What to Do First
The First Call
Call us at 206-242-1787, any hour of the day or night. That call is the only thing that has to happen immediately. Everything else in this guide can wait, and most of it should. Where the death occurs changes who makes that first call, so here is each situation.
At home, under hospice care
Call the hospice nurse. The nurse comes out, completes their part, and calls us for you. You don't need to call 911.
At home, without hospice
Call 911. When a death at home wasn't under hospice or another at-home medical provider, the county has to release your loved one before we can bring them into our care. Tell the responders you've chosen Bonney Watson.
At a hospital
Tell the staff you've chosen Bonney Watson. They'll call us once their paperwork is complete, and we take it from there.
At a hospice or nursing facility
Same as the hospital. Tell the staff you've chosen Bonney Watson and they'll notify us for you.
Away from home
Call us anyway, even if the death happened in another state or country. We arrange the transportation home and coordinate with a funeral home where the death occurred, so you don't have to make those calls yourself.
If a pre-plan exists
Tell us on that first call. Most of the decisions are already made, and if your loved one was enrolled in the Travel Plan by Inman, transportation from anywhere is already covered.
Who to Tell in the First Few Days
The Information We'll Need
Papers Worth Finding
These documents matter at the arrangement appointment and in the weeks after, not in the first hour. Look for them when you're able, and bring what you find.
Pre-plan paperwork
If your loved one planned ahead with us or with another funeral home, most decisions are already made and often already paid for.
DD-214 discharge papers
If they served in the military, this one document unlocks the VA benefits. The Veterans Guide covers what those are worth.
Life insurance policies
Each insurer needs its own claim, and many families use a policy to pay for the services themselves.
Cemetery paperwork
If they owned cemetery property, the Certificate of Interment Rights says where. If you can't find it, we can look it up for property here.
The will or trust
The personal representative needs it to settle the estate. The original matters; a copy is a starting point.
A note on death certificates
Most families end up needing 8 to 12 certified copies to settle accounts. We order those for you, so you don't need to do anything yet except know it's coming.
If someone has just died, stop reading here
Call us at 206-242-1787, any hour. We'll bring your loved one into our care and walk through everything else in this guide with you, at the table, one step at a time.
Martice Morrison · Family Service and Advanced Planning Director · (206) 445-9794 · mmorrison@bonneywatson.com
