Funeral pre-planning is not only for people who already know exactly what they want. In many cases, it begins with a simple conversation: what matters to you, what would help your family, and what information should be easy to find when the time comes.
Pre-planning can include service preferences, burial or cremation wishes, obituary information, family contacts, cemetery details, religious or cultural customs, and personal touches that help a future service feel meaningful. It can be as detailed or as simple as you want it to be.
At Didericksen Memorial, pre-planning is meant to give families clarity, not pressure. Jay R. Didericksen can help you record your wishes at your pace and make sure your loved ones have guidance when they need it.
To start a conversation, call Didericksen Memorial 24/7 at (435) 277-0050.
Pre-planning begins with your basic preferences
The first part of funeral pre-planning is usually broad. You do not need to choose every reading, song, or flower before beginning. Many people start by documenting the major decisions their family would otherwise have to make during a difficult week.
These preferences may include:
- Whether you prefer burial or cremation
- Whether you want a funeral, memorial service, graveside service, celebration of life, or private gathering
- Whether religious, cultural, military, or family traditions should be included
- Whether you have a preferred location for the service
- Whether there is cemetery property, a family plot, or another place of final disposition
Didericksen Memorial's planning ahead page explains that pre-planning can help make wishes clear and reduce difficult decisions for loved ones.
Service details can be recorded gradually
Some people worry that pre-planning means locking in every detail. It does not have to work that way. You can begin with what you know and add details over time.
Service details may include:
- Favorite hymns, songs, or instrumental music
- Scripture, poetry, or readings
- People you would like invited to speak
- Clergy, celebrants, or community leaders to contact
- Photos or videos you would like used
- Personal items that reflect your life
- A preferred tone: quiet, traditional, faith-centered, informal, intimate, or community-oriented
These choices help your family understand what would feel authentic to you. They also give the funeral director a clearer picture of the life being honored.
Personal information for the death record
Pre-planning can also organize information that will be needed later for official records. Utah's Office of Vital Records explains that a death certificate must be filed within five days of death and before final disposition. When a funeral home is involved, the funeral director helps gather information and coordinate the filing process.
Useful information to record may include:
- Full legal name
- Date and place of birth
- Current address
- Social Security number
- Marital status
- Spouse's name when applicable
- Parents' names, including names before marriage
- Education and occupation information
- Military service details when applicable
- Preferred place of burial or disposition
- Physician or care provider information when known
Keeping this information in one place can spare loved ones from searching for details while they are grieving.
Family contacts and decision-makers
Pre-planning should identify who should be contacted and who has authority to help carry out your wishes. This can be especially important when family members live in different states, when adult children share responsibilities, or when there are blended-family considerations.
You may want to record:
- Primary family contact
- Alternate family contact
- People who should be notified early
- Clergy, faith community, or spiritual advisor
- Attorney or estate contact if applicable
- Cemetery or veterans organization contact if applicable
- Location of important documents
This does not replace legal advice where legal authority is needed, but it can make the practical path clearer for your family.
Obituary and life story notes
Many families find it hard to write an obituary from scratch immediately after a death. Pre-planning gives you a chance to record the people, places, values, and stories that should not be forgotten.
You might include:
- Names of close family members
- Important life milestones
- Military service
- Education or work history
- Faith, community, or volunteer involvement
- Hobbies, talents, and favorite memories
- A few words about how you would like to be remembered
These notes do not have to be polished. They simply give your family a starting point. For more help, the future article How to Write a Meaningful Obituary can be linked once live.
Cemetery, burial, or cremation information
If you already have cemetery property, a family plot, a columbarium preference, or other final disposition wishes, pre-planning is the right time to record those details. Include the cemetery name, location, deed or ownership information if available, and any family notes that may help.
If you are considering cremation, you can record whether you prefer a memorial service before or after cremation, whether ashes should be placed in an urn, buried, kept by family, or placed in a columbarium, and whether any family or faith traditions should guide those choices.
Utah Vital Records notes that cremation or removal of remains from Utah requires a cremation permit and review by the Office of the Medical Examiner. Families do not have to manage that process alone when working with a funeral director.
What pre-planning does not require
Pre-planning does not require you to have every answer. It also does not require you to make decisions that feel too personal, too far away, or too uncertain right now.
You can begin by saying:
- "I know I want my family to gather."
- "I want something simple and reverent."
- "My faith tradition should be included."
- "I want my children to decide the music."
- "I want my military service acknowledged."
- "I want my family to know where my important documents are."
Those statements are still useful. A funeral director can help turn them into a clearer plan over time.
Talking with family about your wishes
One of the most meaningful parts of pre-planning is the family conversation. It can feel uncomfortable at first, but many people find relief once the topic is opened gently.
You might begin with:
"I do not want this to feel heavy, but I would like you to know what matters to me."
or:
"I am writing down a few wishes so you do not have to wonder later."
The goal is not to make loved ones sad. The goal is to give them guidance, reduce uncertainty, and create space for honest conversation about values, memories, and care.
Guidance for families in Tooele County
Pre-planning can be especially helpful for families spread across Grantsville, Tooele, Stansbury Park, Erda, Lake Point, Stockton, Rush Valley, Vernon, and surrounding Utah communities. When plans are written down, relatives do not have to rely on memory or make urgent decisions without context.
Jay R. Didericksen and Didericksen Memorial can help you begin with a simple conversation and record the decisions that matter most. You can also review Didericksen Memorial's traditional funeral services and cremation services pages as you think through options.
When you are ready, call Didericksen Memorial 24/7 at (435) 277-0050, or visit the contact and location page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to know every detail before I start pre-planning?
No. You can begin with a few broad preferences and add details over time. Many people start with service type, burial or cremation wishes, and family contacts.
What information is helpful to record?
Helpful information can include legal name, birth details, family contacts, military service, cemetery information, obituary notes, service preferences, and the location of important documents.
Can my plans be updated later?
Yes. Funeral pre-planning should be reviewed when major life changes happen or when your preferences change. The plan can be adjusted over time.
How can Didericksen Memorial help with pre-planning?
Didericksen Memorial can guide the conversation, explain available service options, help document preferences, and give your family a clearer path for the future.
