What do funeral directors do?
The Shaw Funeral Home directors are caregivers and administrators. When a death occurs, the funeral director will transport the body to the funeral home, embalm the body as required or requested, and sanitize the body. The funeral director will meet with the family to arrange the visitation and funeral service, contact the clergy, church, cemetery, assist in creating an obituary, gather data for the death certificate, fill out the necessary paperwork for the government and military, as applicable, assist the family with filing insurance claims and making any other arrangements the family requests.

All the Shaw Funeral Home directors are listeners, advisors and supporters. We have experience assisting the bereaved in coping with death. We are trained to answer questions about grief, recognize when a person is having difficulty coping, and recommend sources of professional help. The Shaw Funeral Home directors also link survivors with support groups at the funeral home or in the community.

Why have a public viewing?
Viewing is part of many cultural and ethnic traditions. Many grief specialists believe that viewing aids the grief process by helping the bereaved recognize the reality of death. Viewing is encouraged for children, as long as the process is explained and the activity voluntary.

Is it possible to have a traditional funeral if someone dies of communicable diseases?
Yes, a person who dies of a communicable disease is entitled to the same service options afforded to anyone else. If public viewing is consistent with local or personal customs, that option is encouraged. Touching the deceased's face or hands is perfectly safe. Because the grief experienced by survivors may include a variety of feelings, survivors may need even more support than survivors of non-communicable disease related deaths.

What is the most common disposition of the body?
In Michigan, the most commonly selected funeral service is an earth burial and accounts for 70% of all deaths.

What is a Disposition?
Final disposition means the entombment, burial in a cemetery or cremation of a dead human body.

Isn't burial space becoming scarce?
While it is true some metropolitan areas have limited available cemetery space, in most areas of the country, there is enough space set aside for the next 200 years without creating new cemeteries. In addition, land available for new cemeteries is more than adequate, especially with the increase in entombment and multi-level grave burial.

What are some funeral service options?

• Visitation night before, body present in a casket, church service next day, earth burial
• Visitation day of funeral, body present in a casket, church service same day, earth burial
• Visitation day before or day of, body present in casket, church service, cremation, burial or scattering at a later date
• Cremation, visitation, church service or memorial, burial/scatter/retain ashes
• Cremation, memorial service at the funeral home, burial/scatter/retain ashes
• Cremation, burial/scatter/retain ashes
• Immediate burial
• Immediate cremation

How should we tell our children?

Experts concerned with the subject of children coping with a loved one's death agree that there is every good reason to guide youngsters gently and honestly into an early understanding of this puzzling aspect of life; and that to avoid answering questions children ask about the subject is harmful. Children are not as vulnerable as most of us adults take them to be, according to psychologists who have studied children's responses to the death of a loved one.

Embalming Questions

What is the purpose of embalming?

Does a body have to be embalmed, according to Michigan law?
Embalming is not required by Michigan law EXCEPT if burial or cremation does not take place within 48 hours of death or if the deceased had certain communicable diseases. Further, a funeral home normally requires and has the right to require embalming if a public visitation is planned. Additionally, common carrier regulations usually require embalming as a condition for the transportation of a deceased person. You should also check the embalming laws and regulations of other states if the deceased is to be transported outside of Michigan. If embalming is desired the amount of time that elapses between death and embalming can make a difference in the personal appearance of the body. Permission for embalming should be granted as soon as possible for best results.

What to do if a Death Occurs

Will someone come right away?
Yes, if you request immediate assistance. If the family wishes to spend a short time with the deceased to say good bye, it's acceptable. They will come when you ask.

If a loved one dies out of state, can Shaw Funeral Home still help?
Yes, we can assist you with out-of-state arrangements, either to transfer the remains to another state or from another state to Shaw Funeral Home. Generally it's much less expensive if we make the arrangements with a reputable funeral home.