Coronavirus Information (COVID-19) & Guidance

EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY AND UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: 01/04/2021

At Poughkeepsie Rural Cemetery, we continue to work, support and comply with all State mandated measures to help prevent the spread of the Coronavirus (COVID-19). 

The Cemetery is open for interments, entombments, cremations and for visitation. Our grounds hours will remain the same, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., 7 days a week. Our office hours will continue to be Monday through Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Saturday 9:00 am to 12 noon. Our office is still closed to the public. Access is restricted only to those who need to purchase property if a death has occurred or is imminent and for funeral directors who are conducting cemetery related business. Though the administration office is closed to the public, we continue to staff the office for Cemetery business. Our staff is available, by appointment, to assist families with the purchase of burial space if a death has occurred or is imminent. 

Until further notice, we will not be scheduling pre-need sales appointments. When meeting to purchase cemetery property, only two individuals are allowed to attend the sales appointment. If you need assistance, contact us at 845-454- 6020.

All visitors of the cemetery must practice Social distancing of 6 feet and a mask must be always worn when on cemetery property.

Cemetery:

• In the interest of public safety, we ask you limit the number of those attending committal services to immediate family only. (Total service attendees for funerals should be limited to 50 persons.)
• We ask the attendees to disperse immediately following the service as attendees will not be allowed to witness lowering and covering of the casket or cremains unless it is from the safety of their own vehicles. 
• We will allow the funeral director, along with one attendee to remain at the grave site, to observe from a distance of at least 20 feet from the service crew to view the lowering and covering of the casket or cremains. Our employees cannot begin the process until the attendees are back at their vehicle and the funeral director and one designated family member is a safe distance away.
• We will allow up to 50 people for services within the Community Mausoleum. All services will take place in our Building 4 Chapel. All attendees must maintain 6 feet of space between each other and wear a mask at all times. The funeral director, along with one attendee, may go to the crypt or niche to witness the placement, while keeping a distance of at least 20 feet from the service crew. All other attendees must disperse after the service. 

We are taking all appropriate precautionary measures to protect our employees and the families we serve by implementing these temporary restrictions. We ask that the public use phones, fax and email to communicate and visit our website at www.poughkeepsieruralcemetery.com for updates as they occur.

Thank you and be safe.