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Family Concerned About Grave Marker Save Email Print
Lauderdale County, Miss.
Posted: 2:17 PM May 19, 2008
Last Updated: 7:25 PM May 19, 2008
Reporter: Andrea Williams
Email Address: andrea.williams@wtok.com

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Members of the Phillips family say their loved one was buried at Sunset Memorial Gardens Cemetery three years ago.

However, they say they recently found a slab with someone else's name on it at the spot where their father, husband, and brother, Jackie Phillips, was buried.

The family says, although the wife of the deceased has visited the site at least three times a month since his burial, cemetery officials say that their loved one is actually buried in another location several yards away.

"We going to have to seek further measures because if it takes us, somebody, to have to dig this up and let us find out for ourself, we're not going to take this laying down," said Carolyn Phillips, daughter of the deceased. "We're going to push this further because this is not where my daddy is buried at."

Phillips says a small marker with her father's name on it blew off the site several months ago and family members had put some flowers in its place.

Meanwhile, overseers of the cemetery declined the opportunity to comment about the matter on camera. However, the Rev. Charles Johnson did tell Newscenter 11 by phone that their map of the cemetery shows that Jackie Phillips is laid to rest in another location and that apparently his family members have been visiting the wrong site.

Johnson also said management is sure that another person was not buried on top of Mr. Phillips, saying that is against the law in Mississippi.

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Posted by: Andre Cartier Location: New York City on May 28, 2008 at 12:27 AM
Thanks to Andrea for covering the story,it does have merit,It is unlikely that someone is buried on top of my Uncle,it is proably a mixup in the marker which could have been avoided by marker purchase, and also the cemetery should have blueprint with assinged plot numbers.Listening to the interview I did'nt here anyone request a FREE MARKER,also regarding "william's comments of the family dressed to the nines, it is customary to show respect to the community and others , especially since your comments reflect your ignorance ,"dresed to the nines" "berried" race bating" ,a true lack of education and lack of knowledge of spell check but if one dont know the meaning of the english language how can one do spell check LOL Bubba

Posted by: Liz Location: Collinsville on May 22, 2008 at 04:37 PM
Please next time you don't have any more "news" than this, do a story on a troop or something. They should have saved their money on hair color and put it on a grave marker.

Posted by: Ruth on May 20, 2008 at 04:26 PM
One of the many reasons for life insurance is being able to bury the loved one and have a suitable monument, plus have some money to cover the loss of the loved one's income. It is a great way to take care of the people you love who are left behind.

Posted by: Debbie Location: Waynesboro on May 20, 2008 at 03:01 PM
I agree with everyone saying this story has no news merit also after 3 years it seems some kind of more permanent marker would have been placed for someone the family says they love so much.

Posted by: Ruth on May 20, 2008 at 01:33 PM
At my aunt's funeral (she was the last member of my mother's immediate family, other than my mother) last year, we took a few pictures of family members we had not seen in a long time. I don't think there's anything wrong with that. And it's up to that individual family whether or not it's appropriate to take pictures. You can disagree with the story, but criticizing the family for taking pictures? Come on already.

Posted by: Lauren Location: Meridian on May 20, 2008 at 11:04 AM
Why is this story on the news. It has become very clear that Ms. Williams has poor judgment in picking news stories. The family should have mark the grave sight with the proper marker not a flower.

Posted by: CMSR Location: Philadelphia on May 20, 2008 at 08:54 AM
I think these people are CRAZY & probably looking for a hand out. There is NO way that someone would be buried on top of someone. You have to bury someone 6 ft. underground so if they were digging in the wrong place they would have relized it when they got to the other persons coffin. It doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure that out. So these people need to figure out where there husband/father is buried and stop trying to start a big fuss, and stop looking for a hand out. I also agree with William these people are looking to get something for nothing and I'm really tired of it. People who work for a living can't get ahead for having to support all these that want something for nothing & get.

Posted by: Anonymous Location: Meridian on May 20, 2008 at 08:20 AM
This story was a waste of time for tv. I agree that the family is trying to get a free grave marker out of this story. Who takes pictures at funerals anyway?

Posted by: Anonymous on May 20, 2008 at 07:47 AM
It doesnt matter if the family didnt have enough money to put a traditional marker on the site right away, the family still has a right to find out the truth, What's a free marker when its a possiblity someone else is on top of your loved one. And yall up here worried about what people are wearing, these people are upset. Where is the Love? Race does not have anything to do with this.

Posted by: Anonymous on May 19, 2008 at 07:32 PM
It could be the family did not have enough money to put a traditional marker there right away. A few questions for William. Wouldn't most people wear their best if they knew they would be on TV? Why do you think race has anything to do with this? And who is race baiting?

Posted by: William Location: Meridian on May 19, 2008 at 06:47 PM
I find it funny that most of his family was decked out to the nine's for TV. If I thought that my Father was berried in the wrong grave I would be saying something to the Funeral Home sooner than THREE years later and not trying to stir up something. I wonder how many times his relatives really visited his grave in the first place? Also why wasn't there some kind of marker on his grave site in the first place? Yes, I know they brought up the metal tag that marked his grave so I guess putting one lousy flower on the grave really lets someone know where he is at in a sea of flowers on other graves It just sounds, to me, that they are trying to get a free marker out of the deal!! This family has made goofs out of WTOK. Oh, I guess you knew who was the owner of the Funeral Home? Yep, Clark mister NAACP! You should of let everyone know about this. I am tired of race bating in and around Meridian!

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