Gunner, I was so sorry to read this thread. You have our thoughts and prayers. Glad you had family to help you. Yes, making funeral arrangements is something most of us have never done. I wish I had been with my mother when she made arrangements for my father. When she passed away suddenly, it was such a shock, and like you said, the prices, etc are staggering.
Since I can't really do anything except tell you like the others have..... let me know if I can do anything for you. There is email, regular mail, phone calls, and more. Maybe you even live close.
Makes me think of a story I heard a while back...
A mother was worried when her little girl didn't get home from school on time. When she did show up, the worried mother asked why she was late. "My friend dropped her doll and it broke apart," she said.
The mother replied, "That was nice you stayed and helped her fix it again." "Oh no Mother", the girl said, It was broken beyond repair. So I did the only thing I could do for her. I sat down and cried with her." 
And that is what we will be doing for you Ralph.
Blessings to you
Bill