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A Death Has Occurred

Do not try to notify the Cremation Center of a death by email. Please notify us by phone at 913-384-5566. Our phones are answered 24 hours a day.


Listed below are some guidelines to use when a death has occurred:


  • At a hospital, nursing home, or other institution: If death occurs at a hospital, nursing home, or other institution, simply instruct that facility to notify us. We will come over at the appropriate time and bring your loved one back to our facility.


  • Under hospice care: If the death occurs at home and the deceased is under hospice care, call the hospice provider and they will call the Cremation Center at the appropriate time. In cases of sudden death, unattended death, or when someone is found dead, you must call 911. Once the coroner has released the decedent, the police will call the Cremation Center for you.


Someone will contact you to set up an appointment during our business hours to arrange for the cremation. Our business hours are Monday - Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. We are closed for arrangements on weekends and some holidays, but are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week to respond to your need for services.

Step One: Initial Contact

When a Death Occurs at Home

If a death happens at home, and the deceased is under hospice care, the hospice care nurse will contact Cremation Center of Kansas City when your loved one is ready to be transferred into our care. Sometimes, the family may elect to contact us at (913) 384-5566.


When a death happens at home, but not under hospice care, whether it is accidental or unexpected, you must call 911. The emergency services representative will notify Cremation Center of Kansas City.


When a Death Occurs in Supervised Care

In situations where your loved one was in supervised care, such as a nursing home or hospital at the time of death, their staff will immediately notify you. If you let the facility know you will be working with Cremation Center of Kansas City, they will notify us to take your loved one into our care.


For cases where a loved one was in hospice program's care, your first call should be to them where a representative will provide you with the instructions and procedures for moving forward. A coroner or medical examiner may also be notified by the hospice program. After release from the hospice's care, they will contact us at (913) 384-5566 if you inform them that Cremation Center of Kansas City is your choice.

Step Two: Preparing for Arrangements

If you have any questions don’t hesitate to call us at (913) 384-5566


After your loved one has been brought into our care, we will contact you and let you know you can begin the online arrangements. To prepare for either an in person or online arrangement, you will need the following:

  • Full legal name of your loved one
  • Date and place of birth (city and state)
  • Parents' names, including mother's maiden name
  • Marital status and spouse's full name
  • Education information
  • Occupation
  • Social security number
  • Paperwork and/or Will
  • Military documents (DD214)
  • Next of kin contact information
  • Determine the number of certified death certificate copies that you will need

Step Three: After the Arrangements

Compose an Obituary

If you choose to write an obituary to send to Cremation Center of Kansas City for publication on our website, the following is a list of information that may be helpful. Obituaries made include: 

  • A photo
  • Age
  • Place of birth
  • List of surviving family members
  • List of pre-deceased family members (if desired)
  • Occupation
  • Education
  • Memberships
  • Military service
  • Hobbies and other activities

Contact Appropriate Agencies

Get organized with settling the estate, filling out forms, and contacting the appropriate agencies including:

  • Notifying the bank of the death
  • Notifying insurance companies
  • Contacting the lawyer (if necessary)
  • Canceling credit cards and driver's license
  • Submitting phone number to Do Not Call lists


Step Four: Finalizing Details

Thank you. Now that you have submitted all the necessary information for the cremation, we would like to assist you with some of the next steps you will need to take.


To order certified death certificates for a Kansas death, click here.


Certified death certificates for a Missouri Death are available from any office of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, or online at vitalchek.com.


The Social Security Administration will be notified of the death. You may be eligible for survivor benefits if you are a spouse or dependent child of the deceased. To contact the Social Security Administration, click here. To contact the Social Security Administration by phone, call 877-445-9978.


If you would like to have an obituary placed in the Kansas City Star, visit their website at kansascity.com


If the deceased was honorably discharged from military service, you may be eligible for benefits from the Veteran's Administration. To print VA forms for a burial flag, headstone, burial benefits, etc., click here. To contact the Veteran's Administration by phone, call 800-827-1000.


To schedule a burial in a National Cemetery call 800-535-1117.

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