Yes, a decedent can be moved to a funeral home even if a family member is not in town.  Here are the criteria:

• If the patient is under any HOSPICE CARE, and if a Hospice is not at the residence at the time of death, then the first people to call is Hospice and they will come out to pronounce the death and notify the funeral home the family have chosen. The funeral home will then transport the decedent to the respective facility,
• If the patient is NOT under Hospice Care, then the authorities must be called to assure there has been no foul play or the death is not from an accident. The authorities called  are generally 911 and they notify TIPS. The authorities make contact with the medical examiner who determines if the decedent can be transported to the funeral home of the family’s choice or if they need to transport to their facility for further investigation.

In any circumstance, it would be prudent for the family to have a mortuary of their choice in advance.  They do not have to pay in advance. However, please choose one of the funeral homes on the SDMS List and provide that name to the care givers.  Our membership cards have a place to designate the funeral home you have chosen. When this is kept in the wallet, confusion can be eliminated.

NOTE:  Failure of the family providing a name of a funeral home will most likely result in the decedent being transported to a NON-SDMS funeral home resulting in additional costs anywhere from  $295 to $895 by the funeral home that made the original transfer.

You can still call SDMS and sign them up and they will be picked up by the participating mortuary of your choice when the body is ready for release.

The national cemeteries provide interment for qualified veterans at no cost. However, all veterans still need a mortuary for cremation or preparation for burial. These costs are covered by the responsible party, not the U.S government. Membership in the society will give you access to discounted prices through our participating mortuaries.

You should still become a member of the society. You’ll need to have a backup plan in the event that the body is refused by the organization. Most body and tissue organizations require an immediate phone call for body pickup. A body will not be accepted for donation if an autopsy has been performed or for various other reason. Click here to read more about body and organ donation.

Mortuary picks up the body, takes it to the mortuary, places it in an inexpensive casket, transports it to the cemetery.

Yes, you can sign up your relative as a member and receive all applicable discounts with a phone call (858-391-1267)

Total costs including the following:

1. BURIAL – Gravesite, opening and closing, vault plus installation, endowment care, processing fee.
2. MAUSOLEUM – Crypt, opening and closing, endowment care, processing fee.
3. NICHE FOR CREMAINS – Niche, opening and closing, endowment care, processing fee.

You’ll need to choose a mortuary and a cemetery. Any mortuary can deliver to any cemetery. There is no requirement to use the mortuary at the cemetery. FYI, the mortuaries located at the cemeteries in San Diego County are very expensive. You should consider using a private mortuary. The mortuary will pick up the body any place in San Diego County. They take it to the mortuary and prepare it for cremation or burial. Mortuaries have chapels and can help with services. Discuss this when you have your initial appointment.

Yes, there are additional charges if the person weighs more than 300 pounds. Please advise the mortuary because there are also special considerations for body pickup.

See our participating mortuary list. In addition to quoted prices, you’ll also pay $12.00 for the disposition permit and $21 (as of October 2022) for each death certificate. (These prices are set by the County of San Diego so are subject to change). You can order additional death certificates online from the San Diego County Recorders office. You can also make photocopies as needed. NOTE: You must be a member of the society to get the discounted rates from our participating mortuaries. Check our low cost burial and cremation plans list here.

The cost of the cemetery is usually the deciding factor. Example: You can be cremated for less than $700, but the cost of a cemetery plot can range from $6,000 to $15,000 or more with the added expense of the opening and closing and vault plus installation. The Funeral services can range from $1750 to thousands depending on your requirements. The prices change every year in January. Click here for our latest low cost burial and cremation fees through our various mortuaries.

The least expensive solution is to pay for cremation in San Diego and have the mortuary mail the cremains to the cemetery for burial, or you can transport them. If burial is required, contact your chosen local mortuary to obtain pricing for preparing the body for shipment, shipping the body, and whatever arrangements are required by the receiving mortuary. You will also need a mortuary in the town where you are shipping the body to carry out all services on that end. SDMS participating mortuaries can help you if you decide to cremate locally. However, SDMS cannot assist with the body shipment process.

Do not call the San Diego Memorial Society. Call your mortuary for body pickup. Make an appointment with the mortuary during office hours to finalize disposition. Let them know the deceased is a member of the society. Payment is required at this time. You’ll need their membership number as proof of membership to obtain the discounted price.