Products & Services
When a loved one passes away it is natural to be emotional and to find it difficult to make decisions regarding services. The information below will assist you in organizing your thoughts and desires. It is a guide for preparing a funeral tribute, plus a reminder of items needed for the arrangement conference with your funeral director. Please call at any time if you have questions. Our 24 hour telephone number is (435) 882-0676.
What do I do now?
The first item of importance is to schedule an arrangement conference at Tate Mortuary. At this conference, your funeral director will record vital statistics information, discuss options and service times, plus review prices and explain payment procedures.
Time of service
Your funeral director will do everything possible to comply with the family's desires service schedule. However, other previously set services may affect preferred dates and times. Please confirm all scheduling matters with our staff prior to making public announcements (obituaries, etc.). We suggest services be scheduled at 10 a.m., 11 a.m., or 1 p.m. weekdays. The mortuary can confirm these times and eliminate any conflicts.

Our funeral service charges include use of facilities, equipment, vehicles and/or staff during regular business hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with visitation hours of 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Holiday exceptions are Jan. 1, President's Day, Memorial Day (Monday), July 4, Statehood Day (July 24), Labor Day (Monday), Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day.

Services or visitations on Saturday, Sunday, or holidays require special staffing for which additional charges will apply. Cemeteries and vault companies may add additional fees for weekends and holidays. We will discuss these fees applicable to your circumstances prior to scheduling services.
Obituary notices
As a general rule newspaper notices are paid announcements. Each newspaper has its own rules regarding content, schedules and charges. We will make every effort to inform you of this information. Obituary charges are billed to the family by the news agencies. Families may furnish Tate Mortuary with a copy of the obituary, or we will assist you in writing the obituary notice.
Payment and financial arrangements
Services will not be provided unless financial arrangements have been finalized prior to day of services. For your convenience the following options for payment are available to pay for selected services and merchandise.
  1. A 5% discount on services, casket, vault, and urns when full payment is made by cash or check prior to day of services.
  2. A 3% discount on services, casket, vault, and urns when full payment is made by credit card prior to day of services. We accept Visa
Visitations
Visitations enable you to gather with loved ones and friends to reflect upon the life that was lived. As with all services, however, visitations are optional. Every effort will be made to provide adequate visitation time. For families selecting an evening visitation, the private hours are 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. The public is invited between 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

Families can control the length of visitations by keeping conversations short and expressing gratitude for individual concerns early in the visit. Vigils, prayer services, and other rites begin as scheduled. Please do not be offended if we discontinue the visitation line to accomplish the scheduled rites. Families who do not choose an evening visitation may come to the mortuary at a pre-arranged time on the day prior to the funeral. All visitations after 5 p.m. constitute a night viewing and must be charged accordingly. This is also true of evening viewings after 8 p.m. Our chapel closes and night security begins at 8 p.m. An overtime fee must be charged after 8 p.m.

On funeral day, families are encouraged to arrive at the place of service 30 minutes prior to the announced visitation time. This will provide an opportunity for private visits. During the visitations the casket may be open or closed at the family's discretion.
Child care and security
Families with small children will find it extremely difficult to greet visitors. Because Tate Mortuary has no facilities for children, it is strongly suggested that your child be accompanied by an adult at all times during the visitation. Parents are encouraged to bring small children to the private, family visitation only.

It is recommended that children be provided supervised care in a private home during public visitation, preferably the home of the deceased. This will eliminate unattended children in the mortuary, and will also provide security to the residence during visitation times which have been published. For further peace of mind, families may want to arrange some type of home security during service times.
Flowers
Families should make their own arrangements with the florist of their choice. Each florist will provide delivery to the place of the first visitation at no additional charge. For local services, Tate Mortuary can provide a flower van to transport flowers at a modest cost.
Burial sites
Most cemeteries require a responsible person to visit the property and to sign authorization forms, to properly identify the site and to make financial arrangements. This must be done early enough to allow one-full working day prior to the burial. Our staff will assist in providing cemetery information.
Out of town burials
The most important factor in planning an out of town burial is the time involved in moving a group of people. We suggest an early morning funeral, then going directly to the place of burial. Churches or fraternity groups may wish to provide a lunch. When the burial is out of town, we suggest that a sack lunch be provided for travelers. If the family wishes a formal lunch, we suggest that it be done in the city or town of burial. The formal luncheon or dinner should occur after burial rites. Tate Mortuary will estimate the time of burial based on distance and typical funeral length. Our charges are accrued on actual time involved and not mileage. The family can save money be eliminating all unnecessary stops before burial. Also, many cemeteries have overtime charges. The earlier the committal service, the better.
Gravemarkers or headstones
There are many good reputable dealers in the Tooele area. Our suggestion is to investigate prices and quality of workmanship. Do not be in a hurry to select a marker. The grave location will not be lost, nor is there a cemetery rule requiring the speedy placement of a maker. Government markers take three to six months to arrive. We will advise you when markers are delivered. The setting of government markers are the responsibility of the family. We will provide you with the names of people who provide this service.
Military rites
Military graveside rites are typically provided for veterans who are active members of the veterans organization, or to those members of the armed forces who die while on active duty. This includes National Guard, or reserves on duty status, or full retirees receiving benefits from the military. Request for these rites must be made by the next of kin to the Department of Defense, or the veterans organization.

Honor Guard may be provided by a Salt Lake-based Disabled American Veterans organization. Schedule permitting, the group comes to Tooele County and welcomes donations to defray food, fuel, insurance and supply costs. The funeral director can supply you with the current information regarding this service.
Medical examiner
Under Utah law the medical examiner must investigate all trauma deaths (except motor vehicle), medical mis-adventure and all un-attended deaths. The investigation may include external examination, autopsy examination, plus seizure of medical records and histories. Investigations are usually completed in 24 hours, but may go as long as 30 days. The mortuary or family has no control over the length of time nor the type of investigation. If an autopsy is done, a fee is added for preparation.
Death certificates
Death certificates are legal records providing proof of death. Certified copies may be ordered for you by Tate Mortuary. Copies are available from the Department of Vital Statistics at a nominal fee set by the State of Utah. Normal processing time is one to four days. Certificates are processed as soon as the doctor has signed them. We will notify you immediately upon their arrival. Photo copies are not legal records.
Acknowledgement cards
At the conclusion of services you will receive a packet which contains the Register Book, cards from the flowers, and acknowledgement cards. It is difficult to determine the number of acknowledgement cards needed by each family. If you need additional cards, please stop by Tate Mortuary's business office weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Insurance
The family should promptly contact their insurance agents to secure the necessary forms, even on policies thought to have lapsed. There may be extended benefits available. Tate Mortuary's secretary can assist you in filling out these forms.
Social Security
Upon the death of a person covered by Social Security, certain benefits are available to the surviving spouse and minor children. To optain information about benefits, call 1-800-772-1213 and provide Social Security number, date of birth, and date of death. If benefits are allowed, a certified copy of the death certificate will be required.
Veterans benefits
If the deceased was an honorable discharged U.S. veteran, or disabled veteran, certain benefits may be available. They include:
  1. A U.S. Flag to drape the casket
  2. A grave marker
  3. Depending upon circumstances burial in a national cemetery.
Tate Mortuary will assist you in preparing the proper forms. Proof, such as D.D. 214, a copy of discharge or V.A. Number, may be required by the Veterans Administration.
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