ONLY ON 3: Family upset at cemetery’s burial mistakes

PENDER COUNTY, NC (WWAY) — They bought a burial plot for their mother more than 30 years ago. Now a family is speaking out saying the owners of the cemetery put their mother in the wrong spot.

The Mareadys of Pender County bought their mother’s burial plot years ago to guarantee she would be buried next to her husband, but she’s not.

Riverview Memorial Cemetery in Watha is the final resting place for hundreds of people. Among the many buried here is Sarah Mobley.

“My mother was buried in the wrong slot,” Mobley’s son David Maready said.

Maready says his mom was buried last year in a different plot than what the family purchased back in the 1970s when her husband Ira passed away.

“She’s actually about three spots from where she is supposed to be, and then someone is already buried in the place she was originally going to be buried at,” Maready said.

The Maready family has the deeds that show that Sarah was supposed to be buried in lot one to the left of her husband. Instead she’s buried a row above and to the right in lot four.

“It’s really hard, and it’s really hard to come back and talk about it knowing that she’s not where she’s supposed to be,” Maready said.

He said the family has contacted the cemetery about the situation. They say Riverview at first seemed concerned about the error, but the Mareadys say the cemetery never said it was at fault.

In an effort to find out more, we contacted one of the owners Haywood Debmam. He said the mistake was not their fault. Debmam said the previous owners and their bookkeeping are to blame. The cemetery owner admitted they have made mistakes in the past.

He added that he is willing to help out the Mareadys by burying their mother where they would like. The Mareadys say that’s all they want, but the family made it clear they will not sign any paperwork that would waive their right to any legal action.

Debmam, promises that all the family would have to sign is an application for a disinterment permit required by the state. The Mareadys say they’ll get the paperwork signed soon, all to make sure that mom will finally rest in peace.

Riverview Cemetery says it is hopeful the problem will be solved soon. The owner says the biggest priority is to make sure customers are happy.