Notes from the Field, Issue 2

This month's Notes from the Field features a recent story shared by NHFA member, and experienced Home Funeral Guide, Lucy Basler. As always, you should verify local and state laws and regulations regarding home funeral practices before providing any advice or direction to families.
 
Lucy can be reached directly at sacredceremoniesltd@gmail.com

Until two weeks ago, in my local county, when an unexpected death occurs, 911 is to be dialed to notify dispatch of the death. Immediately, dispatch sends out a Sheriff Deputy, the EMTs, the coroner/medical examiner, and a hearse.

The Deputy will immediately surround the area in yellow plastic tape (usually surrounds the whole house if that is where the body is) indicating that this is a crime scene (until proven otherwise). When the EMTs have declared the individual dead, they leave. When the Medical Examiner comes, he quizzes the family as to the medical condition of the deceased, records all the meds having been taken, interviews the family and, if there is no primary doctor, will fill out the cause of death on the death certificate indicating that this was not a crime. When that is complete, the hearse is there, into which the body is put and taken to the funeral home of choice.

A couple of months ago, a husband unexpectedly died in his favorite chair hours before his wife came home from work. This was an unexpected death. She was quite shaken and called 911 immediately, which was the right thing to do. When she saw the hearse pull up she realized that the officials expected her to be using a funeral home, which was not her intent. She told the Medical Examiner that she would be keeping the body at her home.

To verify that this was possible, the wife called me, telling me of the death and asking me to explain to the ME how she was able to legally keep him at home. He apparently believed me because he said he would tell the hearse to leave. Then, because he was fairly new in this position, he called the Medical Examiner in command and told of this turn of events. (This same ME in command I had taken out for breakfast 10 years ago and had him read a 5-page paper I had written about home funerals. He agreed then that all was in order and that he understood the concept.)

This ME asked to talk to the new widow. He said she could not keep him at home and that he must go to the funeral home. She pleaded her case and he threatened to not sign the death certificate if she did not comply (Yes, the deceased had a primary doctor). The wife felt she had no recourse. 

Consequently, she drove about 30 miles one way almost every day to be with his body and, along with friends, performed some Native American-like rituals. The funeral home (I believe, knew that this situation was not right) allowed her to come for the next 7 days. I was with her on the last day and at the end of that visit we all pushed the body into the retort. Minutes later, she was handed a bill for over three thousand dollars.

She was so upset and kept lamenting that she had not called me first. 

She got a lawyer and is asking the County (who hires this ME) for expenses. If they refuse, then she will sue the County.

As a result of this incident, I have now presented the facts to all the Medical Examiners in our county. I have also been asked to make the same presentation to the Sheriff’s Deputies. I am planning on contacting the local counties in northwestern Wisconsin and make the same presentation. Hopefully, I will be asked to present in all 72 counties in Wisconsin!

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Notes From The Field is a monthly feature in which NHFA Vice President Dani LaVoire brings you community stories, info, and education from across the country. If you have a story you'd like to share, please contact Dani directly, at Dani@homefuneralalliance.org