Frequently Asked Questions

Nothing. They are the same thing. They are synonymous with each other. They are all licensed in the state of Minnesota as a “Funeral Establishment” with all the same requirements. They all help families care for the deceased when someone dies. They all have the ability and equipment to perform embalmings, have services and burials, handle cremations, shipping and receiving, etc. The biggest difference comes from each individual facility having their own “personality”.

First and most important thing to remember… When in doubt call the funeral home. Our Minneapolis ph # is (612)729-2331. Our Apple valley Ph # is (952)432-2331. We will guide you and help you through the entire process step by step.

Here are some common guidelines. However, again, if you are not sure what to do, call the funeral home.

  • If the death occurs in a facility like a hospital, nursing or hospice facility, let the facility know what funeral home you have chosen. Then call the funeral home to make an appointment.
  • If hospice is involved, let the hospice company know what funeral home you have chosen. Then call the funeral home to make an appointment.
  • If someone passes away at home or somewhere other than a medical facility and they are not on hospice, call 911 first, then call the funeral home you have chosen.

Funerals have been around for many thousands of years. Funerals serve several needs. They give significance to the life lived and bring a reality to death that has occurred. A service also gives the friends and family a safe, and loving place to express their emotions and feelings, as well as a place to come together to show support to the family and share stories and memories.

When you arrive at the funeral home to arrange the services for your loved one, there are many things to discuss. We will walk with you through all of these things step by step. Allow plenty of time for this conference. (1.5 – 2 hours) usually much less time is needed if the services have been pre-arranged.

  • Completing the death certificate – Full name of deceased and maiden name if applicable, birthday and birth place, SS#, address, education and occupation, parent’s names including mother’s maiden name.
  • How many to get – you will generally need Certified Death Certificates for Life insurance companies, Property and anything with a title, financial institutions, ie. banks, investments and possibly SSA. It is a good idea to get a couple extra just in case anything else comes up in the future.
  • For Veterans – Bring in the Honorable Discharge Papers of the deceased. We will help you complete much of the military documentation. We will also arrange for the flag and military honors.
  • We will discuss the service details. Location, times and dates for the visitation, the service, and burial, (bring in burial papers if you have them), who you want to participate in the service and their phone number. pastors, musicians, readers, etc.
  • Other items to discuss – flower arrangements, music selections, memorial folder selection (bring a photo), casket or urn selection, vault selection and any other keepsake memorabilia.
  • Creating the obituary – (bring a photo) decide in which newspapers to publish. Bring in family members names and correct spellings, accomplishment and achievements, and if you want a memorial designation for people to send a donation, ie. the church.

Funeral directors are here to assist and help you. We are trained professionals with extensive experience and resources here to help you when a death occurs and to create a meaningful and respectful tribute that reflects the life of your loved one that has died.

We help you write the obituary and submit it to the newspapers of your choice. We are responsible for completing and fling the death certificate and ordering your certified copies. We coordinate all the details with the church and cemetery, and even order your flowers if you choose. We are here to walk with you from the initial death through the all the services and even into aftercare care for some, handling all the details, so all you have to do is show up. We will handle the rest.

Every family is different, and not everyone wants the same type of service or even no service at all. Funeral practices are influenced by religious and cultural traditions, and personal preferences. The most traditional service is one where the deceased is in a casket and available for people to pay their respects before the service, usually the night before and also one hour before the beginning of the service. Another type of service is a Memorial service. This is where the deceased is cremated or buried first and then there is a memorial service to follow. And some people will cremate or bury their loved one without a service at all. A service is usually held in a church or the funeral home, but people may also have a service somewhere else that may be more suitable for them. For example, they may have a service at the lakeshore where they will scatter the cremated remains, or maybe there is just a gathering of family and friends in memory of their loved one at a favorite bar or restaurant.

Viewing is part of many cultural, ethnic and religious traditions. Many grief specialists believe that viewing aids the grief process by helping the bereaved grasp the reality of death. It is said that having a viewing helps to put a tangible aspect into the realization of the death so we can, on multiple levels, understand that the death has occurred and move forward in our grief process. Viewing is ok for children if they show interest as long as the process is explained to them at their level and the activity is voluntary.

Embalming is a process of chemically treating the entire body, mostly by injection. Sometimes topical applications are used also. This process serves three main purposes: first is for the preservation of the body long enough to have adequate time for a viewing. Second is to sanitize the body to make it safe for people to view the body without putting the family and friends in contact with something that might be harmful or contagious. Last is for cosmetic purposes, to help bring back some of the natural appearances and skin tones.

It is required if you want a public viewing. If you are choosing a closed casket or immediate cremation or immediate burial it is usually not necessary. The law does have a few exceptions of course: first, if the body will not be buried or cremated within 72 hours after death or release of the body by a competent authority it must be embalmed. Two, if the body will be transported by public transportation, it must be embalmed. For example, if someone died in another state and they were being transported back by a public airline, the body would have to be embalmed before they were put on the plane. Last, a body would have to be embalmed if so ordered by the Commissioner of Health for protection of the public health.

Cremation is an alternative form of disposition to a traditional casketed earth burial. It is not a substitute for a funeral. Most families who choose cremation for their form of disposition still have a service. Having cremation gives families some flexibility with their options. Cremation can happen before or after the service, allowing an opportunity for those that choose to have a viewing and cremation. Having cremation allows for the option of a traditional cemetery burial or a scattering alternative as well as many other options. Most often cremains are placed in an urn and buried in a cemetery or placed in a columbarium. If scattering is the family’s choice, there are many possibilities for this option as well. It is a good idea to ask your funeral director’s advice when choosing a place to scatter.

In 2009, the national average cost of an adult, full-service funeral was between $6,560 and $7,755 depending on weather a vault was used. This includes a professional service charge, transfer of deceased, embalming, other preparation, use of viewing facilities, use of facilities for ceremony, hearse, service car or van, and casket. At important thing to remember is that the Cash Advances are not included in this average. (Source:2010 NFDA General Price List Survey.) An important thing to remember is that the Cash Advances are not included in this average. These are things that are not included in the funeral home’s charges but are still a part of the total funeral cost. These things include but are not limited to: Cemetery and headstone charges, crematory fees, honorariums to the clergy and musicians, flowers, obituary charges, death certificates, hairdresser, lunches/catering, etc.

In most cases if you have a concern or dispute, visit with your funeral director to resolve any concerns you may have first. If you wish to contact someone further, in Minnesota, funeral service is regulated by two main agencies, the Federal Trade Commission and the Minnesota Department of Health.

When death occurs, the staff at Henry W. Anderson Mortuary are available to assist you twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year. Call- Mpls. (612)729-2331 or Apple Valley (952)432-2331

We are here for you 24/7 every day of the year. Someone from our staff will come when the time is right for you, weather that is right away or if you would like a bit more time to say goodbye.

When death occurs away from home, and you want Henry W. Anderson Mortuary to handle the services call us first and we will assist you with out-of-state arrangements and transfer of the deceased back home. It is usually more cost effective to only go through the funeral home that will be handling the services and let that funeral home handle the transportation details. Mpls (612)729-2331  or  Apple Valley (952)432-2331