Funeral Planning

Who Should You Contact?

To schedule a funeral and a time to meet with our parish director/deacon, please call the Parish Office, (262) 255-2035, Monday – Friday, 9:00 am – 3:00 pm, or Deacon Sandy Sites directly, 262-388-5299.  If you have contacted or will be contacting a funeral home, please do not plan a date or time until you schedule one at the parish.

Planning the Funeral

·    A time will be arranged with the family to plan the liturgy.

What to Think About

• Who will help place the white cloth on the casket (if there is one)? (Usually 2-4 people)
• Readings: Picking up planning materials ahead of time helps in the planning.
• An Old Testament Reading, and who will read it?
• A New Testament Reading, and who will read it?
• A Gospel Reading (read by the presider)
• Prayers of the Faithful – a sample set of prayers will be given to the family to be adapted if necessary. Who will read them?
• Selection of appropriate music.
• If it is a Mass, who will bring forward the bread and wine?
• Who will assist with Communion?
• Do you want anyone from the family to share a brief memory (3-4 minutes)? If yes, who? – Done prior to the beginning of Mass
• Do you want to show a slideshow of pictures? (Set up in the narthex on a monitor provided by the family or the funeral home.)
• Other special requests, such as extra tables in the narthex? Funeral home provides the easels.

Funeral Hospitality & Meal Team

The Good Shepherd Meal Team also is here to help the planning process go smoothly in creating an experience beautifully suited to your family needs. If the visitation is at Good Shepherd, we provide coffee, lemonade and a plate of cookies in Daniels Hall for a place to step away and rest. If following the funeral you would like to stay on site, our meal team can provide a full meal service in Daniels Hall that includes planning, shopping, baking, food preparation, setup, serving and cleanup. We also can assist with or serve any outside catering.

Do you have a family favorite food item? We are here to help you choose a menu to suit you and your family.

Here is a sample meal menu that is often requested:

• Hot roll sandwiches with choice of ham, turkey and/or beef
• German potato salad
• Regular potato salad
• Texas/calico baked beans
• Fresh fruit platter
• Vegetable tray with dip
• Cheese Tray
• Pickles and olives
• Potato chips
• Coffee, milk and lemonade
• Favorite Food of the Family? Other requests? Just Ask.

The choice of menu is yours.

All remaining food is given to the family or we will share it with needy people in our community.

A member of the funeral meal team is available to discuss any meal options or questions you may have to assist you in this part of the celebration of life for your loved one.