The Top 3 Funeral Scandals of 2009-YourFuneralGuy

Revealed Here are the  top 3 Funeral Scandals of 2009 with detailed explanations. Front and center in these Scandals are Service Corporation International, the Illinois Funeral Directors Association,  the National Funeral Directors Association’s Treasurer and  Perpetua, Inc the owner of  the Burr Oak Cemetery.

Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal

1. The Most significant and Far Reaching Funeral(& Cemetery) Scandal of 2009 was the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal outside of Chicago. (Alsip, IL) In July 2009 it was discovered that over 300 graves had been moved and  desecrated. Bones were piled up and scattered throughout the cemetery. Four people were arrested for grave desecration. Next to the Georgia Tri State  Crematory  Scandal(2002) and  The Service Corporation International Menorah Gardens &  Funeral Chapels 2001 Scandal in West Palm Beach FL, this is probably the worst Funeral and Cemetery Scandal in the ending  decade. The owner of the neglected Cemetery, Perpetua Inc has escaped consequences along with the Funeral Homes involved on The South side of Chicago.

Good things have come out of this Scandal: Cemetery reform is on the way in Illinois and nationally  The Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act was proposed in Congress.

Up to 500 Graves desecrated here

2. On the heels of the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal came the Eden Memorial Park Scandal in Los Angeles. This is a Service Corporation International Cemetery were over 500 graves were either moved or desecrated. Eden Memorial Park was a much higher end Cemetery.  This shows the world that Funeral and Cemetery Scandal  everyone

Click Here for details of the Eden Memorial Park Lawsuit

3. In 2009 the Illinois Funeral Directors Association Insurance Ponzi Scheme was brought into the Light. They lost 42 million dollars before the Wall Street melt down in 2008. Losses have ballooned to over 100 million dollars The leaders of the association misappropriated the  preneed trust funds (IFDA Preneed Trust).

The Comptroller of the State of Illinois in 2009  stated in a press release that the leaders of the association stole the money.  One of the Main players in the scandal is Randall L Earl current treasurer of the NFDA, who has refused to resign his position despite his involvement.

Sadly those Funeral Directors( Lawsuit Calvert Funeral Homes et al) that sued the association over their preneed commissions did not do due diligence with their families preneed funds. They did not keep track of the money themselves, their responsibility. Instead they blamed their association and filed lawsuits.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by your funeral guy

Illinois Cemetery Reform-Not applying to the City Cemetery-YourFuneralGuy

Illinois Cemetery reform Not to apply to Municipalities.

Illinois cemetery reform may not apply to the City Cemetery. This is not a good thing for consistent cemetery reform in the State of Illinois.  For reform only to apply to the Privatly owned cemeteries is some what ridiculous, and maybe discriminatory.

It appears that Cemetery reform in Illinois is being diluted by the politicians and lobbyists in the State. Cemetery reform needs to consistent applying to all cemetery.

Information on the Senate Cemetery Bill can be found here.

Here is some info on the cemetery reform bill. Snippet from The State Journal Register.

CHATHAM — Municipal officials no longer have to worry about unaffordable cemetery regulations, Chatham Village Board member Joe Schatteman said.

Senate Bill 1471, a rewrite of state cemetery regulations, was amended to exempt cemeteries owned by municipalities and religious institutions from provisions that require cemetery staff members to be licensed and receive continuing education.

“Just the financial upkeep of that would be devastating to many municipal cemeteries,” Schatteman said.

via www.sj-r.com

Click here for direct information on Illinois Cemetery Reform, that is in response to the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal. The Illinois Senate may close the dbate on Illinois Cemetery Reform in 2010.

Funeral Industry Cemetery Industry Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Burr Oak Cemetery resumes funerals-Your Funeral Guy

Burr Oak Cemetery Remains closed but some funerals have been happening

Burr Oak Cemetery is conducting  funerals now.  This was reported by the Chicago Tribune. Sadly though. Cemetery reform has been stalled in the Illinois legislature, the State Senate. The neglectful  owner company Perpetua Inc is still in charge and THE CEMETERY IS NOT OPENED TO THE PUBLIC.

Although some funeral services are resuming at Burr Oak Cemetery there is little consolation for Burr Oak Cemetery families.

At Burr Oak Cemetery Over 300 graves  were desecrated, and bones were piled up at various locations around the cemetery,

Funeral Industry|Funeral blog by Your Funeral Guy

 

It is unclear why the cemetery decided to resume the burials but not open the doors to the general public. Repeated calls to Howard Korenthal, who was appointed to oversee the cemetery at the end of September, were not returned.

Spencer Leak Jr., co-owner of Leak and Sons Funeral Home in Chatham, said the funeral home had to keep four bodies since July because the family members wanted them to be buried at Burr Oak. Two weeks ago, they buried the last of the four.

Leak said he got calls every day from frustrated relatives, but there wasn’t much he could do. Finally, about a month and a half ago, he got the OK to start burying one person at the time. Donahue was one of them.

via www.chicagobreakingnews.com

 

Illinois Proposes Cemetery Reform-YourFuneralGuy

Illinois has proposed Cemetery Reform. Legislation has passed the Illinois House of Representatives Executive Committee. The Legislation is set to go to the full Illinois House. The legislation was developed in reaction to the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal near Chicago.

The legislation introduces background checks, licensing and registration  at cemeteries. The proposed law requires cemeteries to have maps and burial records. Cemeteries must be properly maintained.  Managers are to provide key info to state database that will keep track of who is buried where.

House Speaker Michael Madigan, D-Chicago, unveiled the legislation as proponents contended it would “put teeth” in lax state oversight laws that contributed to the Burr Oak tragedy, where graves were desecrated. Several Burr Oak workers were charged in a scheme to dig up as many as 300 bodies and resell burial plots…..via newsblogs.chicagotribune.com

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog By Your Funeral Guy

NFDA to State Position|CemeteryFuneral Reform Legislation-YourFuneralGuy

Congressional Funeral and Cemetery Reform H. R. 3655

The National Funeral Directors Association will come up with it’s position on Cemetery and Funeral Legislation at the upcoming NFDA Convention in Boston(OCT 25th-28). The Bereaved Consumer Bill of Rights Act(AKA Bereaved Consumers Protection Act) was introduced in Congress in late September in reaction to the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal near Chicago this Summer.

Burr Oak Cemetery remains closed. In July it was discovered that up to 300 graves were desecrated and human bones discarded in large piles around the cemetery. In September at Eden Memorial Park  in California it was reported in a lawsuit that 500 graves were disturbed. Eden Memorial Park is a Service Corporation International Site.

The basics of the proposed law are that  cemeteries will be regulated nationally. Cemeteries will be required to comply with the Funeral Rule. The Funeral Rule is a body of Congressional Law, that protects the Funeral Consumer. Soon it will protect Cemetery Consumers as well. Read a good summary of the Funeral Rule.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Federal Burr Oak Cemetery Reform|Named Bereaved Consumers Bill of Rights Act

Congressional Funeral and Cemetery Reform H. R. 3655

The Congressional Reform  sparked by the Burr Oak Cemetery act is now available to view onine. The legislation is not named the Bereaved Consumers Protection Act-as reported in the Press. THE BEREAVED CONSUMERS  BILL OF RIGHTS ACT OF 2009 is the Official Name of the proposed law. The legislation is a welcome addition to the Funeral Rule.  Federal Burr Oak  Cemetery Reform is overdue.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE NATIONAL BURR OAK CEMETERY REFORM LEGISLATION.

This legislation is increasingly important in 2009 not just because of the Burr Oak Cemetery scandal  but  because of a plague of recent  Cemetery and Funeral Scandals across the USA.

YOUR FUNERAL GUY FULLY ENDORSES THE BEREAVED CONSUMERS  BILL  OF RIGHTS ACT OF 2009.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy

Why The National Funeral Directors will not support H. R. 3655: NFDA OPPOSES  the FUNERAL RULE

Cemetery| Funeral Bill of Rights©-YourFuneralGuy

Cemetery and Funeral Bill of Rights© needs to pass Congress.

Congressman Bobby Rush has announced a Cemetery and Funeral Bill of Rights© in the proposed Bereaved Consumers Protection Act.

This is an effective response to the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal(near Chicago) discovered in July: Over Three hundred graves were desecrated.

In the Eden Memorial Park Scandal discovered in Mission Hills California last week over 500 graves were desecrated.

There has never been nationwide Cemetery Legislation and as of now there is generally no way to file a complaint against a cemetery to get resolution.

Today you can file a complaint against a funeral home and get resolution. This is done under the Funeral Rule.

There is no place to file a complaint for cemeteries.

This is why the legislation makes sense. The bad guys can be stopped,if the cemetery and funeral  bill of rights is enacted-proposed Bereaved Consumers Protection Act.

Snippet from NBCchicago.com

“Legislation being introduced by U.S. Rep. Bobby Rush would establish a national bill of rights for consumers of cemetery and funeral home services.

The Chicago Democrat unveiled the Bereaved Consumers Protection Act during a news conference Monday.

The act would amend the Federal Trade Commission’s Funeral Rule. The rule prohibits unfair or deceptive acts or practices in the funeral operations industry.”

Cemetery|Funeral| Industry Blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Cemetery Industry Earthquake?-YourFuneralGuy

The Cemetery and Funeral industry Earthquake is here.

The great cemetery industry earthquake will hit on 09.21.09. Congressman Bobby Rush(D) will reveal the Bereaved Consumers Protection Act. This is cemetery and funeral legislation that is almost assured to become law.

There has never been Laws and regulations for cemeteries across the United States of America. That is about to change.

Some details have been revealed. From BereavedConsumersProtectionAct.com

“This proposed  law will do three things:

1. Spell out Consumer rights in interactions with Cemeteries.

2. require record keeping standards for Cemeteries.

3. Strengthen the Funeral Rule- making deceptive practices in  funerals more difficult.”

The question for the Funeral Industry is: Will Funeral homes be hit by the “Earthquake” or only the after shocks?

The Funeral Industry has not had “Funeral Legislation” passed since the amendment to the Funeral Rule in 1992.

All this was sparked by the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal that was discovered in July 2oo9. Up to 300 graves were desecrated. Four People were arrested. Human body parts were discardethroughout the cemetery.

Funeral & cemetery industry|Funeral blog by Your Funeral Guy

SCI, Service Corporation Lobbyists are in trouble.

National Cemetery Legislation to be introduced 9.21.09-YourFuneralGuy

National Cemetery Legislation to be revealed 09.21.09

National  cemetery legislation will be proposed Monday, 9.21.09  by Illinois US Congressman Bobby Rush(-D).  This according to the Chicago Tribune.

The legislation will be proposed in response to the Burr Oak Cemetery Scandal. In July it was discovered that three hundred graves were desecrated. Bone were found in piles at various locations around the cemetery.

MORE INFORMATION:BereavedConsumersProtectionAct.com

The first step to national cemetery reform is to bring Cemeteries in under the “funeral rule”. “The Funeral Rule” is a body of law that keeps funeral directors honest with the Consumer.

The “Funeral Rule” doesn’t stop all funeral directors from taking advantage of consumers. It is an effective deterrent. Bringing cemeteries in under the Funeral Rule will do the same.

Funeral Industry|Funeral blog by Your Funeral Guy.

Source: The Chicago Tribune and the  funeral|cemetery experience of Your Funeral Guy.

Can anyone say Funeral|Cemetery Czar?

March on Burr Oak Cemetery-YourFuneralGuy

There is more horror in the Burr Oak Cemetery, Perpetua the old owners are back!

The first of many Marches has been planned  on Burr Oak Cemetery. The first is scheduled to take place on September 20th 2009. This past week the keys to Burr Oak Cemetery were turned over  to  it’s negligent owner Perpetua, Inc.

The court receiver is no longer involved. Folks are afraid the owner from before the Scandal will not keep the cemetery up. More grave desecration is a possibility. Most certainly recompense for the Burr Oak Families will not be taking place now.

In July 2009, it was discovered that up to 300 graves were desecrated at the Burr Oak Cemetery near Chicago. The horror continued as piles of dismembered bodies  were  found around the Cemetery.

Funeral Industry|Funeral Blog by Your Funeral Guy