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Funeral services is a subject many prefer not to face because it’s painful, but I’m sure you’ll agree it
really is a good idea to face it. Like it or not, our life time on this planet is limited. Nobody gets to live forever.
Sometime or another, and often at an unexpected if not inconvenient time and place, we expire. What do those left behind do?
Follow the wishes of the deceased? What if there are no instructions? Remembering the Schiavo case, things work better when
detailed instructions are left so those we leave behind will know exactly what to do. This avoids painful family arguments.
For my personal information as well as to gather information for the Gringo community here I visited Servicios Funerarios San Ramon, a Funeral Parlor located at Calle Mexicali #290, just East of Benito Juarez Boulevard, one block south of Ortega’s Restaurant, a very prominent road mark. The receptionist, Norma Salaxar, was very gracious. She spoke English well enough to give me a brief overview of the facilities and the services offered. She then arranged an interview for me with Sr. Eduardo Santana, one of the owners who is also the Coroner of Rosarito (and that is helpful), from whom I gleaned the following: Servicios Funerarios San Ramon, a 100% Rosarito Company, was started by Eduardo’s grandfather twenty-five years ago in Tijuana. The company has remained family owned and operated for three generations and has expanded to four parlors - Besides Tijuana and Rosarito Beach they operate a parlor in Tecate and San Quinton. They provide services from Tecate to Punta Colonet, which is a little south of Ensenada. Servicios Funerarios San Ramon has a family help program – a helping hand available at the moment of need. They provide coffins, body preparations, cremation (the cost of simple cremation is about 10,000 pesos), urns, transit to urban areas, wakes, guest book for signatures, management transactions, and very much appreciated personal attention. Sr. Santana said that the first thing to do in case of a natural death at home is to call the family doctor (he must sign a death certificate) or, if no family doctor, call the police at 066 (please make a note of the number). He advised that if there is no family doctor and the police are called, there will be much red tape, so it is extremely advisable to have a family doctor to greatly reduce red tape. And not just any doctor. A family doctor, because a family doctor knows the medical history of the deceased. To avoid as much red tape as possible, have the following documents (or copies ) available, as applicable: marriage license, passport, driver's license, and a birth certificate which is not crucial but helpful. At the funeral parlor, there are many papers to fill out with the above documents so the death certificate can be prepared. It is strongly suggested to keep copies of these documents in Mexico if you live elsewhere. Once the death certificate is signed by the family doctor, or the police have been called, then call the funeral parlor for transfer of the deceased to the morturary. The number for the mortuary is 661-613-0541 and is available 24/7. Copies of the death certificate are $35 each and three copies is recommended. In case of accidental death at home call the police who will make an investigation and order paramedics to take the body while they complete the investigation Servicios Funerarios San Ramon can arrange for a coffin to be transported to any area outside of Rosarito including anywhere in the USA. It’s important to note that ashes cannot be transported without the consent of a relative. Therefore, it is suggested that should a relative visit you while you’re still above ground, they can go to the funeral parlor and sign a request to be put on file there for the future. Otherwise, after a person passes on, it may take a few days for a relative to get here to give the required consent. Servicos Funerarios San Ramon offers an easy-pay plan for ages 16 through 60. For those older than 60 you can arrange to make payments up front. When a person passes on any unpaid balance will become due. For more information feel free to call Sr. Eduardo Santana at 661-613-0541. Peter Fowler is a volunteer for FRAO and a staff writer for the Baja Times. His stories are archived at www.FRNN-Baja.com. He can be reached at peterfowler_mx@yahoo.com. |