Woman Finds Debris Mixed In With Father’s Cremated Remains

Long Island, New York

A Long Island woman found more than she bargained for while attempting to scatter the cremated remains of her father.

Jennie Spooner, of Amityville, had planned on giving her father the send-off he deserved. She dusted some of his ashes on a dinosaur in the Museum of Natural History, attached some to the tail of a kite and spilled some on the water at Canaan Lake as her dad wanted, reports The New York Post.

Before she could continue spreading her father’s ashes at his favorite haunts throughout the city, Spooner discovered debris mixed in with the cremated remains. The debris included:

• Pieces of Bone
• Pieces of a broom
• Glass shards
• Metal staples
• Partially melted crucifix

The 52-year-old Spooner, upon finding the trash, immediately called Joseph Slinger-Hasgill Funeral Home to complain, but the director blamed the crematorium. Spooner was horrified.

“My heart was pounding. I said, ‘What the heck is that? A spring? It flipped me out,” said Spooner, whose father died eight months ago from pneumonia and an infection. He was 79.

Spooner hired an attorney and is considering a lawsuit against the funeral and the crematorium.

Both the funeral home and the crematorium have declined comment.

Why The Cost of Cremations Will Probably Go Higher

Houston, Texas

The largest funeral and cremation provider in North America, Houston-based Service Corporation International, has taken steps to increase their size. The company (NYSE:SCI) has officially announced the purchase of 70% of the outstanding shares of The Neptune Society.

Includes:

• The Neptune Society
• Neptune Cremation Service
• Trident Society

Neptune is the nation's largest direct cremation organization, with annual revenues of more than $55 million and a network of 30 locations in nine states. Through an active preneed sales program, Neptune has built a backlog of future revenues of more than $125 million. Neptune operates under the brand names Neptune Society, Neptune Cremation Service and Trident Society.

Neptune's owner, BG Capital Management Corp., a diversified private equity company, will continue to hold 30% of the outstanding shares, and the company will continue to be managed by its current Chief Executive Officer, Marco Markin.

"We look forward to welcoming Neptune's associates into the SCI family of businesses," said Thomas L. Ryan, SCI President and CEO. "This partnership is a wonderful opportunity for us to join forces with the largest and fastest growing direct cremation company in North America. Neptune serves a segment of the market that will continue to grow and that we do not currently target through our traditional funeral service and cemetery network. In addition to building on Neptune's successful growth and customer service we will be able to yield immediate synergies by providing back office and fulfilment support through SCI's infrastructure."

Marco Markin, CEO of Neptune commented, "In our stage of rapid growth and development, it is the perfect time to partner with a company having SCI's scale, resources and capital. Neptune is a great organization with fabulous employees and we are all excited to pursue the tremendous growth prospects ahead of us."

It's no secret, traditional funerals are not as popular as they once were. Cremation has been on the rise for many years, actually becoming the dominant choice. There are a number of reasons, one of which is price. Of course, with funeral homes struggling to find ways to revive revenue streams, we could have seen this move by SCI coming. Now, more than ever, it appears to be a battle over controlling consumer choices. 

If history proves anything, I suspect you will notice a price increase over at the mighty Neptune pretty soon. Remember, shopping around is key. 

Arizona Crematory Facing Trouble Over Mishandling of Bodies

Mesa, Arizona

Arizona’s funeral board is moving to shut down a Mesa crematorium that a television station’s investigation found had stored dozens of bodies in unsanitary conditions in the business and others in a van outside.

The unanimous action Tuesday by the Board of Funeral Directors and Embalmers was spurred by findings that incorporated the results of KNXV-TV’s April investigation.

The station reported that dozens of bodies were not refrigerated inside the business because coolers were full and several others were kept overnight in a van. Maggots were observed on the floor of the crematory and on boxes containing bodies, the station reported.

All State Crematory’s owner Franklin Lambert admitted to the findings of the board's investigation, which had included the station's report, said Executive Director Rodolfo Thomas.

The board's staff was preparing a consent agreement under which Lambert and his business would lose their licenses and pay a $3,000 civil penalty, plus administrative costs, Thomas said Wednesday.

Lambert should get the proposed consent agreement by next week, and he will then have 30 days to either consent to the agreement or face formal proceedings, Thomas said.

Board President Katherine Shindel said Lambert's actions were unacceptable.

"When family members entrusted their loved ones to you, they expected them to be treated with dignity and care," she said. "They could not have imagined that you would let their loved ones rot like spoiled meat in the heat."