Depending on where the death occurs and under what circumstances, this explains what you should do when the death occurs:

Death in an Institution
When the death occurs at a hospital or nursing home, the medical staff should take care of all necessary legal steps. You just need to notify the medical staff that Historic Thomson-Dougherty Funeral Home is handling the funeral arrangements so they can have you sign the necessary release paperwork.

Anticipated Death at Home
Today, more people with terminal illnesses are electing to die at home under the care of hospice. In this situation, you just need to notify Hospice that Historic Thomson-Dougherty is the funeral home of your choice. They will then take care of all necessary legal requirements. Many times when someone has a terminal illness, the family will elect to make prearrangements with us so that they are not overwhelmed with the many important decisions at the time of death.

Unanticipated Death at Home or Elsewhere
In these situations, immediately call 911. The police and emergency medical personnel will then determine the appropriate steps to be taken. Often, the police can release the human remains directly to our funeral home. However, in certain cases, the body may need to go to the Medical Examiner's office so that they can determine the cause of death.

Death out of the metro area or state
If the death occurs outside of the metro area or Minnesota, you should call Historic Thomson-Dougherty on our toll-free telephone number (888-788-7233). We can coordinate with a local funeral director at the place of death. Being a member of several national associations, Historic Thomson-Dougherty often can save families money by having our firm make the arrangements.
Shortly after the death occurs, you will meet with us to arrange the funeral service for your loved one. During this conference, we will ask for personal information about the deceased in order to help plan the funeral and complete the necessary documents. For more information on the "Funeral Arrangement Conference".