Prepare For A Conference

Preparing for the Arrangement Conference

The initial meeting or arrangement conference with the funeral director typically occurs on the day of or the day following a death. Families are often faced with numerous decisions within a very short timeframe, which can be especially stressful in the case of an unexpected loss. They must choose a funeral home, determine the type of service, schedule the burial or cremation, notify relatives, and arrange for family members to travel for the service—all in the midst of their grief.

"During the conference all their attention is directed to you. They are not pushy and they are willing to help you make the best decision for your circumstances. First Class people!"

 -Jim Kazmierski

Funeral Home Client

What will take place at the Arrangement Conference?

Upon arriving at the funeral home, you will be warmly welcomed by one of our family service advisors, who will escort you to the arrangement conference area and offer you a drink. The funeral director will guide you through the planning process for a funeral, cremation, or celebration of life that honors your loved one’s memory. You will need to provide vital statistics for the death certificate and biographical details for the obituary. If you prefer to write the obituary yourself, please email a copy to your funeral director for submission to the newspaper and for posting on our website.


To assist you further, we invite you to download our Free Guide, which can help you navigate this process. By reviewing these materials and asking questions, you and your family will be better equipped to arrange a meaningful tribute to your loved one.

We also offer virtual arrangements by telephone, or we can come directly to your home.

If possible, bring these items with you to the arrangement conference:

Deceased: full name, address, city of birth, date of birth, social security number, parents names, list of survivors

Recent photo of the deceased

Clothes to be worn during the viewing

Cemetery Information or Deed

Any pre-arrangement wishes in writing

Military DD-214 Discharge Form

Insurance Policies

At Callaway-Jones, we like to help families create unique services that feel right to them. Part of accomplishing this is to bring a person’s hobbies, interests, and facets of life they shared with others into the service. The best way to do this is to personalize the funeral service with anything that helps tell a story and reflect the person everyone knew. These examples will help you see how simple personal possessions, when accompanied by photographs can communicate so much about a person we loved.