What To Do

There is a licensed funeral director, embalmer, and a competent and understanding person available to assist you 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. A funeral home does not close on weekends or holidays.

We are here when you need us.

If someone has just died, you can call Joseph Nosek and Sons Funeral Home at (708) 484-7415 or (877) NOSEK-FH.

You only need to provide us with the following information:

• Name of the deceased
• Location of the deceased
• Name, phone number, and relationship of the person who will be in charge of making the arrangements

We take charge from then on and make all the arrangements for conveying of the deceased to our funeral home for final disposition.

Their Wishes
Our family and staff will carefully review any personal wishes or pre-arrangements completed by the deceased and ensure that those desires are carried out.

Decisions
There are many decisions that will need to be made at the arrangement conference. There is pertinent information that will need to be provided to complete and finalize the death certificate and obituary notice. The form of disposition (burial, cremation, entombment, etc.) will also need to be decided upon.

Merchandise (casket, urn, burial vault, marker, etc.) will need to be selected to correlate with services. We will assist you with finalizing visitation days and times as well as the time and place of service. In addition, we will contact clergy to officiate the service as well as any musician that would complete the service such as an organist or soloist.

You and your family will want to reflect on the content of the service. Who will eulogize the deceased? Songs, readings and/or Bible passages will need to be selected. You might also consider selecting family members or friends to play a special role in the service.

You will want to consider whom you'd like to serve as a pallbearer. Traditionally six to eight people, either gentleman or ladies, who held a special place in the person's life are selected. Flowers are another part of the service that may be chosen. The flowers can be in any color theme such as red, white and blue to complement a military service or any favorite color combination.

There are many things to think about and we've touched on a few pertinent items. Below please find a checklist of all the information and issues that will need to be considered at the arrangement conference. The checklist is meant to be a starting point or guide; some items in the list may or may not apply to your family's service preferences. Our family and staff is available 24 hours a day to serve you and would be happy to answer any questions or assist you with any specific concerns that you may have.

In Preparation for the Arrangement Conference
Information listed below is necessary to complete the Certified Death Certificate.

1. Formal Name
2. Legal Residence
3. Social Security Number
4. Date and Place of Birth
5. Parents Names (including Mother's Maiden Name)
6. Veteran Information and Discharge papers
7. Final Place of Disposition (Cemetery, Mausoleum, Crematory)

1. Survivors list-Next of Kin (Spouse, Children, Grandchildren, Siblings, etc.)
2. Preceded By List-Those family members who have passed away
3. Biographical Information (Residence, Employment, Memberships, Education, Armed Forces, and Hobbies or Interests)
4. Charity for Memorial Contributions)

The following items are service options that may be selected.

1. Visitation or Viewing
2. Funeral Service or Funeral Mass
3. Memorial Visitation or Viewing
4. Memorial Service or Mass
5. Direct Burial, Direct Cremation and Anatomical Gift
6. Coordination of Out-of-Town Services

Selection of Merchandise will depend on the type of service and final disposition that has been chosen.

1. Casket, Decorative Cap Panels and/or Casket Engraving
2. Burial Vault
3. Urn
4. Printing (Register Book, Prayer Cards, or Memorial Folders)
5. Monument or Marker

Families may choose to personalize the services of their loved one.  Many items may be brought in from home to display at services.  Other items may be selected at the funeral home.

1. Photo Collages, Albums, and Framed Photography
2. Personal Interest Items (Golf Bag, Military Awards, Quilts, etc.)
3. Decorative Casket Panels, Casket Engraving, Floral Pieces, and Music
4. Readings, Biblical Passages, and Eulogies
5. Pall Bearers

An arrangement conference typically lasts anywhere from 45 minutes to 2 hours depending on the family's wishes and choices.  Many of the above decisions will depend on each individual family's service preferences.  Some of the items listed above are applicable to particular service or disposition choices and may not apply to all families.

For questions or comments regarding any of the services that we offer, please feel free to contact us at or e-mail us through our online information request form.