Lower Burrell funeral home arranges 'drive-thru' visitation for former Arnold man, volunteer firefighter

It wasn’t your typical viewing.

Nor was it the way Kaye Barnes probably thought his family and friends would have to say goodbye. But it’s something he likely would have enjoyed, his son said.

“He loved to have a good time,” said his son, David Barnes.

On April 24, between 12 and 15 cars drove up to a large window at Rusiewicz of Lower Burrell Funeral Home to pay their respects to Barnes, who died April 19 at the age of 87.

The funeral home put his casket by the window.

“It was definitely not a normal viewing, but it worked out,” Barnes said.

Because of the coronavirus pandemic, funeral services have been limited to 10 or fewer people. Rusiewicz’s has chairs spread well apart inside to allow for mandated social distancing.

Barnes said it was difficult picking which family members would be able to go inside the funeral home. He wanted to make sure his dad’s friends would be able to pay their respects, too.

Funeral director Bill Rusiewicz suggested putting Barnes’ casket at the window and letting people “drive thru” to see him. He didn’t think the family would be interested at first. He was wrong.

“We rolled with it,” said Barnes, 50, of Elizabethtown. “It was a great idea.”

Rusiewicz put a stand outside by the “drive-thru” area, which is normally the driveway, that had memorial cards and a sign encouraging people to sign an online guestbook.

Family members had suggested the casket be moved a bit so the people inside the funeral home could be seen from the window, which actually is a set of long, vertical windows that can be cranked open.

“Being the windows were open, they were able to talk to the people that came, but they still were keeping the distance,” Rusiewicz said.

Kaye Barnes was a life member of Arnold No. 2 Volunteer Fire Company and the 7th St. Sportsmen’s Club. Members of both organizations came to the viewing. Firefighters drove a fire truck in Kaye Barnes’ funeral procession the following day. He was with the fire company for 67 years.

“The fire company really surprised us with everything they did, plus all the guys that came out,” David Barnes said.

Kaye Barnes was born in New Kensington and lived in Arnold for 76 years. He moved to Elizabethtown in 2008.

The visitation and funeral were held in the Alle-Kiski Valley because Kaye Barnes made his own arrangements with Rusiewicz before he moved, his son said.

“Bill did a great job setting that all up,” Barnes said of the “drive-thru” service. “We thanked him, I don’t know how many times, for everything that he did to get more people there.”

This was the first “drive-thru” visitation the funeral home has held at either of its locations in Lower Burrell and Arnold.

Rusiewicz said other families are welcome to hold such a visitation, but it’s not something they plan on continuing once the pandemic restrictions are lifted.

“There’s a saying, ‘In times of joy, the more people you have, it doubles the joy; more people are able to share that joy. In times of sorrow, the more people that are able to share, that cuts the sorrow in half,’” Rusiewicz said. “This is one way we’re able to have more people come and share it with them, and just kind of be their support system.”