Family-owned, licensed, and available any hour, day or night. Real people answering the phone. Serving Lake Forest with local response times and direct coordination with area hospitals.
Lake Forest is a mid-sized master-planned city in south-central Orange County, bordered by Irvine, Mission Viejo, and the Cleveland National Forest foothills. The city grew out of planned communities built around two artificial lakes — Lake Forest and Serrano Creek — and continues to expand with newer developments like Baker Ranch and Foothill Ranch. Lake Forest is predominantly residential; most of our Lake Forest responses are residence calls across the planned-community neighborhoods or transfers from Saddleback Memorial Hospital.
Lake Forest has a diverse population with substantial Asian (particularly Chinese and Korean), Latino, and white communities. Spanish-speaking counselors are available in-house. Response from Lake Forest is about 40 minutes from our office via the 5 and 405.
Our team coordinates directly with the hospitals and medical centers serving Lake Forest. Established relationships with case management, social work, and decedent affairs teams mean faster release when the time comes.
24451 Health Center Drive, Laguna Hills
West in Laguna Hills — the primary full-service hospital for Lake Forest residents. Full emergency and surgical services with cardiac and stroke center designations.
27700 Medical Center Road, Mission Viejo
South in Mission Viejo — a Level II trauma center with full specialty services. Many Lake Forest residents transfer here for higher-acuity care.
6640 Alton Parkway, Irvine
West in Irvine — serves Lake Forest Kaiser members. Full acute care services.
We regularly work with care facilities, skilled nursing homes, and assisted living communities across Lake Forest. When a passing occurs, we coordinate directly with facility staff to expedite the process for your family.
The process depends on where the passing takes place. Here's what to do in each situation.
The hospital's care team will pronounce death and notify their decedent affairs team. From there, you'll need to designate a cremation provider — that's when you call us.
When death occurs at home and hospice is not involved, an authorized responder needs to pronounce death before we can bring your loved one into care. This is required by California law and is not something a funeral home or cremation provider can bypass.
For a full guide, see our article: What to Do When Someone Dies at Home (Without Hospice).
When hospice is involved, the process is significantly simpler:
Some deaths — particularly sudden or unexplained ones — are reviewed by the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner at 1071 W Santa Ana Blvd. in Santa Ana. This doesn't mean anything is wrong; it's simply required in certain circumstances.
Our service area covers all of Lake Forest. If you're calling from any of the neighborhoods below — or anywhere else in Lake Forest — we come to you.
Working here regularly means we know the neighborhoods, the hospitals, the cemeteries, and how OC logistics intersect with Lake Forest specifically. Here's what tends to come up on Lake Forest calls.
Lake Forest covers about 17 square miles with foothill areas. From the 5 we're on scene in the central flats within 2 hours typical. Foothill Ranch and Portola Hills can run 2.5 hours. Saddleback Memorial releases typically clear within 60-90 minutes.
Saddleback Memorial dominates Lake Forest emergency transports. Mission Hospital Mission Viejo handles higher-acuity cases. Kaiser members route to Kaiser Irvine. For specialty care, patients may transfer to UCI Medical Center or Hoag Newport Beach.
El Toro Memorial Park is in Lake Forest itself — a longstanding community cemetery with extensive cremation gardens and columbaria. Very common choice for Lake Forest families. Ascension Cemetery in Lake Forest is the primary Catholic option. Pacific View Memorial Park in Corona del Mar offers oceanfront options.
Lake Forest routes to the Orange County Sheriff-Coroner at 1071 W Santa Ana Blvd., Santa Ana — about 25 minutes via the 405. OC Sheriff's Department handles initial unattended-death pronouncements for Lake Forest through their contract with the city.
Real people answering the phone, day or night. We serve all of Lake Forest with the same care, the same price, and the same guarantees.