Rites & Rituals

NY Dispatch Day 131: Yesterday my mother and I traveled to south Jersey to attend the wake of my paternal aunt, Patricia Ireland, who passed away on Sunday. We were surprised that they were able to hold an indoor service during the pandemic, when there have been reports of multiple cases being traced back to earlier memorial services. Although the funeral home had tried to postpone the gathering, my cousin wanted to ensure that her mother’s wishes were fulfilled and pushed ahead. Everyone wore f...