frequent questions

A funeral director is a licensed professional who guides families through every aspect of funeral planning and after-death care.

Our role includes coordinating services, preparing and caring for your loved one, filing necessary paperwork, assisting with insurance and benefits, arranging transportation, and helping families create meaningful tributes. Most importantly, we're here to listen, answer questions, and provide support when it's needed most.

Key responsibilities of a funeral director include:

• Arranging for the deceased's removal and transfer from the place of death to the funeral home.
• Providing professional care for the deceased, such as embalming, casketing, and cosmetology.
• Meeting with the family to plan the funeral service.
• Completing necessary paperwork, including certificates and permits.
• Acquiring copies of the death certificate.
• Coordinating with cemeteries, crematories, or other final disposition locations.
• Writing and publishing the obituary.
• Organizing aspects of the service like clergy, music, flowers, transportation, pallbearers, and specialized fraternal or military tributes.
• Overseeing the funeral service and procession.
• Aiding the family with death-related claims and resources, such as Social Security, VA benefits, and grief support.

A funeral or memorial service offers a meaningful opportunity to honor the life of a loved one and pay tribute to the impact they had. It creates a space where family and friends can openly express their emotions, reflect on cherished memories, and find comfort in the support of others. Through shared remembrance, it allows us to grieve, connect, and begin the journey toward healing.

Yes, cremation or burial is merely the disposition of the body. Funeral services are to honor and remember your loved one, regardless of disposition.

Funerals usually involve the deceased's body and often lead to burial or cremation. In contrast, memorial services occur without the body and can be scheduled days, weeks, or months after the death.

No, services are not required by law. However, many families find comfort and closure through a ceremony that honors the life of their loved one.

Common options include burial (in-ground or above-ground), cremation, or donation to science. Each choice can be paired with a traditional or personalized service.

Absolutely. You can include specific music, readings, photographs, videos, personal items, and more to reflect your loved one’s life and wishes.

Embalming is a process that temporarily preserves and sanitizes the body while also restoring a natural appearance.

It may be recommended when families choose to have a public visitation or when additional time is needed before services. Embalming can provide families with greater flexibility when planning meaningful gatherings and celebrations of life.

Embalming is not legally required in all cases. It may be necessary if there is a public viewing or if the body needs to be transported across state lines.

If a death occurs while traveling or away from home, contact local medical authorities first, and then call us as soon as possible.

We will work directly with local authorities, healthcare providers, airlines, and transportation services to coordinate your loved one's return home. Our team handles these arrangements regularly and can help simplify what often feels like an overwhelming situation.

That's perfectly okay.

Many families come to us without knowing exactly what type of service, memorialization, or disposition they want. Our role isn't to tell you what to do—it's to listen, answer questions, explain your options, and help you make decisions that feel right for your family.

You don't have to have all the answers when you walk through our doors. That's what we're here for.

Absolutely.

Every life is unique, and every service should reflect that individuality. Whether your loved one enjoyed fishing, golf, hunting, music, motorcycles, sports, gardening, military service, lake life, or any other passion, we'll work with you to create meaningful and memorable tributes that tell their story.

Don't hesitate to share your ideas. Some of the most memorable services we've helped create began with a family asking, "Can we do this?"

Definitely.

Choosing cremation simply determines how your loved one will be cared for after the service. It does not limit your options for gathering, honoring, and celebrating a life.

Many families choose to have a visitation and funeral service prior to cremation, while others prefer to hold a memorial service afterward. We'll help you create the experience that feels right for your family.

A visitation provides family and friends an opportunity to gather, offer support, share memories, and begin the healing process.

For many people, seeing their loved one one final time helps them acknowledge the reality of the loss and begin moving forward. Whether open casket, closed casket, or private family viewing, these moments can be meaningful and comforting.

Yes.

Organ donation and autopsies typically do not prevent a family from having a viewing or visitation. We are happy to discuss any specific circumstances and explain the options available.

Every child is different.

Children often benefit from being included in family rituals surrounding loss, but parents should consider the child's age, maturity, and understanding of death. Preparing children ahead of time by explaining what they will see and experience can help them feel more comfortable and involved.

No.

In most situations, embalming is not required by law. However, public visitations often require embalming due to time considerations and public health standards.

If embalming is not selected, we can discuss other options that may be available.

The cremation itself typically takes between three and five hours, depending on the individual and the type of container selected.

Additional time is required for identification procedures, documentation, cooling, processing, and preparation of the cremated remains for the family.

Providing dignified and accurate care is one of our highest responsibilities.

Every person entrusted to our care is carefully identified throughout the entire cremation process. A unique identification system accompanies your loved one from the moment they enter our care until the cremated remains are returned to the family.

You can be confident that your loved one is treated with the utmost respect, care, and attention at every step.

Yes.

Nelson-Doran Funeral Home operates an on-site crematory, allowing your loved one to remain in our care throughout the entire process.

Many families find comfort in knowing their loved one never leaves our care and that the same trusted staff overseeing the arrangements continues to oversee the cremation process.

Scattering regulations vary depending on the location.

Some public lands, parks, waterways, and private properties have specific rules or permission requirements. We encourage families to verify any local regulations before scattering and are happy to help answer questions regarding available options.

A columbarium is a permanent structure designed to house urns containing cremated remains.

Columbariam are often located within cemeteries, mausoleums, churches, or memorial gardens and provide a lasting place for family and friends to visit and remember.

In most cases, certified death certificates are available within 5–10 business days after all necessary paperwork has been completed and filed with the state.

Occasionally, delays can occur if additional information is needed or if the death falls under the jurisdiction of a medical examiner or coroner.

Most deaths do not require an autopsy. However, when an autopsy is ordered by a medical examiner or coroner, the final report is generally not available immediately.

In many cases, autopsy reports and finalized death certificates may take approximately 6–8 weeks to be completed, although more complex cases can sometimes take longer.

The medical examiner's office handling the case can provide information regarding report availability and procedures for obtaining a copy.

Yes.

If you wish to retain dental gold or other dental restorations, arrangements can be made. However, Nelson-Doran Funeral Home does not perform dental extractions and cannot remove dental work from a decedent.

Families wishing to recover dental gold must arrange for a licensed dentist to perform the extraction or make other arrangements prior to cremation.

Please note that all such arrangements must be completed before cremation takes place.

Absolutely.

We regularly assist families with military honors, burial benefits, Presidential Memorial Certificates, and coordination with the Crow Wing County Veterans Service Office, local veteran organizations, and the Minnesota State Veterans Cemetery in Little Falls.

We'll help guide you through the process and ensure all available benefits are explored.

Yes.

Our commitment to families continues long after the service has ended. We can connect you with local counselors, hospice bereavement programs, GriefShare groups, children's grief resources, and other support services throughout the Brainerd Lakes Area.

After serving families for more than 140 years, we've learned that there is no such thing as a "normal" funeral.

One individual wanted his cremated remains incorporated into a cannonball and launched over the lake where he spent much of his life. Another family asked if we could arrange for cremated remains to be placed inside a football so future generations could continue sharing in a beloved passion.

We've helped create fishing-themed services, motorcycle processions, lakefront celebrations, military tributes, and gatherings centered around favorite hobbies and traditions.

But the requests that often make us smile aren't necessarily the biggest ones. Sometimes it's the family member who is absolutely determined that the sandwiches served after the service must be made with a very specific type of ham. Those details may seem small to everyone else, but to that family, they matter.

And that's the point.

The most meaningful services aren't about being elaborate or expensive. They're about reflecting the unique life, personality, traditions, and stories of the person being remembered.

If you have an idea that feels unusual, don't be afraid to ask. Chances are we've heard something similar before—and if we haven't, we'd love to help you explore it.

The grieving process doesn't end when the funeral is over.

Continue to check in with the person in the weeks and months that follow. Make a phone call, send a card, share a memory, invite them to lunch, or simply let them know you're thinking about them.

Often, the greatest gift you can give someone who is grieving is your continued presence and support.