Due to social distancing because of the coronavirus pandemic, an untold number of burials across the world were held with only three participants: one member of the family, a priest, and a funeral home employee. The coronavirus has greatly changed how people mourn for the dead.
In some places, hospitals have been stacking up dead bodies of those infected and burying them quickly in the clothes in which they died.
In an obituary, Charles Recka's death was announced, and a Mass celebration of his 87 years of life will be done at a later date.
Recka's death was caused by a long term disease unrelated to the coronavirus; however, since his death happened amid the pandemic, one of his family was terrified to go to the church. They were even afraid to hug the family members that were left behind.
Dawn Bouska, Recka's daughter, is preventing her 11-year-old twin boys and 14-year-old daughter from going near their grandmother because she is afraid that they might be carriers of COVID-19, and could infect her mom. She only lets them see their grandmother through the windows when they visit her in the nursing home.
Bouska, 52, said that she could not risk losing her mom. She is sad because now is the best time for her children to comfort her mom, but it is unsafe to do so.
A retired Chicago police officer's daughter did not want to visit him for his funeral because the daughter is afraid that she might have to be quarantined when she goes back home and could not see her children for fourteen days.
Some veterans cemeteries in the US told older veterans to stay away because they have stopped holding memorial services. If families opt to hold these services, they should decide who among the relatives could attend.
Only one or two of the relatives may witness funerals in parts of Italy that have been hit the hardest by the virus. Usually, it would last up to five minutes only and would end without hugs, with all the witnesses hurrying to go back to their cars.
Some cemeteries would not even allow any graveside service at all. The owner of Chapman Funeral Home in Orange, California, Terry Harmon said that they take deceased up to their grave and bury them.
The brother of David Cerqua, Dennis, who died of cancer on March 14, would not be visited by his children and grandchildren. His family just planned to invite people from his previous jobs, honor guards from two police departments, and from the US Coast Guard Auxiliary, where he served as a flotilla commander.
Cerqua said that he knows how tough it is for them not to see how the organizations honor their father. He said that it is heartbreaking.
Other people came up with different solutions. Some arranged that mourners sign online in guest books and watch live-streamed services. Others pulled out chairs, encouraging social distancing. Mourners in San Antonio can drive by to look inside the casket and urn.
Patricia Recka, Charles Recka's wife, is disappointed with the postponing of the funeral service, but she understands. She said that their relatives will still visit and have the chance to do Facetime. She believes that "God knows what he is doing."
