Administrative Services
Administrative procedures, municipal taxes. We can declare the death to the municipal administration on your behalf. According to your wishes, we can set the date and time for the funeral and if desired, we can contact the religious authorities.
Following the declaration of the death, we will provide you with the death certificate.
Advance funeral contract
In order to ensure that your funeral runs smoothly, there are several options open to you. We can provide you with a document indicating your last wishes, or you can draft a will at your notary’s office, or you can take out a contract with an insurance company. In all of these cases, you have the option to pay for your funeral in advance. This will ensure that you are not a burden to anyone and you can be sure that your wishes will be strictly respected when you die.
You don’t want to be a burden when the time comes for your funeral or do you simply want to be sure that your last wishes will be respected?
The Bouvy Funeral Home can offer you an insurance policy, and as such, we propose that you sign a contract that will scrupulously respect your wishes. Whatever solution you choose, the financing can be organised in the way that suits you best. A single payment, monthly instalments (for up to 15 years), index-linked or not. A no-obligation visit to our offices will give you all the information you need.
Repatriation from or to another country. Thanks to our extensive experience, we guarantee a smooth repatriation as quickly as possible. All the administrative procedures, special coffins, etc. are taken into account.
Treatments for the deceased
Funeral dress
Funeral dress is the first act of respect which your funeral director, H. Bouvy & Fils, will perform. This consists in presenting the deceased in the clothes you have chosen for him/her and ensuring that he/she looks as natural as possible, until he/she is placed in the coffin.
It must be taken into account that if the deceased was exposed to a heat source for several hours or was subjected to intense medical treatment, his/her physical appearance can change rapidly. In these cases, or in the event of a repatriation abroad, a preserving or embalming treatment can be useful, or even obligatory.
Embalming
Modern embalming no longer involves evisceration. This technique, developed in the 17th century by anatomist Frédéric Ruysch now consists in the injection of disinfectant solutions into the cardiovascular system. In order to preserve the body perfectly after death we must use this technique which we can offer you.
Placing in the coffin
This is the physical act of moving the deceased into his/her coffin and closing it. This procedure can be performed before the family, but their presence is in no way obligatory. Whether or not the family attends the placing in the coffin depends on their feelings and on the memories that they wish to keep of the loved one they have lost.
Transport
For various reasons, the deceased cannot remain in the place of death. Once the required administrative procedures have been completed, we will transport the body to our funeral parlour ‘Poussières d’Etoiles’ in Ixelles, or to any other appropriate location chosen by the family.
Organisation of the funeral
Coffins
In the purest tradition of funeral carpenters, Bouvy offers a range of contemporary or traditional coffins for burials but also a range of high-end coffins in top-quality hardwood such as oak, mahogany or burr elm, aimed more specifically at family vaults or long-term burial plots.
As cremation is an increasingly common form of funeral, a wide choice of colours and different models are also available.
From an environmental perspective, our company is second to none, in fact for several years now our catalogue has offered coffins made of roots, paperboard or multi-layer recycled fibres, waterproof layers and strengthening layers. Dextrine or cereal starch are used as glue. The finishing is made with soluble vegetable dyes.
The latest in the range is a wicker coffin. This 100% environmentally friendly and biodegradable coffin offers an unusual look in this part of the world, but it is already used frequently in African countries.
Our other coffins are also environmentally friendly as the wood is sourced from sustainably managed forests and most of the varnishes are made with aqueous solutions.
Linings
For the inner lining of the coffin, we offer a range of padding in different colours. Several designs are hand-embroidered and are of a very high quality.
For the handles, crucifix, candlesticks and other religious symbols, we can also offer a wide range from very modern to traditional, in top quality brass.
Gravestone
Although gravestones are not a legal obligation for five-year graves, many families still want to adorn the grave with a stone. This stone is often a sign of love and respect for the deceased; but sometimes it is also the memory of a colour or material which he or she particularly liked.
With this in mind, we offer several shades of granite. All our stones are top quality pieces, and our engraver can reproduce all your wishes.
Flowers
Natural flowers
We offer an additional service: according to your wishes, we can order a spray, a cushion or a wreath of flowers accompanied by a ribbon or visiting card if desired. You decide on your budget and you don’t need to worry about the delivery or any other details. You can thus be sure that the flowers which you would like to give the deceased will accompany him/her on his/her last journey.
Silk flowers
In recent years the quality of natural silk and copies of flowers have become exceptional, so we have decided to provide you with a wide range of silk flowers to choose from. These flowers offer a modern look, are available in a variety of designs suitable for all budgets. They can be viewed in our funeral parlour or in our shop. Don’t hesitate to make a no-obligation visit.
Obituary, death announcements, souvenir photos, thank you cards
We can help you to draft the various printed matter. Once we have printed them, you can pick them up from our shop. We will send the obituary to the desired newspapers for you. In order to send your death announcements, we can provide you with the required quantity of stamps on request. Succession - administrative documents at your disposal. If there is any immovable property involved, or for any additional information, we recommend that you contact your notary.
Information: http://www.notaire.be/donations-successions/les-successions
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