Burr Oak Cemetery Hearing: Thursday, Aug.27th-YourFuneralGuy

The next Meeting of the Burr Oak Cemetery Task Force is to take place Thursday at the Thompson Center in Chicago on August 27th 2009.The hearing will take place between 2 and 4pm. Room  16-503

Burr Oak is the cemetery where over 300 Graves were desecrated. Four people have been charged in this matter. If you are concerned about your relatives buried at Burr Oak Cemetery it would be best to be at this meeting.

It has been reported that theCemetery Oversight Task Force(cemeterytaskforce.illinois)wants to hear from the owners of Burr Oak Cemetery. Burr Oak is owned by Perpetua, Inc. Presently  the cemetery is in Court  receivership.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

More information on Perpetua, Inc here

You can find out more and get help and more information on  the Burr Oak Cemetery here:

Cook County Sheriff’s website:www.burroak.net

Burr oak cemetery pic from religion dispatches.org

Michael Jackson Funeral|Death ruled Homicide LA Coroner-YourfuneralGuy

It has been reported that Michael Jackson’s Death has been ruled a homicide. This is according to the LA Coroner.

Michael Jackson was murdered. The LA Coroner stated that after it is was revealed in an unsealed search warrant.

MJ Died of a lethal dosage of Propofol.

From Msnbc.com

“The Los Angeles County coroner ruled Michael Jackson’s death a homicide Monday after a search warrant affidavit revealed that Jackson had lethal levels of the powerful anesthetic propofol in his system…..”

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog By Your Funeral Guy.

$50,000 for Burr Oak Cemetery Released-yourfuneralguy

A judge has released $50,000.00 USD for the operation of Burr Oak Cemetery. This is good news for those who are seeking more information on loved ones whose graves may have been dug up.

In July 2009 it was discovered that over 200 graves were desecrated at the cemetery  in Alsip, IL. Other investigations are continuing. Bones were found discarded around the cemetery.Four People have been arrested.

Although the owner “Perpetua Inc” reported the scandal they have been not given public answers about their role in the matter.

Recently operations at the Cemetery had to cease due to lack of funds.

This is a cemetery and burial disaster|Scandal of the worst type.

Snippet from the Southtown Star

This morning a group of 15 lawyers representing Szabelski, the sheriff, Burr Oak owner Perpetua Inc. and others were in court for a hearing on the issue.

A judge agreed to give Szabelski $50,000 from the still-frozen accounts with which to continue his work Burr Oak.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

National Retailer to reduce Funeral Good costs by 40%|YourFuneralguy

The Funeral Industry in Japan is going through major changes.

A national retailer has entered the Funeral Industry . This has happened in Japan. Japan is Country where cremation is required. The retailer is Aeon Co. They are the second largest retailer in Japan. Their strategy is simple-reduce funeral good prices by 40%  by bulk purchase.

From Bloomberg.Com

“The retailer will partner with 400 funeral companies and provide services through them, Nikkei said. The company aims to reduce funeral costs by about 40 percent by making bulk purchases of funeral-related items, the paper said.

Aeon, Japan’s second-largest retailer, operates Ministop convenience stores and Talbots women’s clothing stores. The company forecasts 100,000 funeral customers over three years, Nikkei said.”

Could this happen the United States? How far away is this?

Funeral Costs|Funeral Industry Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Fox News Calls helping the Funeral Poor “Cash For Caskets”-yourfuneral guy

FORBES ON FOX CASH FOR CASKETS

On Forbes on Fox Saturday August 21st 2009. Fox News called called helping the Funeral Poor “CASH FOR CASKETS.” This was uncalled for unnecessary, and quite classless. There was no need to to that. Instead of focusing  on how they may help  hurting folks lower their funeral cost they simply pooh poohed the State Programs that provide indigent funerals.

Some of the guests did point how they were out of line in making such statements. Playing on “cash for clunkers” with cash for caskets was unacceptable.

Why did they not just try to help folks come in under the average cost of a funeral by referring them to Rest In Peace Insiders tips to the Low Cost Less Stress Funeral?

Illinois in  July stopped it’s “Cash For Caskets” program reimbursement for the poor but reinstated it in August.

From media matters.org

Related Rush Limbaugh had his own take on “Cash For Caskets”

LIMBAUGH: I like that. Cash for caskets. Cash for caskets to replace the whole notion of death panels. You know, you could use a Darth Vader-like figure assigning caskets to some seasoned citizen in a wheelchair or what have you, and the family of the seasoned citizen smiling, being given a check or some cash. Maybe include Geraldo in there — you know, he’s the grim reaper. He shows up on Fox and people die. That’s how I knew Michael Jackson was actually dead was when Fox put Geraldo on there. That’s how you knew.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal|Perpetua-owner absent-yourfuneralguy

In the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal the owners have been consistently absent. This has upset the Cemetery Oversight Task Force set up by Governor Pat Quinn. The President of Perpetua, Inc. Melvin Z. Byrant has called the situation at Burr Oak Cemetery “despicable” but no one has come on the scene to take responsibility for the situation.

From the Chicago Sun Times:

“Perpetua officers won’t speak to reporters. A public relations firm hired to field inquiries did not return phone or e-mail requests this week.”

Perpetua’s current directors:

Melvin Bryant as president and chief executive officer

Felix Villalba   director

Judy Romlin,  director.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

More information on Perpetua, Inc here

You can find out more and get help and more information on  the Burr Oak Cemetery here:

Cook County Sheriff’s website:www.burroak.net

Burr oak cemetery pic from religion dispatches.org

Robert “Bob” Novak Funeral|Sign Guestbook-yourfuneralguy

Revealed here is a link where you can sign the Robert Novak Guest Book. Perhaps you have signed a guestbook at a funeral before. This is an import way to leave a tribute or share a memory. It can now be done easily on line.

This is a great way to leave a memory, and a tribute for someone you knew or admired.

Robert Novak was known as the a tireless reporter and newsman  who got the story. He embraced  his nickname “Prince of Darkness.” Politicians Feared him. Born Jewish, he died a devoted Catholic. He had no use for bloggers.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN THE ROBERT “BOB NOVAK” FUNERAL GUESTBOOK

From the Chicago Sun Times:l

Born Jewish, Mr. Novak converted to Catholicism in 1998. He credited his ability to handle the shock of learning he had a brain tumor in 2008 to his Catholic faith. In one of his last columns, on Sept. 7, 2008, Mr. Novak wrote about how he learned he had a brain tumor.

“The first sign that I was in trouble came on Wednesday, July 23, when my 2004 black Corvette struck a pedestrian on 18th Street in downtown Washington while I was on my way to the office.”

Sen. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) is also fighting a brain tumor, and Mr. Novak disclosed in the column that he had found his brain surgeon with help from Kennedy’s wife, Vicki.

Funeral Industry |Funeral Blog by Your funeral Guy.

Burr Oak Cemetery| lays Staff off-out of cash-yourfuneralguy

Burr Oak cemetery has laid off it’s staff and is out of cash. One lone  Cook county Sheriff’s vehicle has been seen inside the gate. This is so no authorized people enter the cemetery grounds.

In July 2009 it was discovered that 300 graves were desecrated. Human bones were discarded in piles at the cemetery. Over 50,000 inquiries were filed about deceased relatives who may have been illegally disinterred in the Burr Oak cemetery Scandal.

From  www.dailyherald.com

Roman Szabelski, an appointed receiver of Burr Oak Cemetery in Alsip, said he has not received any of the money he has asked for to operate the cemetery.

Burr Oak’s assets were frozen after four people were charged in the alleged grave-reselling scheme that authorities say stretched back at least five years and netted about $300,000. The cemetery’s remaining employees — six grounds workers and two office workers — were laid off Friday.

The latest news may delay the reopening of the cemetery evenmore. The cemetery remains closed.

The owners of the company Perpetua,  Inc fronted the money for the last payroll. They did not do that this time.

More information on Perpetua, Inc here

You can find out more and get help and more information on  the Burr Oak Cemetery here:

Cook County Sheriff’s website:www.burroak.net

Burr oak cemetery pic from religion dispatches.org

Funeral Industry| Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Has Senator Ted Kennedy planned his Funeral?-YourFuneral Guy

Senator Ted Kennedy’s health is in decline. Some reports say his medical condition is day to day. He has written a letter to Massachusetts leaders asking for a quick change in succession rules should he die.

It should be noted that Kennedy missed his sister”s Funeral(Eunice Kennedy Shriver) last week. He also missed a ceremony at the White House where he  received The Presidential Medal of Freedom-one of his children accepted the medal .

Clearly Senator Kennedy is thinking that he may die sooner rather than later. I am sure that the senator does not want to resign from the US Senate.

Snippet From Fox News

A cancer-stricken Sen. Edward M. Kennedy has written a poignant letter to Massachusetts leaders asking that they change state law to allow a speedy replacement of him in Congress…..Kennedy writes “it is vital for this commonwealth to have two voices speaking for the needs of its citizens and two votes in the Senate during the approximately five months between a vacancy and an election.”

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Ted Kennedy Pic from flickr under the creative commons license from

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal|Sheriff’s Database complete-yourfuneralguy

The County Sheriff has completed the Database for Burr Cemetery. This means that families can determine if there loved ones are located there by searching for a grave. This increases the possibility that the Cemetery may reopen soon. There has been no date announced.

The Burr Oak  Cemetery Scandal was discovered in 2009. There were  nearly three hundred graves disturbed and bones discarded and piled up around  the cemetery. Four People were arrested.

You can get help at the the Burr Oak Website :www.burroak.net

Funeral Industry Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Burr oak cemetery pic from religion dispatches.org