jewish religious law requires that the coffin be completely of wood without nails or metal handles. The reason is that metal and concrete burial vaults that contain the casket would retard the natural processes. Reform practice allows, but does not encourage, anything other than a traditional coffin. Similarly, Reform practice permits use of an above-ground mausoleum when the deceased and the family expressly wish it.

After preparation for burial, the body is put into the coffin and the coffin is closed. Jewish tradition opposes the public viewing of the deceased in an open coffin. The family may view the body privately before the funeral service if they wish, but the coffin should be sealed permanently before the service begins. The custom of pre-funeral visitation in the chapel not in keeping with Jewish tradition and is discouraged. This is in accordance with Jewish teaching in the Talmud that: "One is not to comfort the bereaved while their dead still lies unburied."

7. FUNERAL AND BURIAL SERVICES

Tradition teaches that we should bury within a day after. Funerals are never held on Jewish festivals or the Shabbat and are conducted during daylight hours. The principle is to conduct the funeral and burial as soon as possible, mindful of travel arrangements necessary for out-of-town mourners. This generally means within two days of death. The Talmud indicated that the funeral service was held in the home of the deceased or at the cemetery. In our congregation, funeral services may be held at the funeral home or the grave side. There is an increasing trend towards grave side services; thus, when desired by the family, the funeral may be combined with the graveside committal and the entire service held at the cemetery. Our clergy usually officiate at the funeral service. Eulogies may be done by the officiant, family, or friends, and should be without embellishments or extraordinary praise for the deceased. Non-Jews may share in the eulogy. The funeral director will not conduct the service.

Pallbearers

The family of the deceased chooses the pallbearers, usually members of the extended family or close friends. Members of the immediate family do not act as pallbearers. While traditional Judaism requires that pallbearers be Jewish, Reform Judaism recognizes that a good friend should not be slighted just because s/he is not Jewish. Hence non-Jews may be pallbearers. It is considered an honor to escort the deceased to his or her final resting-place. At least six pallbearers are suggested to carry (or accompany) the casket from the chapel to the hearse, and later from the hearse to the grave site. In lieu of the traditional rending of garments, a black ribbon, or k’riah, may be cut prior to the funeral and worn by immediate family members during the bereavement period. Instead of flowers, it is usual to make a contribution to a charity, synagogue, hospital, or medical research foundation.

8. MOURNING

Returning from the Cemetery to the House of Mourning Washing one's hands symbolizes leaving the cemetery behind and returning to life. A bowl of water and a towel are placed outside the mourner's home for this purpose and all are encouraged to take part in this important custom. After burial, attention shifts from paying appropriate respect to the deceased to easing the pain of the living. Jewish law and practice define mourning periods and ways to bring the bereaved back into the stream of life.

Mourning Practices

The Talmud recognized that there is a difference between formal rites of mourning and the very personal grief that cannot be prescribed. Reform practice recognizes that one may grieve for any dear person, but it is religious duty to mourn for husband, wife, son, daughter, brother, sister, step-parent, step-child, foster parent, and adopted child, as well as for mother, father, grandmother, and grandfather. Although mourning need not be observed for an infant less than 30 days old, Reform Jews usually observe some rites of grieving.

According to tradition, the period of mourning lasts for a full year, and consists of the following: 1) the period between death and burial when the mourners should be free of all ritual and social obligations except observance of the Sabbath (if it occurs) and funeral and burial arrangements; 2) shivah, the seven days of mourning following the burial; 3) sheloshim, the 30 days, including shiva, after burial, when normal life gradually begins to resume; and 4) the balance of the year of mourning. During shivah, members of the bereaved family are encouraged to remain at home, to refrain from ordinary pursuits, and to participate in daily services at home. In Reform practice, at least three days are observed. The decision to observe the full shivah period, or to shorten it, is a personal one. Home Services. In our congregation, a home service may be held on the day of the funeral and the following two days. Today, These services are available upon request and may be conducted by knowledgeable temple leaders. Home services for shivah may be found in a separate booklet supplied by Temple Shalom. Both men and women may constitute a minyan to conduct this service. The temple Caring Community Committee will help in arranging the home service, if asked. All forms of mourning are suspended on the Sabbat, the festivals, and the High Holy Days. Mourners are encouraged to attend synagogue on the Friday evening and Saturday morning of the week of shivah to recite Kaddish, the prayer for the dead. Meal of Condolence. Traditionally, it is a mitzvah for friends to prepare the first meal eaten by mourners on returning from the cemetery so they may be spared the need to prepare food. This meal of consolation should not be lavish. Rather, it should be a simple dairy meal and a time for family and friends to come together to lend their strength to the bereaved. It is a symbol that life must go on and a bridge to the continuation of ordinary life. If friends are not available to provide a simple meal, the temple Caring Community Committee will assist with the provision of the meal of condolence. Memorial Light. During the shivah period, a seven-day memorial candle, usually provided by the funeral home, is lit at the home of the bereaved. The candle should be lit by a mourner on return from the funeral as a symbol of the light the deceased brought to the bereaved during life. Condolence Calls. It is appropriate for friends and members of the congregation to visit the home of the bereaved following the burial during the shivah period. The practice of serving refreshments during shiva is discouraged. It is also wise to visit the family after shivah when the press of friends and family has begun to give way to loneliness and the full impact of the family’s loss is felt.

After shivah, normal occupational and family activities are resumed. During sheloshim, (the first 30 days of the mourning period) the family should refrain from public entertainment or parties. It is acceptable to attend meetings concerned with civic, religious, or welfare activities. One can also proceed with existing wedding plans and may study Torah in the synagogue in memory of the deceased. Reform practice is to observe mourning for up to 12 months following the funeral. Attendance at weekly Shabbat services is recommended. The period may be determined by the individual. If needed, our clergy are available for consultation.

Kaddish, Yahrzeit, Yizkor.

In some communities, the Kaddish is recited in memory of the deceased for a year. At Temple Shalom the deceased is memorialized by name in the Kaddish for 30 days following death, but it is customary for mourners to say Kaddish for a year after the day of death. The prayer affirms our faith in God. It is a mitzvah to annually observe the yahrzeit, or anniversary, of the day of death. Customary observances are attending services at the synagogue, reciting the Kaddish, and lighting at home a 24-hour candle in the evening of the day of burial. The temple will send you Yahrzeit notices based on our records provide by you. These may be established according to either the English or Hebrew calendar. Yizkor is the memorial service held on the afternoon of Yom Kippur and the mornings of the last day of festivals. It is customary to remember our loved ones on these occasions with special prayers. Cemetery Visits. According to custom, there are no visits to the cemetery for the first month following burial. One can visit at all other times except Sabbat and festivals. Usually, one visits the graves of loved ones during the month before Rosh Hashanah Memorial Markers. Tombstones or memorial markers are customarily set up within a year of death, and may be set in place anytime after the sheloshim. Principles of simplicity and dignity should govern their selection. The ceremony of unveiling or dedication may be held any day except the Shabbat or Jewish holidays. The ritual may be conducted by family or clergy. The cover of the stone is removed at the unveiling. This is a brief ceremony without eulogy and a copy of the appropriate services may be obtained at Temple Shalom. The family gathers at the grave for this ceremony and returns home afterward. The only necessary arrangement with the cemetery is to assure that the gates are open and the tombstone or marker is in place.

This is a brief summary of the key steps to take when a loved one dies. Please refer to the guide or contact the clergy for additional information. Contact authorities (if death occurs at home) Obtain death certificate and have body transferred to funeral provider. Make key funeral (or memorial) service and burial decisions (Temple Shalom has arranged a special contract for its members with a local provider. Please call the clergy or executive director for details.) Design funeral service with cleric.

Select funeral service site

Select casket

Select pallbearers

Finalize burial property purchase and maintenance

Make decisions regarding children’s attendance, private viewing of the deceased, if desired, and any additional rituals that might be desired

Arrange for K’riah (rending garment or ribbon)

Determine who will give the eulogy and/or do other readings (as desired)

Decide on interment service, burial of casket, and saying of kaddish

Arrange for the seudat havra-ah (meal following burial service)

Arrange for washing of the hands following interment

Decide on mourning practices:

Shivah (immediate family)

Sheloshim (30 days)

Aveilut (for parents only)

Provide for grave marker

Plan unveiling ceremony - after Sheloshim

Plan for Remembrance

Yahrzeit

Yizkor

10. RESOURCES

Caring ConnectionsNational Hospice and Palliative Care Organization

1700 Diagonal Rd., Suite 625

Alexandria, VA 22314

1-800-658-8898

Aging With Dignity

P.O. Box 161

Tallahassee, FL 32302-1661

www.agingwithdignity.org

1-888-594-7437

Five Wishes (brochure)

1-888-5-WISHES

or contact Aging With dignity (above)

Address, Richard F, and The Department of Jewish Family,

Eds. A Time to Prepare. NY: UAHC Press, 2002. (A

practical guide, including forms, bibliography, and

Jewish rationale for decision.)

http://www.aging.state.sc.us/AdvMedDir.pdf

Reading materials

Helping Children Cope with Death

Death of a Grandparent or Older Person

Fassler, Joan. My Grandpa Died Today. New York: Human

Sciences Press, 1971.

Grollman, Earl. Talking About Death. Boston: Beacon

Press, 1970.

Hazen, Barbara S. Why Did Grandpa Die? New York: Western

Publishing Company, Inc., 1985.

Pomerantz, Barbara. Bubby, Me and Memories. New York:

Union of American Hebrew Congregations, 1983.

Death of a Sibling

Coburn, John. Anne and the Sand Dobbies. New York:

Seabury, 1964.

Losing Someone You Love: When a Brother or Sister Dies.

New York: G.P.Putnam’s, 1986.

Walsh, Jill. Unleaving. New York: Farrar, Straus &

Giroux, 1976.

Death of a Child or Adolescent

Bach, Alice. Waiting for Johnny Miracle. New York:

Bantam, 1982.

Kubler-Ross, Elizabeth. Remember the Secret. Celestial

Arts, 1982.

Death of a Pet, Animal or Tree:

Abbot, Sarah, The Old Dog, New York: Coward, McCann &

Geoghegan, 1972.

Cohen, Miriam, Jim’s Dog Muffins. New York: Greenwillow

Books, 1984.

Edwards, Lynne and Brian, Dead as the Dodo. New York:

Parents’ Magazine Press, 1973.

Liberman, Judith. The Bird’s Last Song. Reading,

Massachusetts: Addison-Wesley, 1976.

Viorst, Judith. The Tenth Good Thing About Barney. New

York: Atheneum, 1973.

Biological and Sociological Facts About Death

Bernstein, Joanne and Gullo, Stephen. When People Die.

New York: E.P. Dutton, 1977.

Klein, Stanley. The Final Mystery. Garden City, New

York: Doubleday, 1974.

Pringle, Laurence. Death is Natural. New York: Four

Winds Press, 1977.

Zim, Herbert and Bleeker, Sonia. Life and Death. New

York: William Morrow, 1970.

Jewish Practices and Rituals - Resources for Adults

Goodman, Rabbi Arnold M., A Plain Pine Box. A Return to

Simple Jewish Funerals and Eternal Traditions. New York:

K’Tav, 1981.

Greenberg, Rabbi Sydney, ed. A Treasury of Comfort.

California: Wilshire Book Company, 1970.

Grollman, Earl A., ed. Concerning Death: A Practical

Guide for the Living. Boston: Beacon Press, 1974.

Isaacs, Rabbi Ron H. and Rabbi Kerry M. Olitsky. A

Jewish Mourner’s Handbook. Hoboken, NY: K’tav, 1991.

Lamm, Rabbi Maurice. The Jewish Way in Death and

Mourning. New York: Jonathan David, 1969.

Pincus, Lily. Death and the Family. The Importance of

Mourning. New York: Pantheon Books, 1974.

Riemer, Jack, ed. Jewish Reflections on Death. NY:

Schocken Books, 1974.

Rozwaski, Chaim Z. Jewish Meditations on the Meaning of

Death. New Jersey: Jason Aaronson, Inc. 1994.

Silverman, William B. and Cinnamon, Kenneth M. When

Mourning Comes.

A Book of Comfort and Grieving. New Jersey: Jason

Aaronson, Inc., 1990.

For further information, try the Union for Reform

Judaism web-site http://urj.org/educate/library/#worship

11. AREA FUNERAL PROVIDERS AND CEMETERIES

McMillan Small Funeral Chapel

Highway 17 Bypass at 67th Ave.

449-3396

Jewish Section

Temple Shalom Section

5000 Hwy 17 s.

North Myrtle Beach Sc

843-272-5267

Appendices:

A. Advanced Directive (Living Will Declaration) Use this link to obtain forms:

http://www.state.sc.us/AdvMedDir.pdf

B. Family Information Form for personal and temple use

Temple Shalom of Myrtle Beach wishes to thank Beth El Hebrew Congregation 3830 Seminary Road, Alexandria,Va 22304 and Temple Beth Ami, 14330 Travilah Road Rockville, MD 20850-3527, for their graciousness in allowing us to examine their web-site format, and their willingness to share information and resources to assist us in updating our own funeral practices document.

APPENDIX B: Family Information Form

(This form should be kept at your home. Please infom your loved ones where this form is kept.)

English Name Hebrew Name Birth Date Citizenship

Birth Certificates are kept:________________________________________________________

Legal Advisor: ________________________Phone/Email_______________________________

Executor/executrix:____________________ Phone/Email:: _____________________________

Will is kept: ___________________________________________________________________

Other wills (living, ethical) are kept_________________________________________________

Life insurance agent: ___________________ Phone/ Email: _____________________________

Life insurance company:_________________ Phone/Email: _____________________________

Policy numbers: ________________________________________________________________

Policies are kept _______________________________________________________________

Health and accident insurance agent: _______________________________________________

Phone/Email: ______________________________________________________________

Health and accident insurance company: _________________ Phone/Email: ________________

Policy numbers: ________________________________________________________________

Policies ar kept:_________________________________________________________________

Medicare registration: (Circle) Yes No Medicare Number: __________

Medicare insurance card kept: _____________________________________________________

SAFE DEPOSIT BOX

Box Number: _______________ Box location: _____________________

Key is kept: ____________________________________________________________________

BANK ACCOUNT

Name of Bank and Location Checking Account #’s Savings Account #’s

______________________________________

___________________ ___________________

______________________________________

___________________ ___________________

______________________________________

___________________ ___________________

SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS

Name: _____________________________ Number: ____________

Name: _____________________________ Number: ____________

Name: _____________________________ Number: ____________

Name: _____________________________ Number: ____________

Cards and information are kept:

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

____________________________________________________

PENSIONS, IRA’s, ANNUITIES

List of holdings: ____________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Information is kept: _________________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________________________

SECURITIES

List of holdings:_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Information is kept:

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

REAL ESTATE

List of holdings_____________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

MILITARY SERVICE

Number: ______________________

Discharge papers are kept: ____________________________________________________________________

__________________________________________________________________________________________

FUNERAL HOME

Name: ____________________________________________________________________________________

Letter on file: ______________________________________________________________________________

CEMETERY PROPERTY

Name: ______________________________________________ Deed Number: _________________________ Number of spaces: _____________

SPECIAL FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS

(cremation, donation of body to medical use, and so forth)

______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________RELATIVES AND CLOSE FRIENDS TO BE NOTIFIED

Name Address Phone/Email

________________________ __________________________________ ______________________

________________________ __________________________________ ______________________

________________________ __________________________________ ______________________

________________________ __________________________________ ______________________

________________________ __________________________________ _____________

OTHER REMARKS:

__________________________________________________________________________________________ __________________________________________________________________________________________