How much does an average funeral cost?

     The average cost of a traditional funeral today is approximately $6000. This includes professional services of the funeral director and staff, the transfer from place of death to the funeral home, embalming, use of the facilities for visitation and the funeral service, necessary vehicles, and a moderately priced casket and concrete vault.
     This cost does not include items such as cemetery lots, opening and closing the grave, newspaper obituary notices, certified death certificates, monument expenses, any honorarium given to clergy and musicians, temporary markers, or escort service.
     The cost may be increased or decreased depending on the merchandise and the services you select. At Chancellor Funeral Home, we have caskets ranging from $595 to $10,000, as well as a wide selection of urns and vaults. The service you choose – which can vary from a traditional funeral service with visitation to a Memorial service – will affect your funeral cost.


Does Chancellor Funeral Home offer a payment plan?

     At Chancellor Funeral Home, at-need funeral expenses are due at the time of service. We take Visa, MasterCard, and Discover Card for payment. In certain circumstances, when proof of payment is definite, we do extend terms. If payment for service requires filing insurance claims, we will assist you in this matter.


Can Funeral Arrangements be planned and, if desired, paid for in advance?

     Yes. Many people find that preplanning arrangements gives them peace of mind. They know their wishes will be carried out, and the burden lessened on their family at the time of death. Some find they need to protect their assets and assure their funeral expenses will be taken care of. Preplanning a funeral consists of meeting with the funeral home of your choice to allow the funeral director to gather biographical information for a death certificate as well as information for the obituary notice. At this time you can choose the type of service you desire. This includes such things as the casket, cremation urn, or outer burial container. Special clothing, flowers, or music may be listed for reference later by the family.
     Once these pre-arrangements are made, you may decide to prepay your funeral to secure the price at today’s cost. The interest that accumulates on your funds is used to offset the increase in cost over time. At Chancellor Funeral Home, we use insurance and trusts as our funding vehicles. We guarantee that your funeral funds will be secure and protected.


What happens to my pre-arrangement should I choose to move?

     Your pre-arrangements are easily transferred to another funeral home should you decide to leave the area.


Can a pre-arrangement be transferred to Chancellor Funeral Home?

     We welcome pre-arrangement transfers. If you have an existing pre-arrangement and would like to use Chancellor Funeral Home, we invite you to come by and talk with our funeral directors about the transfer.


How much will Social Security pay toward my funeral expenses?

     The Social Security Administration may pay a lump sum death benefit of $255 to the surviving spouse, provided the deceased and his/her spouse were living together at the time of death. Entitled children may be eligible to receive the lump sum benefit if the deceased was receiving monthly benefits at the time of death. Further information regarding benefits that you or your family may be eligible for can be obtained by calling the Social Security Administration at (800) 772-1213 or visiting their website at  www.ssa.gov.


As a United States veteran, will the Veterans Administration pay for my funeral expenses?

     Each honorably discharged veteran is entitled to a burial flag and a government grave marker for an unmarked grave. In certain circumstances, a veteran may be eligible for monetary benefits. These may include a burial allowance of $300, a plot allowance of $150, and some transportation expenses. If the death is service connected, there may be additional monies available. The funeral directors at Chancellor Funeral Home can give you more information.


What is embalming? Is it necessary?

     We embalm because people care about people. We want to remember our loved ones clean, whole, and at peace. In embalming and caring for the deceased, we give them back the basic dignity they knew in life. Embalming focuses on disinfection, preservation, and restoration of the deceased. We attend to hygienic matters such as bathing and grooming. We position the features in a most restful pose. Where necessary, we restore natural form and color. We administer preservative and disinfectant agents to forestall the forces of nature. Embalming is the best means of presenting the deceased person for the funeral service or memorial event. But most of all, we embalm in order to give grieving family members time and the means to adapt to a new reality in their lives.


Is embalming required by law?

     Except in certain special cases, embalming is not required by law. However, embalming is necessary if you select certain funeral arrangements such as a visitation with public viewing. If you do not want embalming, you have the right to choose an arrangement that would not require it, such as a closed casket, immediate burial, cremation, or anatomical donation prior to the service.


Exactly what is cremation? What all is involved?

     Cremation is a process that reduces human remains to basic compounds and bone fragments. Usually it is done in a facility called a crematory which can be part of the funeral home or mortuary, an independent facility, or a service offered by a cemetery. The process reduces the body to dried bone fragments which are further processed into a fine sand-like texture and color, without any foreign matter adhering.
     Often cremation serves as a post-funeral rite to the alternative of interment of a body in a casket. Cremated remains, called “cremains,” are not a health risk. They may be earth interred, entombed in a columbarium, scattered at sea or in other legally permitted areas, or retained by the next of kin. The final disposition really depends upon the wishes of the deceased and the family, as well as cultural and religious beliefs.


Can I still have a visitation and/or funeral service if I wish to be cremated?

     With cremation, many service options are available to put the life and loss of your loved one in perspective. The act of cremation is simply a form of disposition of the body, such as interment, entombment, or an anatomical gift. Some families want only a direct cremation with no service. Others choose to have a visitation and a funeral service where family and friends come together to memorialize the deceased and celebrate valued traditions and customs. Others elect to have a memorial service after cremation with the urn present. Chancellor Funeral Home can help you make a cremation service unique to fit your needs.


What are some types of cremation disposition?

     Burial: Cremains may be placed in an urn and buried in a regular burial plot or family plot. Some cemeteries have special areas set aside for burial of cremains. Urn vaults are recommended to prevent damage to the urn from natural elements.
     Inurnment: This is the placement of cremains in an urn and the urn then placed in a special structure called a “columbarium.” Today, many cemeteries and memorial parks have these arrangements.
     Cremains At Home: Many families choose to set aside special places within their homes for the cremated remains of their loved one. High-quality, decorative urns usually are used for this purpose. Also, cremains may be divided among family members who wish to retain them in miniature urns of their choice.
     Scattering: Some families elect to scatter the cremains of their loved one. This can be done in special scattering gardens, at sea, or in other private areas. Check state regulations before scattering since this is often prohibited in public areas.


Is a vault required at the cemetery?

     Most perpetual care cemeteries in our area require some form of outer burial container. A vault is an outer container that is waterproof by an air seal or a top seal. Other containers such as a concrete box or metal grave liner can be used. An outside container is required at our Garden of Memories Cemetery. Chancellor Funeral Home has a wide assortment of the rigid outside containers to meet every need.


What should I do if death occurs at night or on a weekend or holiday?

     If the death of a loved one occurs at night or on a weekend or holiday, one of your first calls should be to Chancellor Funeral Home. Our 24-hour answering service will alert one of our on-duty funeral directors to the death in your family. Our funeral director will contact you about picking up and transferring the deceased to our funeral home. Afterward, we will meet with family members at their convenience to make the necessary funeral arrangements.


Is Chancellor Funeral Home, Garden of Memories an independent, family-owned firm?

     While many funeral homes are corporate controlled, Chancellor Funeral Home & Garden of Memories Cemetery is family-owned and operated by the Chancellor and Renfrow families. Every aspect of the funeral home and cemetery is handled by a member of our family. We consider funeral service more than a job. It is a
ministry to the community and the families we serve.