Frequently Asked Questions.
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The First Steps:
Our Customer Care Team is available 24 hours a day, 365 days of the year to take your call and answer any questions you may have.
In the majority of cases, a death will occur while your loved ones are in hospitals, nursing homes, aged care facilities etc. The staff in these facilities will assist you with the first steps and preliminary information. Generally these facilities will ask upon admittance for you to nominate a funeral home, like Kingston Funerals, to be contacted at the time of death.
In the case of unexpected or suspicious circumstances surrounding the death, the police will need to be notified. Where a doctor isn’t prepared to sign the Death Certificate, then the Coroners will become involved and they will need to transfer your loved one into their care.
When a person passes away interstate or overseas, Kingston Funerals will liaise with the appropriate local service providers to ensure all of the correct paperwork and regulations are met.
A Coroner will become involved when there are unexpected or suspicious circumstances surrounding a death.
We would suggest you have a thorough look through our website prior to meeting us so you can familiarise yourself with all of our services and pricing. If you would like to complete any of the statutory forms please visit here.
If you are having any printed stationery or a DVD Tribute please bring in any hard copies of photos that we will need to scan or alternatively upload them here.
You can also bring in the clothing that you would like your loved one to be dressed in. If you have specific instructions for our mortuary staff in respect to how you would like us to present your loved one’s hair or make-up please bring in a photo.
At the time of death you will be required to complete some statutory forms. Ideally we would like you to complete the forms prior to what’s called the ‘Arrangement Conference’.
Click on the links below to download the forms.This is never an easy question to answer and will be determined by the choices you make. We have a whole section dedicated to pricing on our website and we would recommend you take a look at this page before determining which service type and offerings will be right for your family.
Decisions to be made:
One of these significant decisions is whether your loved one will be buried or cremated. This decision may depend upon the wishes of the deceased person, or may be decided based on other considerations, such as family wishes or budgetary constraints. Cremation is more cost effective as burial requires the purchase of a grave or an existing grave to be re-opened.
If you are unsure as to which option you would like to select don’t hesitate to contact our staff.
Our Chapel is located at 146 Argus Street, Cheltenham and sits 60 people comfortably, offering a reflective garden with state-of-the-art audio visual equipment. Our Chapel also provides the perfect place to gather and view your loved one prior to the service or the day/night before the funeral.
We also have two arrangement rooms which are equipped for your comfort whilst you meet with our staff to arrange the funeral of your loved one. We also meet with families in the comfort of their own home.
Additionally, we work with alternative venues, Cemeteries and Crematoria to ensure that you select the right venue for your family. Many families now choose to hold memorial services in locations across Melbourne, for their convenience. See our full list of venues here.
The decision to view your loved one is a significant decision. There can definitely be benefits in having some time with your loved one prior to the funeral. It means you can see them in a peaceful state whilst you say your final goodbyes.
We suggest that if you or other family members don’t wish to attend a viewing then that is fine. Some people may feel that their last memory is sufficient enough and that they would prefer to hold onto that memory.
Today more children are attending either a viewing or the funeral. Whilst we encourage that, we would also recommend that you explain to them beforehand what is going to take place and that an adult attends with them.
Yes, traditionally families have used newspapers to announce a death or advise the date/time/location of a funeral.
In today’s digital world, many families also take to social media to announce a funeral notice, so family and friends can share the details with their own network.
General:
Our Repatriation Department – recognised as the industry leader among Victorian Funeral Directors – has decades of experience in dealing with the added complexity of a death overseas and the task of returning the deceased home to Australia.
Equally, we have extensive experience in repatriating someone who has died in Australia back to their country of origin. This will involve coordination of all documents from coroners, embassies and airlines.
We will also attend to the preparation of the deceased to ensure a dignified presentation should the next-of-kin wish to view on return to the country of origin. Please note that some Travel Insurance Schemes will arrange the repatriation to the country of origin without cost to the family.
One of the most significant decisions that will need to be made is whether your loved one will be buried or cremated.
If you choose a cremation for your loved one, it doesn’t mean you forfeit a professional funeral service. Choosing a cremation at Kingston Funerals includes the benefits of a full professional funeral service.
The ultimate advantage of cremation is flexibility to carry out the funeral in a way that suits your family, and you decide what happens with your loved ones remains.
If you are unsure as to which option you would like to select don’t hesitate to contact our staff to discuss.
When a death occurs in the family there are a lot of decisions that need to be made quite quickly. Such as whether your loved one wanted to be buried or cremated, how soon you would like to have the funeral, where you will hold the service and whether a Celebrant or Clergyperson is required. There are also considerations about what celebratory aspects you would like to include in the service, such as slideshows, flowers and order of service booklets.
Tips:
1. Decide on the mood you want to adopt, i.e. is it to be serious, light-hearted, conversational etc.
2. Make sure you write it out and time how long it is going to take. Type it in larger than normal font size so you can easily read it. Clarify with the family on the duration they would like you to keep to – this will usually be determined by whether you are the principal spokesperson or will others also be recalling their memories. As a guide 5 minutes is ideal.
3. Always introduce yourself to the audience and let them know where you fitted in the person’s life.
4. Share personal stories and anecdotes.
5. Avoid negativity – the funeral isn’t the time to ‘get things off your chest’. A eulogy should be concentrating on celebrating the person’s life and achievements.
6. If you are speaking on behalf of others then ask family, friends or colleagues for their recollections and add these to yours.
7. Before finalising your eulogy share it with someone close to you and who knows the person being remembered. They will be a great sounding board and their feedback can be invaluable as you do your final edit.
8. On the day of the funeral dress appropriately, have a glass of water close-by and have a back-up person available to take-over in case you are unwell or not able to deliver it – this would generally be the Celebrant, Priest, a close friend or family member.
9. Remember that everyone will understand if at any stage you become emotional – just take a deep breath and compose yourself.
Unforgettable – Nat King Cole
Tears in Heaven – Eric Clapton
My Way – Frank Sinatra
In the arms of an angel – Sarah McLaughlin
What a wonderful world – Louis Armstrong
Over the Rainbow – Eva Cassidy
You raise me up – Josh Groban
Amazing – Alex Lloyd
Fly – Celine Dion
Goodbye my friend – Linda Ronstadt
Danny Boy – Daniel O’Donnell
The Lord is my shepherd – John Michael Talbot
Funeral March – Beethoven
Don’t Cry Daddy – Elvis Presley
Fields of Gold – Sting
Goodbye – Lionel Ritchie
Sailing – Rod Stewart
Time to say goodbye – Sarah Brightman & Andrea Bocelli
Angels – Robbie Williams
