Libby Siebold, the president, owner, and funeral director at Sobering Funeral Chapel in Beausejour. (Supplied)
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As tight restrictions continue for funerals, funeral homes in Manitoba are finding ways to adapt to help mourners come and grieve together while still remaining apart. For a lot of families, it s been absolutely devastating to not be able to gather and grieve, mourn together, Libby Siebold, president of Sobering Funeral chapel in Beausejour, Man., says. People gather when there s a death. Usually, there s a running together as a family to encircle and comfort each other and we can t, so we ve had to adapt, she says.
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The COVID-19 pandemic and current health orders are leaving an often-ignored industry to grieve: the funeral industry.
Manitoba Funeral Service Association s President Kevin Sweryd says while funeral homes are doing their best to follow the health orders, it is difficult to help a family celebrate a lost family member when they are not all about to be in the same room. Families are heartbroken. I personally had the eleventh granddaughter call me one day saying is it really true I can t come to my grandma s funeral? Sweryd says.
Sweryd is the President and Funeral Director of Bardal Funeral Home. (Kevin Sweryd/Facebook)