ALLENTOWN, Pa. — For those who believe in such things, one wonders what each of them might have felt in their hearts that are no longer of this world.
There they were at Cedar Heights Cemetery on Monday morning — the cremation remains of eight unclaimed individuals on a long table adorned with name plates, roses, other flowers and unanswered questions.
After what in some cases were years of searching for family members to claim the remains, the Lehigh County Coroner’s Office had exhausted all avenues.
Some family members could not be found; others declined to claim the remains.
The time had come to inter them together.
But unclaimed? Nothing could be further from the truth.
On Monday, more than 100 Lehigh Valley residents attended the burial service to bid those folks farewell.
They came to ensure they would not leave this world alone.
They came to show them that they care.
“No one should leave this life without acknowledgement,” Lehigh County Coroner Daniel Buglio told the attendees. “No one should leave this life without knowing they mattered.
“We will put them in their final resting place with dignity and respect.”
The individuals, and date of death:
- Alfredo Rojas, 34, March 17, 1992.
- Herbert Jackson, 57, March 14, 1988.
- John Breidinger, 76, Feb. 14, 2004.
- James Skies, 63, Oct. 19, 2016.
- Anne Nemchik, 75, Dec. 26, 2022.
- Stanley Taylor, 73, Oct. 3, 2023.
- Mark Vandalen, 70, Oct. 31, 2023.
- Teddy Yates, 62, Nov. 19, 2023.
'They deserve this dignity'
The hint of early fall was blunted by the warmth of those in attendance for folks they never knew.
Dave Herbold, a bagpiper from Fountain Hill, cut the respectful silence with a moving rendition of “Amazing Grace.”
He attended uninvited.
“I saw they were holding this for those people and decided to come and play,” Herbold said. “I worried nobody would show up for them. I just thought coming and playing would add a nice touch.”
"My heart told me to come."Margie Kavchok, Emmaus
A man and woman drove 90 minutes from Pike County.
“We’re caretakers at Paupack Cemetery,” the woman said. “Our cemetery has veterans from the Revolutionary War, so we know about respect. We came today out of respect for these people.”
The reason Margie Kavchok of Emmaus attended the ceremony?
“My heart told me to come,” she said.
Lehigh County paid for the cremation, burial and the grave marker with the names of the deceased.
The deceased were either estranged from family members or the coroner’s office was unable to locate next of kin.
“I think as part of my role as coroner and as part of the community, this is what we owe these people — to have a nice, dignified burial,” Buglio said.
“It wasn’t right to keep their remains locked up in our evidence closet anymore. They deserve this dignity.”
'At least we were here'
As she held her gaze on the table with the remains of the unclaimed, Lehigh County Coroner’s Office Bereavement Coordinator Jessica Tirpak expressed mixed emotions.
“We worked extremely hard to make sure we exhausted all options for these people,” she said.
“But there’s a peace that comes over me because it’s closing a chapter for them and giving them a beautiful goodbye.
“Seeing all these people here to give them a sendoff is a good feeling.”Lehigh County Coroner’s Office Bereavement Coordinator Jessica Tirpak
“Seeing all these people here to give them a sendoff is a good feeling.”
About 150,000 bodies in the U.S. go unclaimed each year, according to Pamela Prickett and Stafan Timmermans, authors of “The Unclaimed: Abandonment and Hope in the City of Angels.”
Many are buried alone, with no ceremony, no fitting sendoff.
The ceremony at Cedar Heights Cemetery on Monday was different.
Strangers gathered to embrace the memory of strangers.
As she departed the ceremony at its conclusion, an elderly woman dabbed tears.
“How terrible to go with no family here with you,” she said to a companion. “At least we were here. I hope they know that.”
