In light of ever-changing guidelines from local and federal governments, Seattle-area funeral providers, sometimes dubbed "last responders," have faced hurdles that have led both funeral homes and loved ones to limit memorial services or wait long stretches before respects could be paid.

As a result, funeral professionals have had to drastically adjust how they help families close some of the final chapters of loved ones' lives over the course of the pandemic.

"It [was] challenging, because the parameters around how we could gather or who could gather continued to change," Vince Larkin, the general manager and funeral director at Dignity Memorial's Acacia Memorial Park location, told the SGN. "These are all directions from the governor, and also guidance from the CDC, so: 25% of your capacity, [making] sure people social distance, [wearing] masks, all those all those sorts of things.

"It just became really challenging, and so many folks opted not to gather." Instead, it's become not uncommon for families to opt to hold memorial services on the anniversary of the deceased's passing, Larkin said. "This past week we had a family, on the anniversary of their loved one's death, gather to have their services."

The toll of having to wait so long to put someone to rest is not lost on Larkin, who lost his father to COVID-19 in November. Like so many others, his family wants to hold a memorial service on the anniversary of his father's death, when more can gather in person and potentially forgo wearing masks.

"On a personal level, not having that closure continues to sort of eat at me," Larkin said. "Not having those kinds of rituals, of going to the cemetery, of gathering, continues to have an impact on me. I know it's having impacts on others."

The surge in deaths over the last year and the uncertainty over how to maintain safety from the virus is reminiscent of the HIV/AIDS pandemic, an experience Larkin has been forced to draw upon when approaching Acacia Memorial Park's services and precautions.

"There are several parallels: initially we didn't know... how COVID was being transmitted, and there was a significant freakout," Larkin said. "It's like we've done this before. There [are] lots of lessons that we learned through HIV and AIDS that we could implement on many, many levels of the work that we do." For example, going the extra mile in terms of wearing personal protective equipment during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic served as a reminder of the early stages of HIV and AIDS.

Larkin is a member of UNITE, a LGBTQ associate resource committee within Dignity Memorial, a network of licensed funeral, cremation, and cemetery providers. Originally from Utah, he moved to the Seattle area in 1992 after experiencing homophobia in his family's own funeral services business and deciding to pursue his profession elsewhere.

"It was one of those things I never expected that I would go through," Larkin said. "I know I am where I am today because of my skills and abilities and such. I'm perfectly happy to be here in Seattle and have no desire to go back."

In the many years since moving here, Larkin is grateful to be equipped to help those in some of their greatest moments of need.

"In situations such as we've been in, people are looking for those who are going to help them... not necessarily whether they're gay or straight," Larkin said. "When people need help, it doesn't matter from where the help comes."