When Death Occurs
When Death Occurs
Immediately following the death of a loved one, there are many decisions that must be made. At this time, you may find your emotions are heightened, and for that reason it is a good idea to ask for help in making all the decisions and arrangements. Additionally, the funeral home’s staff is eager to assist you and the family in making the best decisions possible.
This information can help guide you and your family through the process.
Contact The Proper Authorities
Before any arrangements and decisions can be made, a legal pronouncement of death must be declared. If your loved one dies inside of a medical or nursing facility like a hospital or nursing home, the staff will handle getting this declaration made. If your loved one dies at home, you need to immediately contact the local emergency officials to come and take them to a hospital where they can be legally declared dead. Family members who die under hospice care can be declared dead by the hospice staff. This legal declaration must be made before the family can proceed with making any funeral arrangements or handling any legal affairs.
Begin To Make Arrangements
Once your loved one has been declared dead you and your family can proceed with making any type of funeral arrangements. Your loved one may have pre-planned any type of services, and you and your family should first look into those choices. If your loved one has not made any previous type of arrangements, and you have decided on which funeral home you would like to use for the services, you will contact them and meet with the funeral director and begin discussing options.
During this time, if the deceased hasn’t made their final wishes known, the family will need to decide if they will bury or cremate the body, and what type of service should be held. These decisions include the time, date and location of any service; what type of casket or urn your loved one needs; drafting an obituary notice; deciding on pallbearers; and make any decisions about the specifics of the service like who the minister will be, what music will be played and who will speak.
As part of the process to begin making the funeral arrangements, if the deceased was active or retired military, contact the Veterans Administration to determine if they offer any death benefits or service options.
Information Funeral Directors May Need
Once you have met the funeral director, they will advise you on any information or paperwork they need for the death certificate or to proceed with making final arrangements.
Information Required:
- Full name and address
- Marital status
- Race/Ethnicity
- Date and city of birth
- Highest level of education
- Father’s name, mother’s maiden name
- Name of spouse
- Occupation and employer
Documents Funeral Directors May Need
Funeral directors will need important documents to complete any legal paperwork. These documents include:
- Account statements
- Beneficiary designations
- Life insurance policies
- Military discharge papers (form DD 214)
- Social Security number
Taking Care Of Personal Property
Following the death of your loved one, there are few things you need to attend to involving the deceased’s personal life. First, secure your loved one’s property. Make sure their home and vehicle are properly secure. If your loved one has a pet, make the necessary arrangements for the pet to be taken care of by family or friends. Any mail that comes to your loved one should be forwarded to a family member that plans to handle the deceased’s estate. Any mail that piles up at a vacant home only alarms potential intruders that a home is empty. Make sure to contact the deceased’s boss and inform them of the death. If your loved one had any upcoming appointments, make contact to notify them about the death and to cancel the appointment.
Contact Us
Charles A. (Chuck) Hancock is a lifelong resident of Fort Meade. Chuck is the Funeral Director in Charge of Hancock Funeral Home and has served the Fort Meade community in funeral service for nearly 25 years. He began his funeral service career with our predecessor, Dan L. Moody, in 1986 at the young age of 16. Chuck is a 1988 graduate of Fort Meade High School, attended Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL, and a graduate of American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service in New York, NY. Chuck is a known and accomplished pianist and also serves the community as the pianist and music director of the First United Methodist Church of Fort Meade. Chuck also serves on the City of Fort Meade Evergreen Cemetery Advisory Council and is a member of the Fort Meade Historical Society.
Charles A. (Chuck) Hancock is a lifelong resident of Fort Meade. Chuck is the Funeral Director in Charge of Hancock Funeral Home and has served the Fort Meade community in funeral service for nearly 25 years. He began his funeral service career with our predecessor, Dan L. Moody, in 1986 at the young age of 16. Chuck is a 1988 graduate of Fort Meade High School, attended Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL, and a graduate of American Academy McAllister Institute of Funeral Service in New York, NY. Chuck is a known and accomplished pianist and also serves the community as the pianist and music director of the First United Methodist Church of Fort Meade. Chuck also serves on the City of Fort Meade Evergreen Cemetery Advisory Council and is a member of the Fort Meade Historical Society.
W. Allen Hancock is a lifelong resident of Fort Meade, and a 1960 graduate of Fort Meade High School. Allen began his funeral service career in 1958 at Bevis Funeral Home in Fort Meade and worked with the Bevis Funeral Home and Seidel Funeral Home. He continued working part time with Dan L. Moody at Moody Funeral Home while continuing his career with Publix Supermarkets, and retiring from Publix in 1993, as Equipment Coordinator and purchaser for Florida and Georgia. He is a U.S. Army veteran, and has a commitment to the city of Fort Meade, as he has served as Commander of Fort Meade American Legion Post 23 for over 20 years; serves on the Fort Meade Chamber of Commerce; serves on the board of the Fort Meade Historical Society, and also the senior board member of Christ Episcopal Church in Fort Meade. Allen has had a lifetime full of funeral service experience and enjoys serving the community of Fort Meade when the services of Hancock Funeral Home are needed.
W. Allen Hancock is a lifelong resident of Fort Meade, and a 1960 graduate of Fort Meade High School. Allen began his funeral service career in 1958 at Bevis Funeral Home in Fort Meade and worked with the Bevis Funeral Home and Seidel Funeral Home. He continued working part time with Dan L. Moody at Moody Funeral Home while continuing his career with Publix Supermarkets, and retiring from Publix in 1993, as Equipment Coordinator and purchaser for Florida and Georgia. He is a U.S. Army veteran, and has a commitment to the city of Fort Meade, as he has served as Commander of Fort Meade American Legion Post 23 for over 20 years; serves on the Fort Meade Chamber of Commerce; serves on the board of the Fort Meade Historical Society, and also the senior board member of Christ Episcopal Church in Fort Meade. Allen has had a lifetime full of funeral service experience and enjoys serving the community of Fort Meade when the services of Hancock Funeral Home are needed.
Russell Hancock, a lifelong Fort Meade resident, is the youngest son of Allen and Margie Hancock. Russell graduated from Fort Meade High School in 1994, and he is also a graduate of Florida Southern College in Lakeland with a bachelor's Degree in Marketing and Communications. He is a member of Christ Episcopal Church, where he is very active. Russell provides a vast knowledge of computers and media knowledge for our firm.
Russell Hancock, a lifelong Fort Meade resident, is the youngest son of Allen and Margie Hancock. Russell graduated from Fort Meade High School in 1994, and he is also a graduate of Florida Southern College in Lakeland with a bachelor's Degree in Marketing and Communications. He is a member of Christ Episcopal Church, where he is very active. Russell provides a vast knowledge of computers and media knowledge for our firm.
Ed Flood is a lifelong Polk County resident. Being the great-grandson of Luke B. and Alicia Flood, pioneer residents of Fort Meade, he knows the people of our city. Ed and his wife, Carolyn (Waters) Flood, are members of the First Baptist Church of Fort Meade, and they have two children, Eddie and Michael, and several grandchildren. Ed is also retired from the accounting department of the Polk County School Board.
Ed Flood is a lifelong Polk County resident. Being the great-grandson of Luke B. and Alicia Flood, pioneer residents of Fort Meade, he knows the people of our city. Ed and his wife, Carolyn (Waters) Flood, are members of the First Baptist Church of Fort Meade, and they have two children, Eddie and Michael, and several grandchildren. Ed is also retired from the accounting department of the Polk County School Board.
Michael S. Woods is a 1976 graduate of Fort Meade High School. After high school, Mike spent 22 years serving in the United States Air Force with the Office of Special Investigations. Retiring in 1999, he then served 12 years with the Fort Meade Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Mike is currently an active Deacon and member of the First Baptist Church of Fort Meade, and an adjunct professor at South Florida State College. He has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a Master's degree in Communication. Mike is married to Cynthia Lamb Woods and has two adult children, Dustin who lives in Lake Placid, FL, and Derek who lives in Pensacola, FL.
Michael S. Woods is a 1976 graduate of Fort Meade High School. After high school, Mike spent 22 years serving in the United States Air Force with the Office of Special Investigations. Retiring in 1999, he then served 12 years with the Fort Meade Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff's Office. Mike is currently an active Deacon and member of the First Baptist Church of Fort Meade, and an adjunct professor at South Florida State College. He has a Bachelor's degree in Criminal Justice and a Master's degree in Communication. Mike is married to Cynthia Lamb Woods and has two adult children, Dustin who lives in Lake Placid, FL, and Derek who lives in Pensacola, FL.
Dan L. Moody and Ruby Gillispie Moody, founders of Moody Funeral Home, spent nearly a lifetime establishing the funeral home that we are now, which opened on Jan. 7, 1965 as Moody Funeral Home. Moody Funeral Home remained until Sept. 29, 2006, when the name changed to Hancock Funeral Home. Dan passed away in July of 2008, and Ruby remains very active in local church and community activities. Dan L. Moody and Ruby G. Moody are well known and remembered for their caring funeral service to the City of Fort Meade and surrounding cities for over 30 years.
Dan L. Moody and Ruby Gillispie Moody, founders of Moody Funeral Home, spent nearly a lifetime establishing the funeral home that we are now, which opened on Jan. 7, 1965 as Moody Funeral Home. Moody Funeral Home remained until Sept. 29, 2006, when the name changed to Hancock Funeral Home. Dan passed away in July of 2008, and Ruby remains very active in local church and community activities. Dan L. Moody and Ruby G. Moody are well known and remembered for their caring funeral service to the City of Fort Meade and surrounding cities for over 30 years.
As a member of our staff for many years, and also our adopted family member, Harold Lamb passed away January 12, 2016 at the age of 87. Harold was a long standing Polk County, FL funeral director, and currently, was the most senior, active funeral director of Polk County, FL. Harold was a U.S. Navy Veteran, serving on the USS Kidd, and was aboard its attack in the Battle of Okinawa during WWII, of which he received a purple heart at the age of 16 for his injuries. He was a lifelong resident of Lakeland, and enjoyed serving the city of Fort Meade and families that are served through Hancock Funeral Home, and the city of Lakeland where he also worked for many years at Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes and Dukes-Steen Funeral Home. Harold's funeral services were held January 15, 2016 and he is interred in Oak Hill Burial Park, Lakeland, FL.
As a member of our staff for many years, and also our adopted family member, Harold Lamb passed away January 12, 2016 at the age of 87. Harold was a long standing Polk County, FL funeral director, and currently, was the most senior, active funeral director of Polk County, FL. Harold was a U.S. Navy Veteran, serving on the USS Kidd, and was aboard its attack in the Battle of Okinawa during WWII, of which he received a purple heart at the age of 16 for his injuries. He was a lifelong resident of Lakeland, and enjoyed serving the city of Fort Meade and families that are served through Hancock Funeral Home, and the city of Lakeland where he also worked for many years at Gentry-Morrison Funeral Homes and Dukes-Steen Funeral Home. Harold's funeral services were held January 15, 2016 and he is interred in Oak Hill Burial Park, Lakeland, FL.
