As of March 21, 2020, the New State Governor’s office has told the New York State Funeral Directors Association that the immediate family may gather at the funeral home in order to have a viewing and/or a funeral/memorial service for a family member.   In order to maintain social distancing, we must limit the number of individuals attending to less than ten.  Each individual must wear a face covering, and must adhere to the rules under the Executive Order of the Governor of the State of New York.  In addition, the immediate family can meet at the cemetery for a graveside service and interment of a family member. At this time, storage of a casket is allowed if the family wishes to delay an interment. This may change if storage facilities at the cemeteries run out of space.  Some reopening of businesses in the state began on May 15, 2020, but despite the partial lifting of restrictions in New York State, funeral homes are still subject to social distancing directives, including the prohibition on in-person gatherings. We do not expect those social distancing directives to be relaxed until a later phase of reopening. 

At Bednarsky Funeral Home, Inc., we strive to fulfill the funeral needs of every person that we work with. We are prepared to use technology to livestream these private gatherings at the funeral home via Facebook Live or other platforms so that those outside of the immediate family may participate as well.   

Families may also choose to bury or cremate immediately following the death, and plan to schedule a memorial once the pandemic subsides. 

Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns.