Posted on 06/22/2002 2:01:46 PM PDT by Macaw
ARCADIA, June 19, 2002 — The death of a DeSoto County man is bringing about some unusual questions. Rick Georges died in April, but has yet to be buried. His widow is challenging the city code in the hopes of granting the man’s dying wish.
Arcadia is typical of ‘Small Town, USA.’ It’s the kind of place where people bury their beloved pets in the yard. But on one particular street, a widow wants to bury her husband in the side yard.
"Very odd. I thought it might have been a rumor," said neighbor Mike Witmer.
Pat Kepple would have a front row viewing – her house is across the street. She doesn't like the sound of the plot.
"If it's a country area where they have a hundred acres or something and they have their family plot, that's different. But right here in town?" she said.
Georges wanted to buried next to his dog. Before he died of cancer, he put the wheels in motion. His new bride filed a petition with the city asking them to grant his last wish.
It’s uncharted territory for Arcadia. The city manager says nothing like this has ever crossed his desk before. The town charter does allow for burials in family cemeteries, but not in a subdivision.
A zoning hearing is set for next week. Twenty homeowners who live within 300 feet of the Georges got certified letters notifying them, but Arcadia is such a small town that everybody knows all about it.
"We've had a petition around and we've got quite a few signatures and quite a few people are upset about the whole thing," Kepple said.
That leaves Georges, a former official with the local Moose lodge, stuck in limbo. His body has been stored at a local funeral home since April.
The matter will hopefully be resolved at a planning and zoning hearing next Tuesday night in Arcadia.
The problem is that somebody else is going to want to use that home someday. Cities and towns everywhere have some rules as to what you can and can't do on your own property within city limits.
End result of that would be: Gardener Finds Three Bodies in Backyard; Identities Unknown
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.