Cremation workshop set for next week

Responding to community inquiries, Hospice of Wrangell will host a workshop for the completion of vital statistics forms and cremation consent forms on April 15.

From 1 to 4:30 p.m., Ketchikan Mortuary representative Beth Comstock will be available to assist participants and answer questions in the lobby of the Wrangell Public Health Center on Front Street.

The mortuary services provider recently presented a talk which emphasized the importance of planning final arrangements and completion of paperwork in advance.

“If you want to be cremated you can complete a simple form ahead of time and file it with the mortuary,” Comstock explained.

Cremation can otherwise be delayed, as mortuary representatives may have to locate family members needed to sign a consent form if none is on file. Similarly, the completion of vital statistics information aids the process of filling out a death certificate. David Halko, a funeral director and embalmer for Ketchikan Mortuary, recommended that family members speak with their loved ones about their choices, though it may be a painful topic of conversation.

“By engaging your family members or giving the funeral home your information, basically, can help in reducing the anxiety that will normally be present during and after any event,” he said.

 

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