Funeral Arrangements & Frequently Asked Questions

• What Do You Do When a Death Occurs? 
• What Do You Do When a Death Occurs Out Of Town? 
• Making Funeral Arrangements : What Does Full-Service Really Mean? 
• What About Cremation? 
• What About Death Certificates? 
• What About Veterans Benefits?
• Family Owned vs. Corporate Owned 

No matter what time of day or night, call Whelan Bros. & Hulchanski Funeral Home at (315) 488-5555.  We are available at any time to take your call. 

     During the initial call, one of our directors will assist you in determining the general timeline of events and suggest various scenarios of service plans available.  The following is some vital information that we will need to complete various state and local documents:

~ Birth Date

~ Birth Place

~ Father's Name

~ Mother's Name

~ Social Security Number

~ Veteran's Discharge or Claim Number

~ Education

~ Marital Status

   When funeral arrangements have to be unexpectedly made away from home, family members will be filled with confusion and mixed emotions.  In order to understand your options and limit your costs Call Whelan Bros. & Hulchanski Funeral Home at (315) 488-5555 day or night.

     Once you call us we will take charge from then on and make all the arrangements for conveying of the deceased to the local funeral home for embalming, and then preparation to return the deceased to their home state. You only need to contact us with some basic information and call us when you return home to set a time for an arrangement conference with us to determine the services desired for your loved one.

What Does Full-Service Really Mean?     

First, it means that our staff is available to help whenever you call.  We are here for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. No matter what your wishes may be, we offer a range of services to help you create a service that is personal, dignified, and correct in every detail.     In addition, we provide a variety of services to accommodate your budget. Every family receives individualized attention, regardless of cost.Services Include:

• Personalization, including memorial folders, casket  and vault personalization, special music, and more.  
• Traditional Gathering and Service  
• Memorial Gathering and Service  
• Graveside Gathering  
• Cremation, with or without memorial services  
• Specially-themed services  
• Assistance with veterans benefits, Social Security filings,  and insurance benefits  
• Transfers and transportation  
• Assistance with cemetery selection and death away from home  
• Monuments, caskets, inscriptions  
• Personalized Mementos

Our funeral directors are happy to explain many other types of observances as well, selecting the elements that are most appropriate for you. We are always available to help you plan a dignified, meaningful service that commemorates the life that has been lived.The Etiquette of AcknowledgmentA signed acknowledgement card is sufficient to say "Thank you" for flowers, mass cards, and personal services. Sympathy cards and visitors who pay respect to the family do not require a thank you note unless the family chooses to do so. If a more personal touch is desired, a few words can be written on the card with reference to flowers, cards or services rendered. We hope the following suggestions will prove helpful in handling the various expressions of sympathy the family received during bereavement.

Cremation is an alternative to earth burial. Cremation is irreversable. A deceased person's body is placed in an appropriate container and then taken to a crematory. Visitation and religious services can follow if desired. Families may choose the type of container with which they are comfortable. We can help plan the cremation, as well as any other services.

Cremation Services 

Many families that choose cremation have the same services and religious rites as those that choose burial or entombment. Cremation as a choice does not prevent that. Studies have demonstrated that having time to say goodbye is healthy, and having a funeral is important to the survivors. Services can be as private as you would like. Others do not wish to view the deceased. They may choose visiting with a closed casket. Some prefer a memorial service without the body present. Many prefer some type of religious service: at the church, funeral home or cemetery. There are as many choices with cremation as with burial or entombment.

Cremains

Cremains are what most of us refer to as the ashes. After a cremation the cremains are returned to the family, which require decisions to be made concerning their final resting place. Once the cremation has taken place, the family decides what will be done with the cremains. They can be buried, placed into urns, kept at home, divided or scattered.

We offer a variety of keepsake options such as urns and jewelry, that provide a place to hold the cherished cremains. Please call the funeral home to set up an appointment and discuss your options.

Who is eligible to obtain a death certificate copy?

• The spouse, parent or child of the deceased
• Other persons who have a:
  • documented lawful right or claim
  • documented medical need
  • New York State Court Order

  What is a lawful right or claim?If the applicant is not the spouse, parent or child of the decedent, a lawful right or claim must be documented. An example of a lawful right or claim would be a death record needed by the applicant to claim a benefit. Documentation would consist of an official letter from the agency verifying that to process the claim they require from the applicant a copy of the requested death record.Identification Requirements - application must be submitted with copies of either A or B:

1. One (1) of the following forms of valid photo-ID:
   • Driver license
   • State issued non-driver photo-ID card
   • Passport
   • U.S. Military issued photo-ID

1. Two (2) of the following showing the applicant's name and address:
   • Utility or telephone bills
   • Letter from a government agency dated within the last six (6) months

     In recognition of their service and dedication to our country, burial and cemetery benefits are available for each eligible veteran.These benefits include a military funeral honors ceremony at a funeral or memorial service, a burial flag, burial at a national veterans' cemetery or a monetary benefit towards burial at a private cemetery, and a veterans' cemetery marker.Our staff will work with the Veterans Administration to assist you in obtaining these benefits. If you would like more information, please click the links below.

• General Information
• List of National Veterans Cemeteries
• List of State Veterans Cemeteries
• Obtaining a copy of discharge papers required to apply for benefits

Veterans Cemetery MarkersThe Department of Veterans Affairs provides a government headstone or marker for any eligible veteran at no cost.Flat bronze, marble and granite markers are available, along with granite or marble upright monuments and bronze plaques to mark the inurnment of cremated remains. The style of marker selected must meet with the approval of the cemetery in which it is placed. Our staff will assist the family with ordering the marker and placing it in the cemetery of their choice.

• General Information
• Eligibility
• Types of markers available

Presidential Memorial Certificate The family of an honorably discharged veteran may receive special Presidential Memorial Certificates in honor of their loved one’s service.The engraved certificate is signed by the current President to honor the service and memory of the veteran.A certificate can be ordered for each family member. Our funeral directors will work with theDepartment of Veterans Affairs to obtain the certificates.If you have any further questions or concerns please contact one of our licensed funeral directors at Whelan Bros. & Hulchanski Funeral Home (315) 488-5555 or email us atWhelanBrosFH@aol.com. 

Family Owned vs. Corporate Owned

When choosing a funeral home, you may want to research whether or not the business is owned by a local family or run by a large corporation. There is a difference.  

During the past twenty years, publicly-owned corporations have been consolidating the funeral business similarly to what has occurred in other businesses. Recently, this trend has reversed because the corporate-owned funeral homes have simply not measured up to the service that families receive from family-owned funeral homes.

    For generations funeral services have been provided by local families who have deep roots in their community. When dealing with such an important event in your families life, turning to a funeral director whom you know and trust can make a world of difference.

A family-owned firm will give you the personal attention, outstanding professionalism, and caring that you deserve, and the extra support you will need after the funeral is over that only generations of service can cultivate.

Whelan Bros. & Hulchanski Funeral Home has been family owned and operated locally since 1933.