A funeral service and mass is held for Misagaro Appolinaire at Our Lady of Pompei/St. Peter's on Sep. 26, 2020 in Syracuse, New York. Remember Death When loved ones die during a pandemic, families honor the lives of the departed while preserving their own. ​Death comes for us all, and funerals are for the living. COVID-19 was especially cruel for those who lost loved ones, not just from the virus but during the virus. People lost the ability to mourn the way they wanted to, and the cathartic healing through ceremony was diminished.