The most traumatic moment in most people’s lives occurs when a family member has passed. Nothing can prepare you for this moment, even if the death was expected. 

If you recently lost a loved one, we would like to offer our sincerest sympathies. We know you probably feel lost right now. We understand how important it is for you to have access to a knowledgeable professional who knows what to do. Please consider calling the Philadelphia Cremation Society at 610-632-1191 for assistance. 

Here are some suggestions of what to do upon a family member’s passing.

What to Do When a Family Member Passes

The grief experts at the Philadelphia Cremation Society will arrange to have a professional pick up your loved one. Our transportation service will transfer bodies from private residences, nursing homes, hospice facilities, hospitals, or coroners’ offices in the Philadelphia area. Our service area includes the following counties in Pennsylvania: Philadelphia, Delaware, Montgomery, Chester, Bucks, Lehigh, Northampton, and Berks. We now also offer services to the residents of the following counties in New Jersey: Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, and Salem. Also, contact us if you reside in New Castle County in Delaware.  

Philadelphia Cremation Society’s highly trained, compassionate staff members will ask a few simple questions that will enable us to make the cremation arrangements. Before those arrangements can take place, families need to determine whether the cremation will occur before the funeral services or after. If you choose to delay the cremation until after the service, the body may need to be embalmed. We can help you arrange this process, which may be necessary for an open-casket visitation.

Once you and the rest of your family have made these decisions, the Philadelphia Cremation Society will take care of the rest of the paperwork and details. You will be free to focus on notifying other family members and comforting those around you.

Cremations Needed ASAP? 

Perhaps you had already made funeral arrangements and had the opportunity to say your final goodbye to your loved one. In this case, you may prefer that the cremation occur as soon as possible. This is generally referred to as a direct cremation. The Philadelphia Cremation Society can help you with this process.

We offer several easy-to-understand packages that offer the best pricing in the Philadelphia area. All packages include cremation arrangements, online memorials, assistance with notifying the Social Security Administration, and assistance with veteran benefits (if applicable.)

You will also receive the help and guidance of our grief experts. We know that you will have additional questions regarding the end-of-life process, and we are happy to assist you in any way you need to ensure things go smoothly. 

Cremations in Philadelphia (and in select areas of New Jersey and Delaware)

Once the process has been completed, we will return the cremated remains to the designated family member. We can also make special arrangements to ship the remains to the family if necessary.

Many of our clients have little experience in planning services. It would be our honor to assist you with this process. Let our staff members know if you need help planning a scattering service. We can also offer assistance with interring the remains in a columbarium, memorial park, or cemetery. We are knowledgeable about state and local laws regarding the scattering of remains. Our staff will help you plan a meaningful service for your family and one that follows local statutes. 

While our staff specializes in assisting family members with immediate cremation arrangements, we also have many pre-planned cremation packages. One of the kindest things you can do for your family is to pre-plan your funeral. Our staff will assist you in this process, so when you pass, your family can spend their time sharing memories and comforting one another. Pre-planning your cremation also allows you to save money on the process.

Other Considerations

Our compassionate staff understands that you are grieving the loss of a loved one when you call to make arrangements. Your grief takes priority over everything. In fact, our staff would be happy to help you find grief counseling in the Philadelphia area to work through the complicated emotions that follow a loved one’s death. 

The Philadelphia Cremation Society provides a needed service, but we do it with compassion, patience, and understanding. We know that you are experiencing a traumatic moment with the passing of your loved one. We will do everything in our power to make the final arrangements go smoothly. 

If you need immediate assistance, call 610-632-1191, or fill out this online contact form and request “immediate help.” Our staff is ready to help, no matter what time it is. Now offering support in select areas of New Jersey and Delaware.