For Immediate assistance:

CALL: 908-534-2422

Barbara and Patty are available by phone 24/7.

Our deepest condolences on the loss of someone you love. Please know that we are here to help you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and can be reached immediately at 908-534-2422. Even if your loved one is out of the area or out of state, we can assist you at this difficult time. Although a caregiver, hospital or nursing facility staff member may have stated
that they will contact us, please also call us directly so that we will know your exact wishes and immediate needs. We are here to support you with our professional care services, compassion and respect for your loved one.

Please see the below information, which provides a general guide as to the process in which Barbara and Patty will assist with:

When Death Occurs

The loss of a loved one makes us feel emotional and overwhelmed.  No amount of preparation can fully prepare you for the loss of a loved one.  When you are in a heightened emotional state, even the most basic decisions can seem staggering.  The following is a sample guideline of what needs to be done within the first 24 hours after death.

When death occurs at home or a place of business

If the person was not under hospice care, the police will have to be notified immediately.  The police will be dispatched to the home and place the call to the coroner/medical examiner.  From there the coroner/medical examiner will determine whether further action is necessary.  The coroner/medical examiner must release the body before a funeral home can do anything.   If the person was under hospice care, contact the hospice representative if they were not present and they will notify family members what the proper procedures are to follow.

When a death occurs at a hospital/nursing home/hospice facility

The staff of a care facility such as a hospital or a nursing home will notify you and the necessary authorities immediately after a death has occurred.  If a funeral home has been provided to the hospital or nursing home, they will be notified at the time of death.  If you are present at the hospital when the funeral director arrives, they will ask a few questions about the deceased wishes and set up a time to come into the funeral home to make arrangements, however, if you are not present a funeral director will contact you by telephone to discuss these arrangements.

When a death occurs Out of State/Out of Country

Once you are notified about the loss of a loved one Out of State/Country, please call us immediately. The staff at Kearns Funeral Home is very experienced with handling funeral services for families that have lost a love one in another State/Country.  Furthermore, if a death occurs in New Jersey, but your family wishes for services to be conducted in another State/Country, we are here to help.  We will guide you through the process and handle the arrangements, legal requirements, Customs/Border requirements, and ground/air transportation services.

Informing a Funeral Director

Once everything has been cleared with the proper authorities, the next call you place should be to the Funeral Home of your choice.  If calling Kearns Funeral Home, please dial 908-534-2422, and Barbara or Patty will be there to assist you.  We will help you obtain a death certificate, transport the body, and in the event that pre-planning was not done, select a casket/urn and arrange the funeral/memorial service.  We will also help you notify the employer and insurance company of the deceased to assist with those arrangements.  We are here to help and advise you and will work very hard to relieve the stress and logistics involved in funeral planning.

Meeting a Funeral Director

If possible, you should meet with a us within 24 hours of a death to begin to make final arrangements for your loved one.  Deciding on these final arrangements may seem like a very daunting task, especially when you are in heightened emotional state, but we have years of experience dealing with these issues and strive to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible.  We will walk you through everything step by step.

Making Arrangements

First, we will gather information required for the death certificate.  This includes:

• Full Name and Address
• Marital Status
• Race/Ethnicity
• Date and City of Birth
• Highest Level of Education
• Father’s Name, Mother’s Name (including maiden name)
• Name of Spouse (if married or widowed)
• Occupation and Employer

If no pre-planning has been done, necessary arrangements need to be made for the funeral service.  These include:

• Scheduling the location, date and time of the visitation and funeral service
• Selecting burial or cremation
• Choosing Funeral Products
• Arranging a cemetery plot
• Preparing an obituary notice
• Scheduling transportation arrangements

We will guide you through all these steps, using your wishes and needs as a foundation to create a memorable funeral for your loved one. From here the funeral services can be personalized.  Did your loved one have a favorite sports team?  What was their favorite type of music?  What activity was your loved one known best for?  Recalling fond memories assists with the grieving process and will help honor the life of your loved one.  We strive to make our funeral home into your home and can personalize the setting to meet the needs of your family during the funeral services.