Maus Funeral Home

Select a question below to reveal the answer. To move on, simply click on another question.

1) What services do you offer?: Please refer to our services page on this website.

2) May I have a service with cremation?: Yes, cremation is a form of disposition comparable to a grave burial. With cremation you may have the same type of services offered with burial. Some people prefer a direct cremation with no services while others may elect to have a traditional service with cremation to follow.

3) What can I do with my loved one’s cremated remains?: There are several choices in how to handle the final placement of cremated remains. The most common ways to handle the final placement are the following.

1)You may keep the remains yourself.

2) You may elect to scatter the remains. Please be aware of the local laws governing the scattering of cremated remains.

3) You may entomb the remains in a niche of a columbarium.

4) You may inter (bury) them in a cemetery. Some cemeteries may require an outer burial container (vault) to be used.

4) I want to pre-arrange my services but do not have enough money at this time. Do you take payments?: When an advance funeral plan is pre-funded, the funeral home is required to place those funds into an irrevocable trust. Maus Funeral Home usually does this through a policy issued by an insurance company. These insurance policies can be set up in a payment plan. The payments are made to the insurance companies directly and not to the funeral home. If you would like more information on advanced funeral planning, please refer to our page on this website or contact us directly at (765) 764-4418.

5) If I pre-arrange my service, can someone change them after my death?: Unfortunately, yes! By law in the state of Indiana, the next of kin has the “right to the body”. He or she may elect to alter or change your arrangement. The majority of the time, the family will honor your wishes for the service you have selected and make no changes. When changes are made, generally they are considered minor. The may include shortening the length of the visitation, changing or adding a clergy member or changing the place of service. This is why you may want to go over your arrangements with your family. Then they can see your intent on what type of service you desire. (By Indiana Law, the funeral home is required to guarantee your services when placed in a funeral trust. They can however offer equal or greater merchandise if the original is no longer available.)

6) My loved one just passed away. I have never had a death in the family before. What do I do now?: When a death occurs, most of the time there is someone there to pronounce the death. This person may be a doctor, nurse, paramedic, police officer or other qualified personnel. This same person is usually the one to contact the funeral home and notify them of the death. The funeral home will then coordinate with this person on when and where to make the removal of the deceased. The funeral home will then contact you either in person or by phone to set up a conference to make the funeral arrangements and answer any questions you may have. If you are unsure of anything, please feel free to contact the funeral home at any time.

7) My loved one just died and I am on vacation. How long can I wait to have the service?: Our general answer is 2-3 weeks. The length of time that we can hold the remains depends on the type of service you select. If we are authorized to embalm the remains, this will help to slow the decomposition and allow for a more natural appearance over the length of time. If embalming is not wanted, we can set up with a facility to hold the remains in refrigeration (Maus Funeral Home does not currently have our own refrigeration facility). This also helps to slow the effects of decomposition.

8) My loved one just died in another state and I want to have the service here. How do I arrange to get their remains back to you?: We consider our local service area to be most of Indiana and East-Central Illinois. If a death occurs outside of this area, please notify us and we will contact a funeral home in that area to help us organize the funeral arrangements. The funeral home that we contact will make the removal of the deceased and prepare for transportation. We may drive to pick up the individual or arrange for transportation by air cargo depending on the distance. When transportation is done by air cargo, we will then pick up the individual at the Indianapolis Airport.

9) Do I have to be embalmed?: No, no one has to be embalmed. It is your choice. It is the policy of our funeral home to embalm the deceased if a service is selected whereby the body is to be viewed in a formal setting. This can be a private visitation by the family or a visitation to the general public. Embalming helps to disinfect and to slow the process of decomposition and thereby enhance the appearance of the deceased. If the deceased will not be viewed, then no embalming is required.

10) What is a vault and why do I need one?: A vault is a general term used to describe an outside container that is used in the cemetery to protect the casketed remains. The purpose of a vault is to protect the casketed remains from dirt, debris and pressure created from the ground that surrounds the casket. It also helps to maintain the integrity of the grave space. There is no law in Indiana requiring a vault. However, cemeteries are allowed to set standards and guidelines and most require a vault in order to be buried in their cemetery.

11) I am a pall bearer. What do I do?: Pall bearers assist our funeral home by helping to carry flowers after the funeral, loading the deceased into the funeral coach and transporting the deceased from the funeral coach to the grave space at the cemetery. When a church service is requested, pall bearers may also be asked to aide in the entry and placement of the deceased at the church. Generally there are six pall bearers at a service but there can be more or less depending on the individual and the request of the family. The family usually selects who they would like to be pall bearers. They can be family or friends, male or female. Honorary pall bearers are sometimes requested. They are generally people that cannot attend the service or are physically unable to carry the deceased. Do not hesitate to ask questions on what is requested of you if you are a pall bearer.

12) How do I buy a grave space?: The purchase of a grave space is handled by a representative of the cemetery (referred to as a sexton). Spaces can generally be purchased individually or in a lot. The number of spaces in a lot varies with each individual cemetery. Price also varies with each cemetery. If you are looking to purchase a grave space(s) for future use, payment is made directly to the cemetery. If you are purchasing a grave space at the time of need, the cost is added to the funeral bill. You then pay the funeral home and the funeral home pays the cemetery.

13) Can I sell a grave space that I have already purchased?: You usually are allowed to transfer purchased grave spaces to other individuals. However, there are some cemeteries that do not allow this. You need to check with your individual cemetery to find out their rules and regulations. Also, very few cemeteries will buy spaces back from you themselves. If they do, often times it is for the original price or less.

14) I am a Veteran. What services do I get at my funeral?: Veterans benefits vary upon the time and type of service you served our country. Generally, all Veterans are provided with a flag, a headstone and military graveside rites. The funeral home will organize these provisions for the family. Graveside rites are generally handled by our local V.F.W. and American Legion Posts. Please check with your local Veterans Administration if you have questions on other benefits.

15) What about the Social Security Administration (SSA)?: Social Security currently pays a lump sum death benefit to a surviving spouse or dependent children in the amount of $ 255.00. The funeral home does notify the SSA of the death. Individuals may need to make appointments with the SSA if they are requesting further benefits.

16) Do you handle pet services?: Yes. We began handling pet loss and remembrance in 2007. Our services include the removal of your deceased pet, cremation, and returning the cremated remains in a selected urn.

If you have further questions, please contact us by email or by calling (765) 764-4418 or (765) 798-5555.


	Select a question below to reveal the answer. To move on, simply click on another question. 1) What services do you offer? Please refer to our services page on this website. 2) May I have a service with cremation? Yes, cremation is a form of disposition comparable to a grave burial. With cremation you may have the same type of services offered with burial. Some people prefer a direct cremation with no services while others may elect to have a traditional service with cremation to follow. 3) What can I do with my loved one’s cremated remains? There are several choices in how to handle the final placement of cremated remains. The most common ways to handle the final placement are the following. 1)You may keep the remains yourself. 2) You may elect to scatter the remains. Please be aware of the local laws governing the scattering of cremated remains. 3) You may entomb the remains in a niche of a columbarium. 4) You may inter (bury) them in a cemetery. Some cemeteries may require an outer burial container (vault) to be used. 4) I want to pre-arrange my services but do not have enough money at this time. Do you take payments? When an advance funeral plan is pre-funded, the funeral home is required to place those funds into an irrevocable trust. Maus Funeral Home usually does this through a policy issued by an insurance company. These insurance policies can be set up in a payment plan. The payments are made to the insurance companies directly and not to the funeral home. If you would like more information on advanced funeral planning, please refer to our page on this website or contact us directly at (765) 764-4418. 5) If I pre-arrange my service, can someone change them after my death? Unfortunately, yes! By law in the state of Indiana, the next of kin has the “right to the body”. He or she may elect to alter or change your arrangement. The majority of the time, the family will honor your wishes for the service you have selected and make no changes. When changes are made, generally they are considered minor. The may include shortening the length of the visitation, changing or adding a clergy member or changing the place of service. This is why you may want to go over your arrangements with your family. Then they can see your intent on what type of service you desire. (By Indiana Law, the funeral home is required to guarantee your services when placed in a funeral trust. They can however offer equal or greater merchandise if the original is no longer available.) 6) My loved one just passed away. I have never had a death in the family before. What do I do now? When a death occurs, most of the time there is someone there to pronounce the death. This person may be a doctor, nurse, paramedic, police officer or other qualified personnel. This same person is usually the one to contact the funeral home and notify them of the death. The funeral home will then coordinate with this person on when and where to make the removal of the deceased. The funeral home will then contact you either in person or by phone to set up a conference to make the funeral arrangements and answer any questions you may have. If you are unsure of anything, please feel free to contact the funeral home at any time. 7) My loved one just died and I am on vacation. How long can I wait to have the service? Our general answer is 2-3 weeks. The length of time that we can hold the remains depends on the type of service you select. If we are authorized to embalm the remains, this will help to slow the decomposition and allow for a more natural appearance over the length of time. If embalming is not wanted, we can set up with a facility to hold the remains in refrigeration (Maus Funeral Home does not currently have our own refrigeration facility). This also helps to slow the effects of decomposition. 8) My loved one just died in another state and I want to have the service here. How do I arrange to get their remains back to you? We consider our local service area to be most of Indiana and East-Central Illinois. If a death occurs outside of this area, please notify us and we will contact a funeral home in that area to help us organize the funeral arrangements. The funeral home that we contact will make the removal of the deceased and prepare for transportation. We may drive to pick up the individual or arrange for transportation by air cargo depending on the distance. When transportation is done by air cargo, we will then pick up the individual at the Indianapolis Airport. 9) Do I have to be embalmed? No, no one has to be embalmed. It is your choice. It is the policy of our funeral home to embalm the deceased if a service is selected whereby the body is to be viewed in a formal setting. This can be a private visitation by the family or a visitation to the general public. Embalming helps to disinfect and to slow the process of decomposition and thereby enhance the appearance of the deceased. If the deceased will not be viewed, then no embalming is required. 10) What is a vault and why do I need one? A vault is a general term used to describe an outside container that is used in the cemetery to protect the casketed remains. The purpose of a vault is to protect the casketed remains from dirt, debris and pressure created from the ground that surrounds the casket. It also helps to maintain the integrity of the grave space. There is no law in Indiana requiring a vault. However, cemeteries are allowed to set standards and guidelines and most require a vault in order to be buried in their cemetery. 11) I am a pall bearer. What do I do? Pall bearers assist our funeral home by helping to carry flowers after the funeral, loading the deceased into the funeral coach and transporting the deceased from the funeral coach to the grave space at the cemetery. When a church service is requested, pall bearers may also be asked to aide in the entry and placement of the deceased at the church. Generally there are six pall bearers at a service but there can be more or less depending on the individual and the request of the family. The family usually selects who they would like to be pall bearers. They can be family or friends, male or female. Honorary pall bearers are sometimes requested. They are generally people that cannot attend the service or are physically unable to carry the deceased. Do not hesitate to ask questions on what is requested of you if you are a pall bearer. 12) How do I buy a grave space? The purchase of a grave space is handled by a representative of the cemetery (referred to as a sexton). Spaces can generally be purchased individually or in a lot. The number of spaces in a lot varies with each individual cemetery. Price also varies with each cemetery. If you are looking to purchase a grave space(s) for future use, payment is made directly to the cemetery. If you are purchasing a grave space at the time of need, the cost is added to the funeral bill. You then pay the funeral home and the funeral home pays the cemetery. 13) Can I sell a grave space that I have already purchased? You usually are allowed to transfer purchased grave spaces to other individuals. However, there are some cemeteries that do not allow this. You need to check with your individual cemetery to find out their rules and regulations. Also, very few cemeteries will buy spaces back from you themselves. If they do, often times it is for the original price or less. 14) I am a Veteran. What services do I get at my funeral? Veterans benefits vary upon the time and type of service you served our country. Generally, all Veterans are provided with a flag, a headstone and military graveside rites. The funeral home will organize these provisions for the family. Graveside rites are generally handled by our local V.F.W. and American Legion Posts. Please check with your local Veterans Administration if you have questions on other benefits. 15) What about the Social Security Administration (SSA)? Social Security currently pays a lump sum death benefit to a surviving spouse or dependent children in the amount of $ 255.00. The funeral home does notify the SSA of the death. Individuals may need to make appointments with the SSA if they are requesting further benefits. 16) Do you handle pet services? Yes. We began handling pet loss and remembrance in 2007. Our services include the removal of your deceased pet, cremation, and returning the cremated remains in a selected urn. If you have further questions, please contact us by email or by calling (765) 764-4418 or (765) 798-5555.