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Funerals Change In The Wake Of The Coronavirus

On a recent weekday, the Pensacola News Journalpublished 19 death notices. When people die, final arrangements must be made, but things are different now because of COVID-19.

“Well, right now, it’s kind of put the funeral homes in a bit of a juggling match,” said Richard Trahan, one of the owners of Trahan Family Funeral Home, which has locations in Pensacola and Milton. “We are trying to honor the loved one, while at the same time trying to keep everybody safe and protected.”

Credit Sandra Averhart / WUWF Public Media
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WUWF Public Media
Trahan Family Funeral Home in Milton.

These days, Trahan’s duties include educating families to the new Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) COVID-19 directives that limit the number of people who can attend and require social distancing. For the most part, the families they’ve served have been responsive.

“I haven’t really had any issues with families getting upset about what the CDC is requiring” Trahan said. “We are having to do some additional explaining to families, especially when it comes to national cemeteries and other cemeteries that they’re requiring less amount of people to be present if they’re allowing any type of interment at all.”

A public health advisory against public gatherings of 10 or more people has made it difficult for families to hold traditional funeral services for their loved ones, at least for the time being. For now, there’s increasing emphasis on alternatives.

“Most people are opting right now for the immediate family to come in and be able to spend some time with their loved one and doing a graveside service and doing a memorial service later, if they’re going for a burial,” said Trahan.

Credit Sandra Averhart / WUWF Public Media
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WUWF Public Media
Inside the chapel at Trahan Family Funeral Home in Milton; new CDC guidelines impact how many people can attend funeral services and how far apart they have to sit.

Some families are choosing to cremation, which allows flexibility in whether to go ahead with a private memorial service now or later, when the coronavirus crisis passes.

Additionally, Trahan Family Funeral Home has the option of technology, providing live streaming of funeral services.

“People who are in the risk area where they’re of a certain age or have underlying conditions can sit in the safety of their home and watch everything,” Trahan recommended, based on the health guidelines.

“We just tell the families it’s a private website and we reissue a new password for every single service. That’s so the families know they’re handing everything out in privacy. And, the people who can’t make it to the service, it gives them the sense that they’re still there and they’re still part of it.”

Pensacola Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home also provides live streaming, which has become a more valuable service now that many people can’t come out because of the coronavirus.

“You know, and a lot of them are in their house right now, quarantined or self-quarantining and locked down,” said David Schneidmiller, vice president of operations at PMG. “And, here, turn on the TV. Plug in your computer. You can put it on the big screen and you can watch the service for Uncle Joe.”

Like Trahan, he says many families are opting for immediate burial, with a memorial service to be held later. Others are opting for a graveside services that also have to adhere to executive orders from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis that follow CDC guidelines.

Credit Photo courtesy of Pensacola Memorial Gardens & Funeral Home
Archive photo of a burial at Pensacola Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home. Even graveside services have to adhere to CDC COVID-19 guidelines.

“A limit of 10 guests and this includes family members, but not the funeral home staff, because we can position ourselves out,” Schneidmiller explained. “We’ve had a couple of those and some people have stayed in cars outside where the tent is and they’ve had the service there. The third recommendation we’re doing is a chapel service, limit of 10 people, then the free webcasting at no charge.”

Because of the extensive media coverage, Schneidmiller acknowledges that families are aware of the new group size and social distancing rules, but he says reinforcing that has been difficult.

“You don’t want to act like you’re a bully, because they’re coming in and they’re emotional to begin with, right? Then you’re telling them they can’t have their family members there, they can stand close to each other. I saw something the other day that said, ‘I couldn’t hug my mother when my dad passed.’ You know, it’s just heart-breaking.”

Schneidmiller says it’s common practice for Pensacola Memorial Gardens and Funeral Home to follow up with families, but he believes an extra effort is needed now.

“With everything else that’s happening, it’s crucial that we stay in touch with them to ensure they’re okay. And, sometimes just a card in the mail to check on them can turn them around, you know,” said Schneidmiller, adding that it’s older people who have no family that he’s most concerned about.

With so few deaths from coronavirus to date in Northwest Florida, according to the Florida Department of Health dashboard, local funeral homes generally have not had to handle the body of someone who has died of COVID-19. However, when the time comes, CDC advises continuation of normal safety practices for embalming and cleaning.

While there’s no known risk associated with being in the same room, CDC recommends family members avoid touching the body of a loved one who may have died of coronavirus.

Sandra Averhart has been News Director at WUWF since 1996. Her first job in broadcasting was with (then) Pensacola radio station WOWW107-FM, where she worked 11 years. Sandra, who is a native of Pensacola, earned her B.S. in Communication from Florida State University.