Rebekah Chapman

Caring.com Expert

About

Rebekah Peoples Chapman, CFSP, CPC, is a licensed funeral director and embalmer at a funeral home in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. She has extensive experience in all phases of funeral service, including funeral arrangements, embalming, burial, and cremation.

Chapman is passionate about serving others and believes that giving clients honest, accurate information empowers them to create tributes and services that are meaningful and appropriate.

A graduate of Simmons Institute of Mortuary Science in Syracuse, New York, Chapman has worked at some of the best-known service-oriented funeral homes in the country. She has earned the Certified Funeral Service Practitioner and Certified Preplanning Consultant designations. She has also published articles in Southern Funeral Director, The Director, and Hospice Newsletter, and she delivers presentations for national and regional associations of funeral directors.

Chapman's tips about planning funerals and anything funeral-related can be found at www.funeral411.com. She also serves as a consultant, offering timely information one-on-one to those who need personal assistance.

Links

Recently Published on Caring.com

  1. Wednesday May 23, 2012

    1. Does a body need to be in a vault if not embalmed?

      Answer - In almost every state, it is not a law that a casket has to be placed in a burial container; it is the cemetery that makes that requirement or does not. Call the cemetery where she will buried and ask if they require a burial vault.

  2. Wednesday May 16, 2012

    1. Am I legally obligated to pay for a funeral my sibling planned but can't pay for?

      Answer - It's a little unclear from your question whether the services have already taken place. The person who signed the billing statement is responsible for its payment. The funeral home is required by law to fill out an itemization of the merchandise and services that are chosen and their prices...

  3. Monday May 14, 2012

    1. Can my cremated ashes be buried on my own private property in PA.?

      Answer - This is a good question - lots of people wonder about this. When issues come up about a body that's been cremated, it's much different than one that hasn't.

  4. Tuesday May 01, 2012

    1. What is the cost of transporting a body from Clarksville, IN to Schererville, IN?

      Answer - Funeral homes almost always have a charge for the hearse or other vehicle to take the body to its "place of rest." There is no additional charge if the destination is within 25 miles; mileage beyond that is charged by the mile in one direction. This amount varies in different areas of the country...

  5. Wednesday April 18, 2012

    1. We used Mom's credit card for funeral and we can't pay the difference, what should we do?

      Answer - To be sure I understand the situation, you're stating that you made arrangements at the funeral home for future services for your mother who is still living. The charges came to $5800 and there is $3000 in life insurance with no other assets to cover the remaining $2800.

  6. Tuesday April 17, 2012

    1. Do I have legal rights to my partners ashes?

      Answer - Legal rights to ashes can be a difficult situation. Unless the deceased put something in writing, such as in a will or in preplanned arrangements with the funeral home, stating who he wanted to have possession of his ashes, they are frequently given to the one who paid the funeral/cremation expenses unless that person is not the next-of-kin...

    2. My son died last December. His girlfriend won't give us the ashes, what can I do?

      Answer - This is a tough situation. Regardless of how she got possession of his ashes, the unfortunate thing is that once someone has possession of something, it's hard to get them to relinquish it.

  7. Sunday April 15, 2012

    1. Can a funeral home check if life insurance policy was paid out without my consent?

      Answer - It's understandable to be concerned about your privacy rights when a funeral home checks without your consent to see if a policy was paid out.

  8. Friday April 13, 2012

    1. How can I help my mother cope with the death of my father?

      Answer - Your mother is blessed to have a daughter who is concerned about her. Since I am not a counselor, I can only give you a funeral director's perspective. Many funeral homes have lists or at least know of resources in the community to help those who are grieving. Call and ask what they can suggest...

    2. I need assistance in cremation costs for my brother.

      Answer - Please accept my condolences for your loss. Brothers can be pretty special.

  9. Wednesday February 22, 2012

    1. Who has the legal rights to cremated remains in Arizona?

      Answer - This is a difficult situation. As his children, it's understandable that you would want your father's cremated body near you.

  10. Tuesday December 13, 2011

    1. my marrried brother is dying should I be included in the receiving line at the wake?

      Answer - Wondering about funeral etiquette and who should be in the receiving line at the wake is something many people question.

  11. Saturday August 20, 2011

    1. Is it ok to send out an announcement of a death, and invitation to a Celebration of Life sercive by email?

      Answer - This is a good question. It means that although there are time constraints, you still want people to be aware of this important information. There may be those who think this is not the best way, but I think it's okay. Sometimes the timing of services requires that large numbers of people be notified...

  12. Friday July 29, 2011

    1. Should I go to my father's funeral if we didn't have a great relationship?

      Answer - This is not an easy situation. Please accept my condolences. There is quite a history with your father. Hopefully another Caring.com expert such as a grief counselor or other mental health expert will respond to your concerns and also a legal expert who can address your court concerns.

  13. Monday July 25, 2011

    1. How Much Does Cremation Cost?

      Answer - Ronjay, Yes, any firm that offers cremation services will allow you to set up a payment program. If you want to use the services of one that for some reason does not, you can go to almost any bank and set up a "funeral account" for funds that will only be used for your final expenses...

  14. Monday June 20, 2011

    1. What to Wear to a Memorial Service?

      Answer - I've seen people be self-conscious about just coming from work and not wanting to stop by the funeral home in work clothes. Go anyhow! People will appreciate more that you cared enough to come than about what you're wearing.

  15. Wednesday June 08, 2011

    1. How do I write a short, heartfelt speech to honor my father at his memorial service?

      Answer - What a nice way for you to word your question! A heartfelt speech is always the best, and when you speak from your heart, what you say is felt by the listeners.

  16. Saturday June 04, 2011

    1. Is there funeral expense assistance available to a veteran's widow?

      Answer - This is a good question. Many times a spouse of a veteran is eligible for certain benefits during her life. Usually these are in the form of financial assistance with assisted living or nursing home costs.

  17. Friday June 03, 2011

    1. What are good funeral homes when it come to costs?

      Answer - These are good questions that many people ask at some time. Any place that sells caskets has varied prices, whether it’s a funeral home, a wholesale company, an internet company, or a retail store. The least expensive caskets are usually a 20-gauge steel casket without a gasket to help seal it, a wowooden...

  18. Saturday January 22, 2011

    1. How Do I Set a Limit for the Cost of my Cremation in Honolulu, Hi?

      Answer - Most of us think about what we want when we die. Few of us, however, actually do something with those thoughts. Good for you for taking that extra step! In doing a little research about prices in your state for cremation services, it looks like it can easily fit into the amount you’re thinking aboutut...

  19. Friday January 14, 2011

    1. Why do I have to transfer my POA for my mother to be buried?

      Answer - Please accept my condolences to you in the loss of your mother. As far as I know, medical POA and funeral arrangements are not codependent. It should not be a requirement that because you are the medical POA, you are responsible solely for the funeral arrangements. Your sister should be able to make the arrangements...

  20. Thursday January 06, 2011

    1. How do we arrange to move a body from Puerto Rico to New York for burials?

      Answer - Surprisingly, this is easier than you probably think. Call the funeral home in New York that you want to handle the services there and they will take care of all the arrangements.

  21. Sunday December 12, 2010

    1. Shouldn't I have been included in the obituary of my ex-husband?

      Answer - Please accept my condolences. Just because your relationship was as an ex-spouse, it doesn't change that you grieve and feel a sense of loss. That is probably exactly why you feel left out to have not been mentioned in the obituary.

  22. Saturday October 16, 2010

    1. How do I find out who maintains a cemetery?

      Answer - The easiest way to find the caretakers of a cemetery is to call your local funeral homes. They usually have contact information for any cemetery in your area. If they can't help you, please feel free to email me on this site.

  23. Monday October 11, 2010

    1. Can you bury a casket in the ground in the state of Florida?

      Answer - That's an interesting question but I'm not sure exactly what you're asking.