When Death Occurs
Whether a death is sudden or expected, the loss of a loved one can be traumatic, emotions are heightened, and even basic decisions can seem overwhelming. This section seeks to guide you through the immediate hours following a death.
To notify Hyatt-Ewald Funeral Home of a death, phone our office at 989-892-3923. If you need to provide a facility with our information our address is:
700 NORTH MONROE STREET
BAY CITY, MI 48708
When a Death Occurs at a Home
If the person was not under hospice care, the police will have to be notified. The police will be dispatched to the home and will notify the medical examiner to obtain permission to release the deceased into our care. If the person was under hospice care, you must contact hospice so they can respond to you and notify the funeral home. Once the funeral home is notified, staff will be directed to the place of death and an appointment time will be set to discuss plans and answer questions about "what to do next".
When a Death Occurs at a Hospital or Other Facility
The staff of a facility, such as a hospital or nursing home, will notify you the death has occurred and it will be necessary at that time to inform the facility staff that your loved one is to be released into the care of the Hyatt-Ewald Funeral Home. The staff will then notify us and provide us with important death certificate information. If you are not present, funeral home staff will contact you by telephone to discuss your plans and set up a time to finalize arrangements. Our funeral directors have decades of experience and are here to help and advise you. Our purpose is to support you and partner with you during this difficult time.
Making Arrangements
The Funeral Director will need to gather information required for the death certificate.
This information includes:
- Complete Legal Name and Legal Address
- Maiden Name of Deceased
- Marital Status
- Race and Ancestry
- Date and City of Birth
- Highest Level of Education Completed
- Father’s Name, Mother’s Name (including maiden name)
- Name of Spouse (including maiden name)
- Occupation (work done during most of adult life)
Arrangements for services must be made, or if pre-planning has occurred, reviewed and updated.
The specific information that needs to be reviewed with us is:
- Scheduling the location, date and time of a visitation and funeral service if one is desired
- Deciding on burial or cremation
- Choosing a casket or urn
- Place of burial or placement of cremated remains
- Gathering information for an obituary
A funeral director will guide you through all of these decisions, merging individual needs and desires into a unique and meaningful service to honor your loved one, while easing your grief. Personalizing a service may include the use of specific and meaningful music, photos, flowers, stories, or sports involvement. Sharing these memories helps move us forward through the grieving process, while paying tribute to and honoring the life of one who not only touched others, but was such an important part of the fabric of your life.
