MILITARY WIDOW SAYS HUSBAND'S MEDALS WERE CREMATED

An Army widow wants her husband's uniform and medals. He was cremated more than a year ago but she still has not received them back from the funeral home. She says she's asked why, but hasn't received any answers. So she turned to Local 12 Troubleshooter Howard Ain for help.

Tyanne Martin of Fairfield says she's been trying to get back her husband's belongings ever since he was cremated in September last year. Staff Sergeant James Martin Junior was a highly decorated Iraqi War veteran.

The cancer developed just as Martin was on his second tour of duty in Iraq. Previously, he had received the Audie Murphy Award for leadership achievement and performance... an award that was around his neck at his funeral-- immediately prior to his cremation. "The whole agreement was for my husband to have the funeral and I gave the funeral home all of his military awards and medals plus his uniform and it was the only one I had left."

Martin says she told the funeral home numerous times, "I wanted my stuff back. I mean why would I want a rare military award cremated? Who would do that?"

After the funeral the Thompson, Hall and Jordan Funeral Home gave her the cremated remains and pictures-- but neither the award nor uniform. "They kept saying they were going to give me my uniform and kept saying give us a couple of days we'll give it to you."

I contacted Katherine Jordan of Thompson, Hall and Jordan funeral home. She checked and found everything was cremated because of a mistake. Jordan says she didn't have Mrs. Martin's correct phone number until I gave it to her. She called and apologized and offered to forgive the $4500 still owed on the funeral.

To prevent this type of thing from happening to you, make sure the cremation form states everything you wish to be returned. Although Mrs. Martin says she told this to several people, nothing was ever put on that form.

To read the complete article, see: Military Widow Says Husband's Medal Was Cremated (www.local12.com/news/local/story/Military-Widow-Says
-Husbands-Medal-Was-Cremated/V2rKRonPdUSH2EcTWmhVBA.cspx)

Wayne Homren, Editor

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