Frequently Asked questions when thinking about end of life
Q&A with David Mailhot, Funeral Director at Albert & Burpee
Funeral and Cremation Services
As a person practicing Funeral Service for 25 years, I’ve been asked many questions regarding funerals, cremations, burials, and gathering events. Even though there are certainly more, here are some of the more frequent ones that come up.
Q: Do I call the funeral home right away when a death occurs unattended at home?
A: When an unattended death occurs at home, the police must be notified first. If the person received home care hospice, the hospice agency would need to be contacted immediately to give the person who discovered the decedent further instruction. Once those steps have been taken, the funeral home can be contacted for transportation services.
Q: What is a cremation/alternative container, and do I need one if I’m being cremated?
A: Many people, rightfully so, confuse the cremation container with an urn. An urn is used to house the cremated remains of a person. The cremation/alternative container is what a person is transported to the crematory in. It’s not a casket but a suitable, rigid, combustible container that meets the crematory’s requirements. They are furnished through the funeral home and are required by all crematories for the cremation process.
Q: Do all funeral homes charge the same price?
A: Funeral homes differ in the costs of their services and merchandise items offered. There is a lot that goes into the factoring of a funeral home’s price structure. All funeral homes, by order of the FTC, are required to give families a copy of their most
recent General Price List (GPL), and some funeral homes, like us at Albert & Burpee, have all of their service offerings and pricing on their websites. It is a good idea to do your research and contact us should you want to meet our staff and view our facility. At Albert & Burpee, you’ll find that we offer the lowest cost direct cremation (cremation without services) in Lewiston Auburn and are incredibly reasonable in the costs of all of our services offered. We are a full-service funeral home specializing in services of all types and faiths.
Q: Can I preplan arrangements or transfer previously made arrangements to you?
A: Yes. Preplanning is the gift of peace of mind that many people give their loved ones before passing. There are numerous emotional and financial benefits to planning your arrangements in advance for those left behind one day. Also yes. Prearrangements can be transferred to another funeral home of your choice at any time. Call us at any time for further information.
Q: What is embalming, and is it required?
A: Embalming is a trained trade that is the procedure of preserving a decedent’s remains for a more extended period of time. Embalming is not required by state law in Maine; however, a funeral home may/can require embalming if the family wishes to have an open casket public viewing for multiple hours, if the funeral home has to shelter the person for several months due to the cemetery they are using being closed for the winter, or if the person will be traveling via common carrier (airplane) to another state.
DAVID L. MAILHOT, son of Dr. Paul R. Mailhot, MD and the late Linda A. Mailhot, was born and raised in Lewiston. He attended St. Joseph’s elementary school and is a graduate of St. Dominic Regional High School, class of 1996. David is also a 1998 graduate of the New England Institute of Funeral Service formerly located in Newton, MA, where he earned his degree in Mortuary Science. David became a licensed Funeral Director in 2000 and finds great reward in helping people who have suffered a loss during a difficult time. He resides in Lisbon with his wife, Melinda, who manages the Lisbon Road Animal Hospital, their son, Chase, who plans on studying Business Administration and playing basketball for the Mustangs at CMCC in Auburn, and their pets Haylee & Ajax. David enjoys watching and playing sports as well as various outdoor activities such as kayaking, walking his dog, going to concerts, fishing and hiking.
207-782-7201
