Coronavirus affecting Hawaii funerals

The coronavirus pandemic has begun affecting island funerals, including a memorial for 100-year-old Florence Puana, whose videotaped testimony in federal court last year helped convict her granddaughter and Honolulu’s former police chief for corruption.

On Tuesday, Gov. David Ige asked places of worship to suspend all services and activities. Then on Wednesday, Puana’s family announced that her memorial will be private “at the direction of the Catholic Diocese of Honolulu.”

“Although it saddens us to exclude those who befriended and loved her through the years, we feel it our duty to act in a responsible manner due to the current situation relating to the world’s coronavirus problem in order (to) protect and help keep our community safe,” the family said in a statement.

Puana died on Feb. 13 at age 100.

Officials with the diocese did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Jay Morford, president of Hawaiian Memorial Life Plan, which includes Ballard Family mortuaries across the state, said the company is following federal and local guidelines to keep gatherings to 10 or fewer people.

“This is such a moving ball right now with guidelines and suggestions versus what is happening right now because things are happening so quickly in regards to this virus,” Morford said.

Asked how many funerals are being affected, he said, “It’s too soon to know.”

“I really don’t know. That’s a difficult answer because I think every family will be affected to a degree if they’re small,” Morford said. “You know that families are really big here, so I think that it will have an impact on our local families.”

So far, Morford said families have been complying with the mortuary’s suggestion to postpone their funerals.

“We need to serve the family,” he said. “That’s what’s important for us right now. They just had a death — that’s very sensitive right now. We’re trying to balance the needs with the family with their loss. We’re making sure we’re keeping everyone safe.”