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USNA '70 Decedent Affairs Coordinator Policy

Article 1 Assignment and Duties of Decedent Affairs Coordinator (DAC):

A Class Decedent Affairs Coordinator (DAC) is assigned by the Class President following approval by the Class Officers. The DAC is responsible to the Class President for coordinating all aspects of Decedent Affairs. This includes:

• 1.1  Decedent Records: Maintaining records of deceased classmates, their widows, or next-of-kin as applicable.


• 1.2  USNAAA Point of Contact: Serving as the primary point of contact for the Class with USNA Alumni Association Memorial Affairs, in coordination with the Class Corresponding Secretary, who is the primary "Shipmate" point of contact with USNAAA for all matters outside of Memorial Affairs.


• 1.3  Bylaws Compliance: Ensuring that all provisions in the Class of 1970 Bylaws are complied with regarding deceased Members of the Class, including (1) entries on the Class website “In Memoriam” page with a link to an obituary, if available, (2) ensuring this webpage is up to date, (3) coordinating implementation of the Class Widow Policy, (4) ensuring flowers (or a charitable donation in lieu of flowers) are provided as appropriate upon death of a classmate.


• Note: The Class Bylaws define a “Member of the Class of 1970” as “Any person who was sworn in as a Midshipman on June 29, 1966 as a Member of the Brigade of Midshipmen, Class of 1970.” This means these decedent responsibilities extend to non-graduates. "Members of the Class of 1970” also include “turn-backs” from the Class of 1969.


• 1.4  Data Collection: Coordinating the collection of data and timely dissemination of reports to the Class regarding the death of a classmate. This includes prompt communication with USNAAA Memorial Affairs, classmates, the cognizant Company Representative, decedent relatives including the widow and/or next of kin, as necessary depending on who initially reports the death of a Class Member.


• Note: The USNAAA maintains an obituary clipping service and e-mails the obituary to the Class President and the DAC. This information source is often the first alert of a classmate death. Irrespective of the initial source, prompt collection and dissemination of information about a classmate death is key since our primary objective is to enable classmates, company-mates, and local classmates to attend the services as feasible. Often funeral events occur within a week of death. Even if information regarding the death of a classmate does not arrive in time to permit classmate attendance at services, this information enables classmates to send condolences to the family.


• 1.5  Widow/Next of Kin Assistance: Interfacing with the decedent’s widow/next of kin regarding any direct assistance required (in close coordination with the cognizant Company Rep).


• 1.6  Obituary: Coordinating the preparation of an obituary (with photograph, as available) and ensuring timely submission to the Obituary Editor of "Shipmate". The sources of inputs could be the widow, classmate or other relative. Ultimately, the family must approve the submission.


• 1.7  Other Duties: Coordinating any other decedent affairs as requested by the Class President. For example, the Class is establishing a process for incorporating information about the death of Class Member spouses on the Class website. Specific Class requirements related to decedent affairs typically arise during preparations for five-year reunions.


• 1.8  '70 Funeral Attendance: The DAC shall work with the Class President and Company Reps to help identify members of the Class of 1970 who could potentially attend the funeral service per paragraph 1.4 above. This would be those classmates who live near the deceased classmate and members of the deceased’s company.

Article 2 Guidelines for Sequential Actions by Decedent Affairs Coordinator:

The “mechanics” of information collection and dissemination about the death of a classmate are important to discuss and specify in detail, to ensure accuracy, completeness, and timeliness. Each situation will be different, but to the degree practical, the following guidelines should be followed:

• 2.1  Data Collection: The DAC promptly collects information about the death. Every effort is made to collect the following data as soon as possible after initial notification of a death, for inclusion in a broadcast announcement to the Class:


1. Name and company number
2. Location and cause of death
3. Time, date, and location of memorial service and/or internment/inurnment
4. Name of widow, children and next of kin, as applicable
5. Postal address of widow/next of kin. Email address of the widow/next of kin is not included unless approved by the widow/next of kin
6. Photo of the classmate (either a picture provided with the Obituary or the photo from the Lucky Bag, if a graduate)


• 2.2  Data Sources: The information above is collected by the DAC as soon as the death is announced, from the obituary, from a classmate who emails or calls about the death, or from the widow or next of kin who is contacted directly. It is worth waiting a day or two before a broadcast message is sent to the Class, to determine the particulars of funeral arrangements.


• 2.3  Data Distribution: The DAC provides this information to the Class Officers for class-wide dissemination by the Class President. The format of the communication sent to the class may be (1) a stand-alone email with the obituary attached, (2) inclusion of the information along with a link to the obituary on the Class Website as part of a periodic class-wide “Status Update,” or (3) an organized summary of the relevant information collected per paragraph 2.1) above, if an obituary has not yet been prepared. When the obituary becomes available, the Class Web curator links it to the “In Memoriam” page on the Class website, per the Class Bylaws.


• 2.4  USNAAA Memorial Affairs: If the initial notification of the death did not come from USNAAA, then the DAC contacts USNAAA Memorial Affairs to provide all available information.


• 2.5  Class Flowers: If funeral services are still pending, a decision is made as to which service (Memorial or interment/inurnment) to send Class flowers. The DAC is responsible for initiating the flower purchase and will submit the invoice to the Class Treasurer for reimbursement from the Class Checking Account as authorized. If a donation is requested in lieu of flowers, the DAC is responsible for ensuring a donation is made via credit card, personal check (reimbursed by the Class) or check from the Class Checking Account. In any case, the cost of flowers or the cost of a donation is not to exceed $150.


• 2.5(a)  Class Flowers for Qualified Widows: The class officers have extended this policy to include provision of class flowers (or a charitable donation in lieu of flowers if specified in the obituary) to the passing of a spouse of a classmate. This policy applies only to spouses of Class of 1970 graduates, and only when the spouse and the graduate were married at the time of her death. If the graduate predeceases his spouse, then the provision of flowers extends to the spouse when she passes. The effect of this provision is to extend this policy to all Qualified Widows as defined in Addendum 1 of the Class Bylaws, when she passes away. The DAC is responsible for managing this flower or charitable donation process within the same limits and using the same instructions as specified in paragraph 2.5 above.


• 2.6  Widow/Next of Kin Contact: The widow/next of kin is contacted by phone or email, if contact was not made earlier. Condolences are offered, and assistance is offered in relation to the services or any other personal needs/requests. The DAC typically makes this contact, in coordination with the cognizant Company Representative, or by the Company Rep himself. Also, at this time or in a follow-up conversation, assistance is offered in preparing an obituary for "Last Call" in "Shipmate". The Class of 1970’s 40th Reunion Lucky Bag can be researched at this point to assist the widow/next of kin in recalling details of the military career of the deceased.


• 2.7  Contact Information: The DAC shall endeavor to obtain the widow’s/next of kin's complete contact information to include phone numbers, email address (and/or the email address of one or more of the children or next of kin), and mailing address, for follow-up purposes.


• 2.8  "Shipmate" Obituary: The DAC and cognizant Company Rep may work with the widow/next of kin, with help from USNAAA Memorial Affairs to submit a family-approved obituary to "Shipmate". The DAC confirms for "Shipmate" the widow's/next of kin's approval of the obituary and the widow's/next of kin's permission to use the Lucky Bag photo or one of their choosing.

This Policy was approved by Vote of the Class Officers on 26 June, 2024.

 

Edmund E. Moore
President, USNA '70       

Updated: June 26, 2024
Curator: Ed Moore