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FEBRUARY 19, 2021
Honoring, remembering loved ones during COVID DAWNMARIE FEHR
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othing is immune from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, including the
COVID-19 has changed many things including how people mourn their loved ones. Oak View Memorial Park Cemetery is just one local business that has worked to accommodate pandemic guidelines while serving the community.
business of putting families’ loved ones to rest. Funeral homes and cemeteries have been faced with a lengthier paperwork process due to closed government offices and the inability to offer large gatherings to memorialize those who have passed. JoAnna Di Sibio, managing partner at Oak View Memorial Park Cemetery, said she has seen an increase in her business since the beginning of the year. “January was our busiest month for burials and for cremation in the history of Oak View Memorial Park,” Di Sibio said. “It was really busy in January and now in February . . . in November we had 11 services the whole month, now we are having seven, eight, even 10 in one week.” Di Sibio noted more people are opting for cremation these days, but could only speculate as to why, suggesting families are waiting to hold memorial services once it is safe to host large gatherings. She said her staff’s biggest
Photo courtesy of Oak View Memorial Park Cemetery
hurdles are the ever-changing guidelines from the state and their inability to show compassion to their customers. “It’s harder in the sense that because we have the masks and because we have
all the rules – which are important to follow – it makes our jobs more difficult,” Di Sibio said. “We want to be compassionate and caring with the families, and it makes it hard on us. We want to
reach out and give a hug and be there for people, but we have to have the doors locked, we have to ask questions before see Honoring page 10B