FAQ

What purpose does a funeral serve?
It is the customary way to recognize death and its finality. Funerals are recognized rituals for the living to show respect for the deceased and to help survivors begin the grief process.

What do funeral directors do?
At Valley Hills Funeral Home we strive to be caregivers and administrators. We make the arrangements for transportation of the deceased, complete all necessary paperwork, and implement the choices made by the family regarding the funeral and final disposition of the loved one.
Our funeral directors are listeners, advisors and supporters. We have experience assisting the bereaved in coping with death. Our directors are trained to answer questions about grief, recognize when a person is having difficulty coping, and recommend sources of professional help. Funeral directors also link survivors with support groups in the community.

What is the difference between a corporate funeral home and a family owned funeral home?
Most corporate funeral homes were family owned at one point but were acquired by huge consolidators. The family that once owned it generally has no role in its operations after a certain period of time. The costs tend to rise with the needs of upper management and expectations of stockholders.
Valley Hills prides itself in being the only family owned and operated funeral home in Yakima and the Upper Valley. The Humpherys family intends to keep with tradition for generations to come.

Why have a public viewing?
Viewing is part of many cultural and ethnic traditions. Many grief specialists believe that viewing aids the grief process by helping the bereaved recognize the reality of death. Viewing is encouraged for children, as long as the process is explained and the activity voluntary.

What is the purpose of embalming?
Embalming sanitizes and preserves the body, impedes the decomposition process, and enhances the appearance of a body disfigured by traumatic death or illness.
Embalming makes it possible to lengthen the time between death and the final disposition, thus allowing family members time to arrange and participate in the type of service most comforting to them.

Does the deceased have to be embalmed, according to law?
No. Most states, however, require embalming when a reportable contagious disease caused death or when remains are to be transported from one state to another by common carrier or if final disposition is not to be made within a prescribed number of hours.

Isn't burial space becoming scarce?
While it is true some metropolitan areas have limited available cemetery space, in most areas of the country, there is enough space set aside for the next 100 years without creating new cemeteries. In addition, land available for new cemeteries is more than adequate, especially with the increase in entombment and multi-level grave burial.

Why are funerals so expensive?
A funeral home is a 24-hour, labor-intensive business, with extensive facilities (viewing rooms, chapels, limousines, funeral coaches, etc.); these expenses must be factored into the cost of a funeral.
Moreover, the cost of a funeral includes not only merchandise, like caskets, but the services of a funeral director in making arrangements; filing appropriate forms; dealing with doctors, ministers, florists, newspapers and others; and seeing to all arrangements.

What should I do if the death occurs in the middle of the night or on the weekend?
At any time during the day or night you can contact us to speak to a licensed funeral director, not a call service.

Will someone come right away?
If you request immediate assistance, yes. If the family wishes to spend a short time with the deceased to say goodbye, it's acceptable. We will come when your time is right.

If a loved one dies out of state, can the Valley Hills still help?
Yes, we can assist you with out-of-state arrangements, either to transfer the remains to another state or from another state.

So, I've decided on cremation. Can I still have a funeral or a viewing?
Yes, quite often some sort of viewing precedes the actual cremation. Your Funeral Home can assist you with the necessary information for a funeral with a cremation following or a memorial service.