Abel Funeral Services

Abel Understands!

We understand that death arrangements can be hard to understand. Below you will find a list of questions we are frequently asked along with the answers to help you in this difficult time.

We are available Monday – Friday from 8:00 a.m. til 4:00 p.m.

We are closed on all County observed holidays,.

If you have any questions about our availability please contact us. We do have staff on hand to assist you 24 hours a day - 365 days a year.

Your appointment will usually last about 30-60 minutes depending on the type of services you are planning.

Our top priority is to make sure that you have all of your questions answered and you have the process explained to you before you leave.

We understand your time is precious and getting back home to spend time with family and friends is important.

Generally, you will already know most of the information needed for the death certificate. You’ll be asked the deceased social security number, residential address, parent’s names (including mother’s maiden name) and education and marital status.

If you are planning on having your loved one’s remains placed at a National Cemetery, or if they passed away at the VA Medical Center, we will need a copy of their DD-214 (discharge paperwork) if it is available.

It’s a good idea to write down any questions you may have. It can feel like there is a lot to try to remember and you may feel overwhelmed, so having notes to look back on will help later.

Please don’t hesitate to call us if you have any questions.

Yes. We can send you paperwork through email.

Some families prefer to fill it out together in the comfort of their own home.

You can scan and email the forms back to us.

Call us for our email address.


Yes. You will choose the cemetery and meet with them to select the plot and marker as well as set the date and time of the service.

You will pay the cemetery directly as well.

We will keep in contact with the cemetery to make sure everything runs smoothly for the day of the service.

Yes. You may use your own casket, but please be aware that it will not change the burial package price.

We request that when you deliver the casket to the funeral home you remove all shipping materials yourself to insure that the casket color is correct and that it has arrived without any damage during shipment.

We want to make sure you are completely satisfied with your selection before your service.

There are a few things that need to happen before we can proceed with burial. We need to make sure we have a transit permit issued and the balance needs to be paid in full. The transit permit is issued by the Office of Vital Records and then printed here at the funeral home.

It's usually best to schedule about five business days in advance for services to take place.


Once a cremation permit has been obtained and the balance has been paid, your loved one will be ready to go to our crematory.

We will typically have cremated remains in about two business days. The whole process generally takes between seven and fourteen days.

Please let our arranger know if you are having a Memorial Service - or if you need to have remains by a specific date / time. Although we can't make any guarantees we will do everything we can to try and accommodate you.

Yes, you can bring in your own container. We will transfer the cremated remains for you for a $25 fee.

The cremated remains come back in a black plastic temporary urn. This urn can be placed in the ground for burial, used when traveling with cremated remains or displayed to remember your loved one as well.

Yes. Death Certificates are $20 per copy and we charge a $5 Processing fee to order them on your behalf. You can also choose to get them directly from Vital Records yourself instead.

It really depends on your specific situation. Places that will require a certified copy will include Insurance, Retirement, 401K, IRA, stocks, etc. It is also possible that banks, the DMV, and utility companies will want to see a certified copy and they may make a photocopy for their records and then return the original to you.

It is always best to call that particular company directly if you have any questions.

You can always call and order more if you need to so.

Please don't feel like you need to order a lot at first. Feel free to ask Abel Funeral Services for advice.

Certified copies of the death certificate are issued by the Maricopa County Office of Vital Records and then sent to us. We typically have them ready for you in about 2-3 weeks.
Yes. We will call you as soon as they are available and you will pick them up from our office. Death certificates can be mailed to one address for a fee of $20.00 for each address.

Yes. You can get certified copies directly from the Office of Vital Records. You can order copies from the County office for up to a year after the date of death. The State Office can provide them at any time. Make sure to bring a state issued ID and paperwork showing relationship to the deceased (ie; marriage license, birth certificate, POA paperwork, etc.)

RESOURCES

Maricopa County Office of Vital Records
3221 N 16th St. Ste 10
Phoenix, AZ 85016
(602) 506-6805

Arizona State Office of Vital Records
1818 W. Adams St.
Phoenix, AZ 85007
(602) 364-1300

Contact Us

Abel Funeral Services
1627 N. 51st Avenue
Phoenix, AZ 85035

Phone: 602.442.7747
Fax: 602.269.6367
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