When Death Occurs

Kirksey's Mortuary is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year to assist you with the details and offer our guidance.

What should I do if a death occurs at home?

When death occurs at home, the staff of Kirksey's Mortuary is available to assist you 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please call us at (205) 780-1919.

What if death occurs at a hospital or nursing home?

Notify the nurse or hospital clergy that Kirksey's Mortuary is your choice for a funeral service provider. The staff will then contact Kirksey's to inform us of the death. 

Our staff is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Please have the hospital or nursing home to contact Kirksey's Mortuary at (205) 780-1919.

What if a death occurs away from home, can the Kirksey's Staff still help?

Yes. When death occurs away from home, Kirksey's Mortuary can assist you with out-of-state arrangements and transfer the deceased to a preferred location. Be sure to contact Kirksey's Mortuary first at (205) 780-1919 before contacting a local funeral home. This will help to save your family hundreds if not thousands of dollars in the preparation and transportation of the remains to one of our locations.

We have compiled the following list to help guide you through the steps you will need to take when a death has occurred. Our staff will help coordinate all of the details when you meet for an arrangement conference.  The following are some questions that we may ask when you call:

• What is the full name of the deceased?
  
• What is the location of the deceased (Hospital, Nursing Facility or Residence)?
  
• What is your name, address and telephone number?
  
• What is the name, address and phone number of the next-of-kin?

We will then set an appointment time for you to come to the mortuary to complete the details of the funeral arrangement. We will ask you to gather information and bring in some items that will be necessary to complete the arrangement. These items will include:

Information needed:        

• The deceased social security number
  
• The deceased date of birth
  
• The deceased place of birth
  
• The deceased fathers full name
  
• The deceased mothers' full name (with maiden name)
  
• Information about the deceased education
  
• Marital status of the deceased

Items to bring to your appointment:

• Recent photograph of deceased for both newspaper and hairdresser
  
• Other family pictures of deceased from young to present day to be displayed at the service
  
• Veteran's discharge papers (Form D.D. 214)
  
• Life Insurance Policies (Kirksey's Mortuary will help to file the insurance as an added service for your family)
  
• Cemetery lot information

Items to consider for service:

• The desired day and time of the funeral service
  
• A minister for the service
  
• Special music for the service (recorded cassette tapes, compact disc or live vocal selections)
  
• A list of pallbearers with their phone numbers
  
• A list of the deceased club or civic group memberships
  
• A list of the deceased special interests or hobbies that they enjoyed
  
• An appropriate charity to which memorial contribution gifts can be made (church, cemetery fund, hospice, or school)