When someone you love dies, time feels like it stops. But the world keeps moving, and there are things that need to happen in the hours that follow. Knowing what to do, and in what order, can make those first 24 hours a little less overwhelming.
This guide is written for families in Bedford and the surrounding Lawrence County communities. It covers the practical steps you need to take, the calls you need to make, and the decisions that can wait. Keep it bookmarked. You may not need it today, but when the time comes, having a clear path forward can make all the difference.
If the Death Happens at Home
When a loved one dies at home, the first thing to do depends on the circumstances.
If the death was expected and the person was under hospice care, call the hospice provider first. Hospice nurses are trained to guide families through this moment. They will come to the home, confirm the death, and help you with the next steps. Hospice staff can also contact the physician to sign the death certificate. There is no need to call 911 if the death was anticipated and hospice is involved.
If the death was unexpected, call 911 immediately. Paramedics will respond and assess the situation. If the person cannot be revived, the coroner's office will be contacted. In Lawrence County, the coroner may need to investigate the cause of death before the body can be released to a funeral home. This process can take several hours, depending on the circumstances.
If the person was under the care of a physician but not on hospice, call their doctor's office. The physician can authorize the release of the body and sign the death certificate. If the doctor is unavailable, 911 may need to be called to have the death officially pronounced.
In all cases, do not feel rushed. You can spend time with your loved one before anyone is called. There is no legal requirement to act within minutes. If you need a few moments to sit, to pray, or to simply be present, take them.
If the Death Happens in a Hospital or Care Facility
When a death occurs in a hospital, nursing home, or assisted living facility, the staff will handle the immediate medical steps. A physician or nurse will pronounce the death and begin the paperwork for the death certificate.
The facility will ask you which funeral home you would like to call. If you already have a preference, let them know. If you are unsure, you do not have to decide immediately. Take a moment to collect yourself, call a trusted family member, and make the decision together.
Once a funeral home is contacted, they will send a transfer team to bring your loved one into their care. At
Limestone Chapel, we respond promptly and treat every transfer with dignity and respect. We are available 24 hours a day, including weekends and holidays.
Step 1: Call the Funeral Home
This is the most important call you will make in the first 24 hours. The funeral home becomes your guide through everything that follows.
When you call, you do not need to have all the answers. You do not need to know whether you want burial or cremation, what kind of service to hold, or how to pay for it. Those decisions can come later. The immediate purpose of this call is to arrange for the transfer of your loved one into the funeral home's care.
When you reach us at Limestone Chapel, we will ask a few basic questions: the name of the deceased, where the death occurred, and whether a physician or coroner has been involved. From there, we take care of the logistics. We coordinate the transfer, begin the necessary paperwork, and let you know what comes next.
You can reach us at (812) 675-0046, any time of day or night.
Step 2: Notify Immediate Family Members
Once your loved one is in the funeral home's care, begin reaching out to close family members. Start with the people who need to know right away: a spouse, children, parents, or siblings.
You do not have to make every call yourself. Ask one trusted person to help spread the word. A simple system works well: you call two or three people, and each of them calls two or three more. This keeps the burden from falling on one person and makes sure the news reaches everyone who needs to hear it quickly.
If there are family members who live far away, a phone call is better than a text message for delivering this kind of news. A text is fine for follow-up details, but the initial notification deserves a personal voice.
Extended family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors can be notified later. There is no rush on those calls. Focus on the inner circle first.
Step 3: Secure the Home (If the Death Occurred There)
If your loved one lived alone or if the home will be empty, take a few basic steps to secure the property. Lock the doors and windows. Turn off any stoves, ovens, or appliances that were in use. If there are pets, arrange for someone to care for them.
If your loved one had medications in the home, gather them and set them aside. Do not flush medications down the drain. Your funeral director or pharmacist can advise you on proper disposal later.
Check for any mail, deliveries, or recurring services that may need to be paused. If the person had a newspaper subscription, lawn service, or meal delivery, these can be temporarily stopped with a quick phone call in the coming days.
Step 4: Locate Important Documents
You will not need all of these immediately, but gathering them early will save time and stress over the next several days. Start looking for:
The will or trust documents. If your loved one had a will, locate it. It may name an executor who will need to be involved in financial and legal decisions. If the will includes funeral wishes, those should be reviewed before finalizing arrangements.
Life insurance policies. Check for any policies that may help cover funeral expenses. Contact the insurance company to begin the claims process. You will need a death certificate, which the funeral home can help you obtain.
Social Security card or number. This will be needed for the death certificate and for notifying the Social Security Administration.
Military discharge papers (DD214). If your loved one was a veteran, this document is essential for applying for
VA burial benefits. If you cannot find it, the funeral home can help you request a copy.
Bank account information and financial records. You may not need these right away, but having them accessible will be important in the coming weeks when estate matters need attention.
Health insurance cards. If there are outstanding medical bills or if the deceased was the primary policyholder for a family plan, the insurance company will need to be notified.
If you cannot find these documents immediately, do not panic. They can be located and gathered over the coming days. Your funeral director and an attorney can help guide you through what is needed and when.
Step 5: Begin Thinking About Arrangements (But Do Not Rush)
Within the first 24 hours, you may start thinking about the type of service you want to hold. This is natural, and it is fine to begin that conversation. But you do not have to finalize anything today.
Here are some of the decisions that will come up in the next day or two:
Burial or
cremation? If your loved one expressed a preference, honor it. If not, take time to discuss it with family.
Will there be a visitation, a funeral service, a memorial service, or a combination? Each option serves a different purpose, and there is no right or wrong answer.
Where will the service be held? Options include the funeral home chapel, a church, a community space, or an outdoor location.
Will there be military honors? If your loved one was a veteran, honors can be arranged through the funeral home.
What personal touches do you want to include? Photos, music, readings, a tribute video, or meaningful items can all be part of the service.
At Limestone Chapel, we walk families through every one of these decisions with patience and care. We will never rush you. Our job is to make this process as gentle as possible while helping you create a service that truly reflects your loved one's life.
Step 6: Take Care of Yourself
This may sound like an afterthought, but it is one of the most important things you can do in the first 24 hours. Grief is physically and emotionally draining. Your body and mind need care.
Eat something, even if you are not hungry. Drink water. Try to rest, even if sleep feels impossible. Accept help from people who offer it. If someone asks what they can do, give them a specific task: bring food, pick up a family member from the airport, watch the kids, or sit with you.
You do not have to be strong right now. You do not have to have everything figured out. You just lost someone you love, and it is okay to lean on the people around you.
If you are struggling and need someone to talk to,
grief resources are available through our website and through local organizations in Bedford and Lawrence County.
What Can Wait
Not everything needs to happen in the first 24 hours. Here are things that can safely wait a few days or longer:
Notifying the Social Security Administration. This is important but can be done within a few days.
Closing bank accounts or changing names on financial accounts. This requires a death certificate, which takes time to process.
Canceling subscriptions, memberships, and recurring bills. Make a list and work through it over the next week or two.
Posting on social media. If you are not ready to share the news publicly, there is no obligation to do so right away. Let close family and friends know first, and share publicly when you feel ready.
Cleaning out the home or going through belongings. This can wait weeks or even months. There is no timeline that says you must do it quickly.

You Do Not Have to Do This Alone
The first 24 hours after a death can feel chaotic and surreal. But you do not have to figure everything out by yourself. That is what we are here for.
At Limestone Chapel, we guide Bedford families through every step of this process. From the first phone call to the final details of the service, we are beside you. Derek and Abby George and our entire team are committed to making this time as manageable as possible.
If you have lost someone and need help right now, or if you want to
plan ahead so your family does not face these decisions unprepared,
contact us at (812) 675-0046. We are here for you, day or night.
