What Do I Do When My Loved One Passes Away Suddenly?

The death of a loved one is always traumatic, even when it is expected. But when a loved one dies suddenly, your feelings of grief can make the planning process seem overwhelming. It can be difficult to know what to do next. At Krause Funeral Homes, we have many years of experience serving Milwaukee-area families in all types of situations. Our staff has found it can be helpful to follow some of these suggestions for notifying others and making arrangements.

Notify the local authorities

If your loved one dies unexpectedly outside of a hospital, you will need to notify the local police in the area where the death occurred. They will record the death and obtain a death certificate. If the death occurs in a hospital, the hospital staff will assist you in facilitating the recording and creation of the death certificate.

Contact Krause Funeral Home

The Krause team is here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. You can contact us for help with everything from the logistics of transportation to our funeral home, to embalming services, to planning all the details of a meaningful funeral or memorial service to honor your family member.

Notify others

This can be particularly difficult. You may not know the right words to say, or may not feel like you want to speak at all. Here are some tips for you:

  • Some of our families have found it helpful to designate a friend or family member who can make phone calls and send messages to people you wish to notify.
  • You may also wish to write an obituary to post online or in your local newspaper. This can be a good way to notify people you may not be in close contact with or those your loved one knew outside of your own network of friends and family. Our staff at Krause Funeral Homes can assist you in writing an obituary that will help you convey your loss and pay loving tribute to the person who has died.
  • Don’t be afraid to utilize social media. While you’ll want to make sure those closest to your loved one hear it personally, Facebook can provide a way for you to communicate about the death and share any service or visitation information with a lot of people, quickly.

If your loved one preplanned, get a copy of their wishes

Whether their preferences included a burial or cremation, we can meet all of their wishes, even if they preplanned somewhere else. If they haven’t preplanned, we will work closely with you to help you make casket or urn selections, plan the service, and accommodate any special requests you have. We know every family is unique and each funeral or memorial service is also unique. We are proud of our ability to assist families with planning a visitation or service that truly celebrates the life that was lived through personalization options such as music, flowers, and more. Whether you are expecting a large or small group, would like to arrange for a reception, or need the use of our certified celebrants, we are with you every step of the way.

Connect with grief resources

When a death is sudden, the days that follow can feel like a whirlwind. Your loss may not have even fully registered with you by the time the services are over. Our grief resources can provide you with much-needed support in the days and weeks that follow the memorial. Krause also has the most comprehensive list of grief support groups for Southeastern Wisconsin.

Although it can feel like you are all alone when a loved one dies unexpectedly, know that the Krause family is here to assist you with every aspect of their farewell.

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