Committal Services, Military Funeral Honors Resume at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery in Mims
By Space Coast Daily // June 9, 2020
Cemetery has remained open for interments and visitation throughout the pandemic
BREVARD COUNTY • MIMS, FLORIDA – Cape Canaveral National Cemetery will resume committal services for families who are interring their loved ones on June 9.
“We are pleased to resume committal services and military funeral honors at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery,” said Cemetery Director Don Murphy.
“We will also soon be contacting families who chose direct interments to schedule memorial services and military funeral honors if desired. We appreciate the patience and understanding families have shown during the COVID-19 pandemic and are eager to begin returning to normal operations.”
Cape Canaveral National Cemetery has remained open for interments and visitation throughout the pandemic.
Unfortunately, as a matter of health and safety, the cemetery began deferring committal services and military funeral honors on March 23.
Families with interments scheduled on or after June 9 will be offered the option of a committal service at the time of interment.
Military funeral honors, customarily provided by the Department of Defense and volunteer honor guards, will be based on local availability.
All five branches of the military have confirmed they are prepared to support military honors at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery; however, their details may only consist of a minimal two-person detail to fold and present the flag and play taps. Families are encouraged to contact the appropriate military branch to confirm their availability.
Cape Canaveral National Cemetery continues to adhere to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
In doing so, we will limit the number of individuals attending committal services, require all attendees to practice physical distancing between individuals, not from the same household, ensure all attendees and employees wear face coverings, encourage frequent use of hand sanitizer and ask sick individuals to stay home.
In keeping with federal and Florida state guidance, committal and memorial services at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery will be limited to 25 family members and guests at the service. Cemetery employees, funeral home personnel, clergy and military honors providers will not count toward the family’s limit on attendees.
Families may continue to choose a direct interment without a service and opt for a memorial service later when all restrictions have been lifted.
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Memorial services for Veterans and eligible family members who were interred without a committal service between March 23 and June 8 will commence in July.
Cemetery representatives will be reaching out to these families in the coming weeks to discuss their options and schedule a memorial service if desired.
Families may also contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office or the cemetery directly to schedule a memorial service after June 29.
For more information, visit the National Cemetery Administration (NCA) website or contact Cape Canaveral National Cemetery at 321-383-2638. To make burial arrangements or schedule a memorial service at Cape Canaveral National Cemetery or any VA national cemetery, contact the National Cemetery Scheduling Office at 800-535-1117.
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