C. Funeral directors should treat same-sex spouses in the same manner as they treat any other surviving spouse. If someone questions whether a surviving spouse of a heterosexual marriage was truly married to the decedent, the funeral home typically asks for a marriage certificate as proof. The same would hold true with a same-sex marriage. However, in cases where no one has questioned whether the marriage took place, you should take the same-sex surviving spouse’s word that the couple was lawfully married.