At Prout Funeral Home, we have worked with the Bereavement and Music Ministries of Our Lady of the Lake Church to provide this planning guide, which will make navigating the Catholic rite of burial, including the selection of Scripture and music, easier.

WORDS OF REMEMBRANCE. If you have a friend or family member who will offer some words of remembrance, please list their name on the Planning Guide. Please note that the Archdiocese of Newark only permits one person to speak for no more than 3-4 minutes after Holy Communion. The text of the Words of Remembrance should be submitted to pastor@ollverona.org. by 7 pm the night prior to the Mass. For more detailed information, please review the Newark Archdiocese’s Guidelines.

Here is list of documents needed for the arrangement process. Whether you are preplanning for yourself or assisting a loved one, this checklist will make the process seamless.

• Vital Statistics (including)
  • Legal Name of Funeral Recipient
  • Legal Address of Funeral Recipient
  • Social Security Number
  • Date & Place of Birth (City, State, Country)
  • Domestic Status (never married, married, divorced, widow)
  • Father’s Name
  • Mother’s Name & Maiden Name
  • Name of Person in Charge of Funeral
  • Address & Phone Numbers for Person in Charge of Funeral
  • Race
  • Hispanic Origin?  Yes or No    If yes, Country of Origin
  • Education – Highest Grade Level Completed
  • Occupation or Job Title
  • Kind of Business or Industry
  • Name & Address of Last Employer
  • Name & Phone Number of Medical Doctor

• Veteran Information
  • Discharge Papers (DD-214)
  • Branch Rank
  • Date of Enlistment
  • Date of Discharge
  • Name(s) of war/conflict(s) toured
  • Serial Number
  • Would you want Military Honors?
• Affiliations & Obituary Information
  • Fraternal, Service or Union Memberships
  • Special Recognitions
  • Names of Relatives (Spouse, Children, Siblings, Grand/ Great Grandchildren)
  • Previous Places of Residence
  • Previous Jobs
  • Colleges / degrees received / Year
  • Clubs or Hobbies
  • Would you like in lieu of flowers, to suggest memorial donations to any group or charity?

• Persons to Contact (leave this list for your next of kin)
  • Children, Relatives and Friends to Notify

• Funeral Preferences
  • Preferred Clergy/Celebrant/Religious Faith
  • Names of Pallbearers and Honorary Pallbearers
  • Preferred Music, Bible Verses or Poetry
  • Preferred Clothing or Jewelry
  • Burial / Cremation / Entombment
  • Special Instructions

• Leave a List of the Location of Important Documents and Passwords for Your Next of Kin

You may also want to review information in our Death Notification Checklist and our Digital Afterlife Guide.

One of our goals at Prout Funeral Home is to make the preplanning process as simple as possible for you. You can even begin it from the comfort of your own home by completing the form below. If you need any help, or you would like to begin in person, simply call us at (973) 239-2060.

New Jersey Prepaid Trust Fund

The New Jersey Prepaid Funeral Trust Fund is one of the largest funeral trusts in the country. The Trust has been managed by the New Jersey State Funeral Directors Association since 1981.

Your account is FDIC insured.

Your account is 100% trusted and refundable, with interest and without penalty, (except irrevocable accounts established for SSI/Medicaid eligibility).

SSI/ Medicaid will permit individuals to set aside their own funds in an irrevocable prepaid funeral arrangement without the money being counted as a resource for program eligibility purposes. In addition, money set aside is not subject to the “look back” requirements usually associated with becoming SSI/Medicaid eligible.

Preplanning and prepaying has the added benefit of relieving your family from suddenly having to make important decisions or face financial concerns at an already stressful time.

Contact us for more information about preplanning a funeral and for helpful answers to the many questions that you might have.

Despite Prout Funeral Home’s deep roots in this community, we always have an eye towards the future. You do the same thing in your own life – you plan for major life events such as weddings, graduations, and retirement. It makes sense you would also consider making your funeral plans.

This is also a major gesture of love to your family, as you can remove the need for them to make difficult decisions while trying to process their loss. If you choose to prepay, you also will relieve from their shoulders that financial burden.

Call one of our preplanning specialists at (973) 239-2060 to learn more about how to get started, or you can complete our preplanning form online.