What To Do When Your Person Dies

Here is what to do when a death occurs:

1. Call Recompose to notify us of the death

It’s okay to take time with your person’s body before calling us. Death is a momentous event. Taking a moment to breathe and be present can be a meaningful and rare opportunity.

If your person dies in a hospital or care facility, you can let the facility staff know that Recompose is your funeral home of choice, and they will notify us of the death for you. If your person’s body is at home, let us know when you are ready for Recompose to arrange for pickup.

When you are ready, call Recompose at (206) 800-8733.  We will ask you a few questions on this call, including:

• Name and date of birth of the person who has died
• Gender of the person who has died for identification purposes
• Date and time of death
• Location and address where we will be picking up your person
• Size of the person who has died to determine the type of equipment we may need
• Whether the location has stairs
• Whether friends or family will be present at the time of pickup
• Doctor’s name and phone number, if known, to help verify the death certificate

It is ideal for Recompose to be notified of a death within 24 hours so we can file the death certificate, which must be filed within 72 hours of death. You can also call us if you expect a death within the next few days or weeks, or for background information.

If your person is coming to Recompose from outside of Washington and you are working with an additional funeral home for transport, you will need to notify them at this time. They will have their own procedures for transport. You may also call Recompose to notify us of the death if you wish.

In this instance, Recompose will coordinate with the funeral home after they have picked up your person’s body. You will work with them initially for the process of sending your person to us. The additional funeral home will contact us to coordinate transportation. Once your person arrives at our facility, we will call you to continue making arrangements.

If the death was unexpected or the person was not under medical care, the death must be recorded by the local authorities. If this is the case, please call 911.

2. Take time with your person

While it is important to notify us of a death within 24 hours so we can begin the legal paperwork, there is no required timeline for your person’s body to be picked up. You can take a few minutes, a few hours, or a few days to be with your person after their death. It can provide a chance to say goodbye, grieve, memorialize, or celebrate your person.

We encourage you to consider spending time with your person’s body. People experience a range of emotions during this time, and all are valid. If your person dies at home, Recompose staff can offer advice on how to care for your person until you are ready for pickup.

If your person dies in a hospital or care facility, the facility may give you more time at your request. Talk to your care provider about the opportunities that might be available.

If you are planning to transport your person to Recompose yourself, we will help you make sure you have the correct permits and information you need to do so safely and legally at this time. We will also give you directions for how to reach our facility and schedule a time to pick up your person.

3. Recompose takes your person into our care

Our transport partners will review the details you shared on the phone about your person, and answer any questions you have. They will be wearing masks and gloves.

When you’re ready, you can take the transport team to your person’s body. If there are any stairs or other features that may require special equipment, the team will determine the best way to safely transport your person out of the location.

As your person’s body is prepared for transport, we welcome your presence and participation – you can decide how you’d like to participate in the moment. We will wrap the body in protective plastic covering, secure them onto a stretcher, and cover them. This may be the last time you see your person’s body before they are transformed into soil. If you choose, you can take this moment as an opportunity to say a final goodbye to your person and wish them well on the next phase of their journey.

4. Recompose confirms details of your person and their wishes

After pickup, Recompose staff will call you within 24-48 hours to schedule a virtual meeting to discuss details of your person and their wishes. This meeting will cover the signing of the contract, payment, and any other details. This is sometimes called an arrangement meeting.

If you have them, please bring the following forms to this meeting:

• Disposition Authorization (designating their wishes for their body)
• Designated Agent for Funeral Arrangements (designating a person to make decisions for their body)
• Vital Statistics (demographic information for the death certificate)

Click here to access a full list of the forms and see the information required on the forms.

If your person was a member of our prepayment program Precompose, Recompose may already have this information on file. It’s also okay if your person did not complete these forms in advance of their death. In that case, one of our Services Specialists will schedule a meeting with you to do so. It can be helpful to have your person’s social security card or birth certificate ready as a reference for this meeting, if you can access them.

Recompose requires payment in full before we begin the process of transforming the body into soil. You can read full details of what is included here. We accept payment by check or card. 

If you have any questions, you can reach us at (206) 800-8733. Our staff is here to support you every step of the way.