Bozeman’s Dahl Funeral Chapel was featured Jan. 25 in an article in the New York Times about the growing practice of streaming video of funerals to the Internet.
The article talks about a pair of companies—FuneralOne and Event by Wire—that offer the service to funeral homes. Dahl uses the latter, which provides the funeral home with the camera, wireless microphone, computer and software needed to stream the event online.
Dahl told the Times that nearly a third of her funerals are streamed live online at no extra cost. Dahl also broadcast Veterans Day services using the same service back in November.
The practice of making non-famous people’s funerals available to mourners online is a sign of the times, FuneralOne founder H. Joseph Joachim IV told the Times. “We are in a YouTube society now…. People are living more than ever online, and this reflects that.
Many commenters on the Times story took a more cynical view of the practice.
“Frank G.” from New York City wrote, tongue in cheek, “Sry cnt go 2 ur dad’s funrl. My condols 2U n ur fam.”
“ShowMe” from Missouri wrote, “We are hardly human anymore! What are we becoming?”
And “Bill” from New York wrote: “I’m sure this service is well-meaning, but I feel that the value of a funeral lies in being there, in person, to console the family and friends of someone who has died and to say goodbye in a sacred space. Intrusive electronics don’t have a place, much less attending remotely rather than traveling to this very private and solemn occasion.”