Funeral homes are being impacted by COVID-19

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF) – As industries across the globe have had to change the way business is conducted due to COVID-19, the funeral industry is now among them.

  At the recommendation of the state of Tennessee, funeral homes are being asked to limit services to immediate family only, which translates into less than 10 people. Services are essential to the grieving process and local funeral homes are doing what they can assist families during this time. Yet, funeral directors acknowledge this is a unique time for them as well.

“This is such uncharted territory,” said Brent McNeeley, owner of Walters Funeral Home. When a family contacts a funeral home to arrange services, they are being advised of the limit on the number of people who can attend. They are also offered the option of just graveside services. “Traditionally people have left the graveside service to the families anyway,” McNeeley said.

At Martin- Wilson Funeral Home, the family is offered the option to broadcast the services so others touched by the death can still participate. “That is at the discretion of the family,” said Jason Freeman, owner of Martin- Wilson Funeral Home.

“We are here to help the families,” said Terry Smith, owner of Cross- Smith Funeral Home.

Thanks to regular news updates and an abundance of information about COVID-19, the public is well-formed. “People are staying informed,” McNeeley said.

At this point, the recommendation for 10 or less people is just that- a recommendation.  However, as new cases of COVID-19 are diagnosed daily, both Freeman and McNeeley believe the recommendation could become a mandate. “I believe it is coming sooner than we think,” Freeman said.

In fact, according to McNeeley, the 10 person limit is already a mandate in Kentucky.

Not allowing a family to have a full service can interrupt the grieving process. Yet, the goal is to keep the family and funeral staff safe, McNeeley said. Freeman echoed that thought saying at this juncture, it is best to “stay on the safe side.”

“Families may also opt for a memorial service once social distancing has been lifted,” McNeeley said. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED- 3/23/2020- 6AM)