What to Do When Someone Dies: A Step-by-Step Guide for Waterbury Families

The First Few Hours: What Needs to Happen Right Away

Obtaining an Official Pronouncement of Death

Before anything else can proceed, a medical professional must legally confirm the death. Where your loved one passed determines how this happens.

If death occurred at a hospital, nursing home, or under hospice care in Waterbury or the surrounding area, the attending medical staff will handle this documentation. They'll also begin the process of completing the death certificate.

If your loved one passed away at home without hospice present, call 911 immediately. Waterbury emergency responders will arrive to assess the situation and arrange for official pronouncement. This isn't an emergency in the traditional sense, but it's the proper first step that allows everything else to follow.

Calling a Funeral Home in Waterbury

Once a death has been officially pronounced, your next call should be to a funeral home. At Casey's Eastside Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Care of Waterbury, we answer our phones 24 hours a day, 7 days a week at (203) 753-1550. Death doesn't follow business hours, and neither do we.

When you call, we'll arrange to bring your loved one into our care from wherever they are—whether that's Saint Mary's Hospital, a private residence in Waterbury, or a care facility anywhere in New Haven County. We'll also schedule a time to meet with you and begin discussing arrangements, though there's no pressure to make decisions immediately.



Many families feel relief simply knowing their loved one is being cared for with dignity. That transfer of responsibility, even temporarily, can give you space to breathe.

The First Few Days: Gathering Support and Making Plans

Notifying Family, Friends, and Faith Leaders

Once the immediate logistics are handled, it's time to spread the word to those who need to know. Start with immediate family members, then expand outward to extended relatives, close friends, and colleagues.

If your loved one was connected to a church, synagogue, mosque, or other faith community in the Waterbury area, contact their clergy early in the process. Many families want religious leaders involved in funeral or memorial services, and their calendars fill quickly. Having this conversation early gives you more flexibility in scheduling.

Consider asking one trusted person to serve as your communication point—someone who can field phone calls, respond to texts, and keep others updated so you're not repeating the same painful news dozens of times.

Securing Your Loved One's Home

This detail often gets overlooked in the fog of grief, but it matters. If your loved one lived alone, ask someone you trust to check on the property. They can collect mail, care for pets, accept deliveries of flowers and food, and ensure the home is secure.

In the days following a death, well-meaning neighbors and acquaintances may stop by the residence. Having someone there to receive them—and to protect the home from potential security concerns—provides practical peace of mind.

Beginning Funeral Arrangements in Waterbury

When you meet with our funeral directors at Casey's Eastside Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Care of Waterbury, we'll walk you through every option available for honoring your loved one. Our Waterbury funeral home offers comprehensive services including traditional funerals with burial, cremation services with memorial gatherings, and everything in between.

Key decisions you'll discuss include whether to choose burial or cremation, the type of service that reflects your loved one's personality and wishes, casket or urn selection, venue for any services or gatherings, and timing that works for family members who may need to travel.

If your loved one created a pre-plan or left written instructions about their final wishes, bring those documents to your arrangement conference. These plans simplify decision-making significantly and ensure you're honoring exactly what they wanted.

Locating Important Documents

In the days following a death, you'll need to locate several important papers. These include any existing will or trust documents, life insurance policies, Social Security card and information, birth certificate and marriage license (if applicable), military discharge papers (DD-214) for veterans, and deeds, titles, and financial account information.



If your loved one worked with an attorney, contact that office to determine what documents they may have on file. Your funeral director can also guide you on which records you'll need for various administrative tasks.

Writing the Obituary

The obituary serves as both a public announcement and a lasting tribute. When crafting this document, include essential facts like full name, age, date of death, and surviving family members, but also capture who your loved one truly was—their passions, accomplishments, sense of humor, or the way they made others feel.

Our team at Casey's Eastside Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Care of Waterbury can help you write and publish obituaries in the Waterbury Republican-American and other local publications, as well as on our website and online memorial platforms.

The Weeks That Follow: Ongoing Responsibilities

Managing the Estate

After the funeral service, practical matters continue. If you're serving as executor, you'll need to work with a probate attorney to settle the estate. This process involves filing the will with the Waterbury Probate Court, notifying creditors, and eventually distributing assets according to your loved one's wishes or Connecticut law.

Contacting Necessary Agencies

Several organizations need to be notified of your loved one's passing. While your funeral director typically reports the death to Social Security, you may need to contact health insurance providers, life insurance companies, pension administrators, banks and financial institutions, credit card companies, the DMV for license and registration cancellation, and the post office to forward mail.

We provide families with a checklist of these contacts to help ensure nothing falls through the cracks during an already overwhelming time.

Acknowledging Support

Keep a running list of everyone who sends flowers, food, cards, or donations in your loved one's memory. When you're ready—and there's no timeline that's "right"—sending thank-you notes provides closure and honors the community that supported you.

You Don't Have to Do This Alone

Grief is exhausting. Adding administrative tasks and major decisions on top of emotional pain can feel unbearable. That's exactly why funeral homes exist—to shoulder the logistical burden so you can focus on healing.

At Casey's Eastside Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Care of Waterbury, we've served Waterbury families for generations. We understand this community, and we understand loss. Whether you're planning ahead for the future or facing an immediate need right now, we're here.

Casey's Eastside Memorial Funeral Home and Cremation Care of Waterbury 1987 E Main St Waterbury, CT 06705 (203) 753-1550 Available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

We also invite you to join our private Facebook group: Casey's After the Loss.

Proudly serving families throughout Waterbury, Wolcott, Prospect, Naugatuck, Middlebury, Cheshire, Watertown, and all of New Haven County, Connecticut.