Remb’s Funeral Home Brings Comfort Amid COVID-19
As COVID-19 continues to create challenges for businesses throughout the nation and state, one local funeral home is doing what it can to help people who lose a loved one during the pandemic.
“The biggest impact COVID-19 has had on our business so far is the limit of 10 or fewer people for gatherings,” said Tami Jackan, owner. “One of the most important aspects of a funeral is the comfort and support a family receives from relatives, friends and colleagues. This limit makes it nearly impossible to have a proper funeral.”
She added that right now, families are basically limited to a private funeral with an online livestream option, a small graveside service at the cemetery, or postponing the funeral until the restrictions are lifted.
“We have had to postpone a few funerals so far and are expecting more will continue to get delayed,” she said, adding that postponing funerals is not that uncommon. “We delay services quite often due to family members traveling or vacationing at the time when a loved one passes away.”
Jackan is also thankful that the death toll from the virus itself remains low locally so far, but is also prepared if events take a turn for the worse.
“We haven’t seen an effect from the virus itself yet, but I’m sure we will at some point,” said Jackan. “We’ve been monitoring funeral homes around the world and some areas are being completely overwhelmed. We are lucky to have four very capable and hard working licensed funeral directors on staff who are hoping for the best but preparing for the worst.”
When it comes to comforting the grieving, Remb’s continues to use various tools to help.
“Right now the most important tool has been our personal interactions with families when we meet with them and our communication over the phone or by email,” said Jackan. “We truly care about every family that we serve and try our best to comfort and reassure them during this difficult time.”
Jackan strongly encourages everyone to reach out to families who have lost a loved one during this time with a text, phone call, FaceTime video, or online condolence.
“This pandemic is like nothing we’ve ever seen before, so we are adjusting and learning as we go. The communities we serve are strong and grounded in faith,” she said. “We really want to help out the community as much as they can, not only through grief but also because we are part of the community.”
Author: Breanna Butler
Breanna Butler is an award-winning multimedia producer born and raised in Central Wisconsin. She enjoys exploring and writing about the community. She lives in Marshfield with her husband and furry family.
