During the nine months prior to opening, I discovered 170 abandoned cremated remains in the basement.  My staff and I worked tirelessly and were able to reunite 65 families with loved ones they thought had already been laid to rest.  One family stood out, due to the fact they thought that they had already been given the cremains of their loved one.  When they came to get their loved one’s ACTUAL cremains, they left with me what they’d been given and were falsely represented as their loved one’s cremains.  Coincidentally, the funeral director responsible for this careless and possibly fraudulent act, happens to be one of my current competitors.  Naturally, I rushed these cremains to the Montrose County Coroner, attempting to either determine the substance or find the identity of the contents initially given to the family.  I first briefed him on the circumstances that led to me bringing these to him. I’d not yet had the pleasure of meeting the Coroner formally.   The response I got took me by surprise to the point I can say, I was highly disturbed. He asked me how he was supposed to know if they were actual cremains or not and what did I expect him to do about it? I was taken back to say the least. I was then told to “not make a big deal about this” and to “just get rid of them”.  Obviously, I didn’t.  The Grand Junction Sentinel then published a story highlighting the story, which “outed” my competitor as the responsible party—rightfully so.

About three months following this incident, I still wasn’t being included or added to the “rotation” of funeral homes that I was previously promised, to assist the Coroner’s Office in removing the deceased from the place of death. This is something my two competitors have the luxury of doing.  It places them in front of potential client families who have not yet chosen a provider. My calls to the Coroner were going unanswered and it was clear that my standing up for a family who had been treated in a despicable manner by my current competitor, was going to be scrutinized in a collusive manner. It was also brought to my attention at this time, that there was a personal, friendly relationship that exists between the Coroner and this current competitor of mine.

Then my clients began to ask us questions following either just having been helped by one of our competitors, or after their loved one passed away under the jurisdiction of the Montrose County Coroner’s Office.  It was brought to my attention, that both my competitor and the Montrose County Coroner’s Office, were giving potential clients of mine, incorrect information about my facility and about the status of my funeral home license.  These two entities were both informing the community we were “closed” and that we “didn’t have a refrigeration facility”,when in fact we’ve the largest and most accommodating in Western Colorado.  The Coroner was aware of this, as is evidenced in my several written letters expressing my desire to have a meeting to discuss protocol and activate my promised inclusion in the “rotation”.  To not include me, technically is unlawful according to statute.

  When we confronted the Coroner about this (recorded),he doesn’t deny it, but in a condescending tone, informs my staff “he can’t help what his staff tells people”.  This’s just one of their many collusive actions attempting to render my business irrelevant.  All of which can and will be validated by the clients themselves, if and when it becomes necessary.

Nearly two weeks ago now, horrific information involving my competitor as the only funeral home in the country operating a non-accredited, “body brokering” business out of the same building, was reported on and printed in just about every news outlet in the world.  It goes into detail the unethical activity being performed and that the FBI is investigating her operation.  Ex-employees have reported seeing disturbing things I don’t feel comfortable writing.  What she does in layman’s terms, is talk a client family into getting their loved one’s body to be “donated” to her sister business, “Donor Services, Inc.” in exchange for a less expensive cremation.  It’s a “donation”, yet she still charges the family to do so—you know, for the actual “cremation” itself.  Her 70 something year-old mother who doesn’t have a day of anatomical training or education whatsoever, dismembers the bodies with Home Depot tools and they sell the parts for thousands.  Sound illegal? It’s not.  BUT the FBI doesn’t investigate innocent people.  Undoubtedly, the FBI is investigating whether she is getting consent properly, storing properly,labeling properly and shipping properly. Mainly, whether consent is being given though.  My opinion and personal contact with her former clients, indicate she is not properly getting consent for the dismemberment and sale of body parts. Here is the link- https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/usa-bodies-funeral/

Perhaps the biggest punch in the face to me as a professional, is that this competitor advertises herself as holding a “Doctorate in Funeral Sciences” from the “University of Mortuary Science”.  Neither the degree or the University exist.  This claim and fake diploma hanging on her wall, is used to gain the trust of clients or potential clients. This’s ILLEGAL. For those of us that went to college, earned mortuary science degrees and passed National Board Exams, this’s an absolute slap in the face.  The woman’s insistence of the validity of this information, is an exhibit of mental illness and undoubtedly closely being monitored by authorities both statewide and nationally.

Unfortunately, the unethical,collusive and corrupt behavior taking place in Montrose County, has done exactly what it set out to do upon my arrival. It has rendered my business irrelevant.  As of January 22, 2018 Rose Memorial Parlour & Cremation Center, has decided it’s in our best interest to distance ourselves from this behavior and immoral business practices.  I cannot possibly do business in a county where the Coroner facilitates and openly engages in collusion, deception, fraud and corrupt actions.  For those of you in the community that’ve been preyed upon or talked into this “donation” by the use of deceptive descriptions of what this “donation” is in fact, my heart grieves for you.  This probably sounds all too familiar to you.  For those that experienced a situation where the Coroner was involved in the death of a loved one, were you truly given the opportunity to research and select your funeral provider, or was one placed in front of you and you were shuffled into using the funeral home that came to remove your loved one from the place of death?  If the latter occurred, that’s unlawful and I’d like to hear about it at fundirector23@yahoo.com.

I’d like to thank those of you who entrusted your loved one into our care here at Rose Memorial Parlour & Cremation Center, from the bottom of my heart. Our care for “Rose” and Valley Lawn Cemetery is and will always be, incredibly deep. Our plan was to be here indefinitely. We’re absolutely devastated to have to close, but I cannot compete with collusion and corruption. Nor will I work and pay taxes in a county that allows an elected official to engage in this embarrassing, immoral and illegal manner.