Goodness… Talk about the opposite of “Rest in Peace.” I was a bit shocked by the following excerpt from an article in the April 24, 2009 edition of the Eau Claire, Wisconsin Leader-Telegram. The whole episode seems criminal to me, but then again, what do I know…?
… the mausoleums in Eau Claire’s Forest Hill Cemetery. These contained the remains of people who have rested there for many, many years. The mausoleums were crumbling. The city Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department determined they had no financial responsibility or obligation for the mausoleums’ upkeep and that they should go. They appeared fearful of litigation if someone were injured by falling rocks. So they proceeded in a businesslike, straightforward and cost-effective manner. They invaded the graves, dug out the remains, incinerated them, and plunked the dust back into the earth. Voila, the problem was solved!
