Rescue Memory Lawn Cemetery Alliance
Our mother, Vera Faye Groseclose's graveside services were held on August 22, 2009 at Memory Lawn Cemetery in Roswell, New Mexico.
We used the services of a local funeral home. My sister and I went to the funeral home on August 19, 2009 to make the service arrangements. At that time we were instructed that we would have to go to the cemetery to make the arrangements with them ourselves. While at the funeral home, in addition to a casket, we purchased a vault of some sort of very strong "poly' material that would have a solid seal and also had clamps, because we had purchased a very nice pecan casket and learned that wooden caskets do not seal.. We were extremely pleased with the service that we received at the funeral home.
We were appalled at the condition the perpetual care cemetery was in when we arrived there a short time later. It had not been watered, mowed or cared for at all. We went to the owner's home, which is behind the cemetery, as instructed by the owner whom we had spoken with on the telephone..
The owner let us know that we had to purchase a concrete vault from him, which was mandatory for his cemetery. We were given quite a discussion of why the concrete vault was superior to the poly vault; it would not cave in with the weight of the dirt, it would withstand digging next to it with a backhoe, it could be sealed just as well as the poly vault. Since it was MANDATORY, my sister and I agreed to purchase the concrete vault, having no other choice. The owner assured us that it would be securely sealed.
The owner and his wife did assist my sister and I in finding a company to rent us a large tent and 100 chairs because we were expecting over 200 at the graveside services. He also agreed to allow us to use a generator for the services.
My sister also talked to the owner about mowing the cemetery. We have over 30 family members buried there and explained to him that the family in attendance would be very unhappy to see the cemetery and the graves of their loved ones in such disarray. He assured us it would be groomed by the time of the services.
In leaving the cemetery that day, the owner told us to tell the funeral director, when we saw him again, that he would not need to hang around until the casket was lowered into the ground, as it would take longer since the large tent and chairs would have to be taken down first.
We did go back to the funeral home the next day to view our mother's body. In our conversations with the funeral director, we told him about the comment about him not having to hang around for the actual burying of the casket. He told us that he would absolutely remain until the casket was lowered and covered. Then he would put the flowers on the grave. He told us that was all a part of the funeral home's service to us. The funeral home director then added that it was our right to have a family member present to view the process and make sure everything went according to our wishes, if we so chose. We thanked him for the information and did ask a cousin to stay to oversee the entire process of the burial of our mom's body on the day of the graveside services.
The day of the service, that area was mowed - only that area. The service seemed to go smoothly. We did have over 200 in attendance. Afterward, we went to a church for a luncheon with family and friends.
I no sooner sat down then my cell phone rang - and our cousin ask me to walk away from the crowd. I did. He told me that there was a problem with the straps on the device to lower the casket. They had both broken when they began to lower the casket in the ground. (His story follows) I got my brother and sister and told them what had happened, that mother's body would not be buried until later that day or tomorrow. We felt we had to tell the crowd because we knew many family members would be going back to the cemetery to put flowers on their loved ones graves. So, we had the minister (our cousin) make an announcement to over 150 people that our mom's body had been taken back to the funeral home due to technical difficulties. They would be burying it later that day or tomorrow. It did not go over well.
Later we left for our home about 70 miles away. We do not have good cell phone service until right at the edge of town. Right about home, my cell phone started beeping and ringing. It was our cousin saying that the burial had taken place but it went terribly.
Click here to read the entire account of Vera Faye Groseclose's burial
Since that time we have heard of more issues, talked to more families and are convinced that something has to be done to stop this travesty. Not only do we seek our mother's burial be re-done and done properly, but we want to know where the perpetual funds are that were paid for many years ago by our parents and many, many of our family members plus hundreds of people we have now come to know.
Joan Park, Jery Hurley and Jay Groseclose
We used the services of a local funeral home. My sister and I went to the funeral home on August 19, 2009 to make the service arrangements. At that time we were instructed that we would have to go to the cemetery to make the arrangements with them ourselves. While at the funeral home, in addition to a casket, we purchased a vault of some sort of very strong "poly' material that would have a solid seal and also had clamps, because we had purchased a very nice pecan casket and learned that wooden caskets do not seal.. We were extremely pleased with the service that we received at the funeral home.
We were appalled at the condition the perpetual care cemetery was in when we arrived there a short time later. It had not been watered, mowed or cared for at all. We went to the owner's home, which is behind the cemetery, as instructed by the owner whom we had spoken with on the telephone..
The owner let us know that we had to purchase a concrete vault from him, which was mandatory for his cemetery. We were given quite a discussion of why the concrete vault was superior to the poly vault; it would not cave in with the weight of the dirt, it would withstand digging next to it with a backhoe, it could be sealed just as well as the poly vault. Since it was MANDATORY, my sister and I agreed to purchase the concrete vault, having no other choice. The owner assured us that it would be securely sealed.
The owner and his wife did assist my sister and I in finding a company to rent us a large tent and 100 chairs because we were expecting over 200 at the graveside services. He also agreed to allow us to use a generator for the services.
My sister also talked to the owner about mowing the cemetery. We have over 30 family members buried there and explained to him that the family in attendance would be very unhappy to see the cemetery and the graves of their loved ones in such disarray. He assured us it would be groomed by the time of the services.
In leaving the cemetery that day, the owner told us to tell the funeral director, when we saw him again, that he would not need to hang around until the casket was lowered into the ground, as it would take longer since the large tent and chairs would have to be taken down first.
We did go back to the funeral home the next day to view our mother's body. In our conversations with the funeral director, we told him about the comment about him not having to hang around for the actual burying of the casket. He told us that he would absolutely remain until the casket was lowered and covered. Then he would put the flowers on the grave. He told us that was all a part of the funeral home's service to us. The funeral home director then added that it was our right to have a family member present to view the process and make sure everything went according to our wishes, if we so chose. We thanked him for the information and did ask a cousin to stay to oversee the entire process of the burial of our mom's body on the day of the graveside services.
The day of the service, that area was mowed - only that area. The service seemed to go smoothly. We did have over 200 in attendance. Afterward, we went to a church for a luncheon with family and friends.
I no sooner sat down then my cell phone rang - and our cousin ask me to walk away from the crowd. I did. He told me that there was a problem with the straps on the device to lower the casket. They had both broken when they began to lower the casket in the ground. (His story follows) I got my brother and sister and told them what had happened, that mother's body would not be buried until later that day or tomorrow. We felt we had to tell the crowd because we knew many family members would be going back to the cemetery to put flowers on their loved ones graves. So, we had the minister (our cousin) make an announcement to over 150 people that our mom's body had been taken back to the funeral home due to technical difficulties. They would be burying it later that day or tomorrow. It did not go over well.
Later we left for our home about 70 miles away. We do not have good cell phone service until right at the edge of town. Right about home, my cell phone started beeping and ringing. It was our cousin saying that the burial had taken place but it went terribly.
Click here to read the entire account of Vera Faye Groseclose's burial
Since that time we have heard of more issues, talked to more families and are convinced that something has to be done to stop this travesty. Not only do we seek our mother's burial be re-done and done properly, but we want to know where the perpetual funds are that were paid for many years ago by our parents and many, many of our family members plus hundreds of people we have now come to know.
Joan Park, Jery Hurley and Jay Groseclose