My mother bought lots for our family members at Joplin Cemetery on Chinden Blvd in 1960. In approximately 2000 she transfered ownership deeds/rights of burial to each individual family member. By that time all the cemetery lots had been sold. The Sexton at that time had been there for 30+ years. He was responsible for all the daily cemetery business, maintaining their records and the landscaping. There was a board of directors that took care of finances. He retired and the next Sexton also worked there about 30 years until she retired. My father died in 2002. My brother died in 2013. In 2018, my mother died and in 2020 three of the last four siblings died leaving me as the only living family member. My nephew who had bought a lot from one of my brothers was in the process of managing the estate and the burial of his mother when he suddenly died. I took over the burial process for his mother, my sister. The Sexton was very helpful. She instructed me on the process and showed me which lot was my sister's. After the burial, there was one available unoccupied lot left. My father's lot and my sister's lot were both 99% unoccupied. So, as per the Sextons instructions, she transfered one lot to another relative and changed my dad's lot to be used by other relatives, with permission. She approved my request to be buried in my sister's lot and changed that lot deed to include both me and my sister. She later approved my request to place a memorial marker in the same lot. My nephew's burial was delayed because of the pandemic. But for me the relief of finally being done with all the deaths and markers and funerals was unimaginable. No more stress and a chance to heal from all the grief. Two years later the current Sexton called and said my nephew's wife brought in some papers and said two of those lots were hers. He didn't know what the document was but he wouldn't show it to me, read it to me or send me a copy. He said he would show it to the board of directors and get back to me. Two days later I got a letter from her attorney giving me 10 days to remove all the markers. I was still waiting to hear back from the Sexton. I never did. Almost immediately the board told him not to talk to me. I was not allowed to see any of my records. I was left in limbo with them never telling me anything. I still didn't know what was going on. They hired an attorney. 3 months later I got a letter from their attorney trying to force me to sign a document agreeing that she owned the lots and regardless they were going to void all three transfers that the former Sxton had done. He gave me 10 days. Obviously they had decided that she owned the lots. However, Idaho law says deciding ownership in a dispute could only be decided by a judge . They still refused to talk to me yet I had already been threatened twice and bullied. Their attorney told the board members not to talk to me and told me in writing not to talk to him. I had to hire an attorney. Their attorney said he was going to have them file a complaint with the courts. Eight months later they still had done nothing. I felt kind of crazy. I couldn't believe this was happening. I thought it should have been resolved by then. I was so depressed and stressed. The lots were mine. We'd had them since 1960. AND.... she may have some kind of document, dated 2013, but no one had ever told Joplin's office or registered the transfers. There were no records of it and Joplin didn't know anything about it. They'd had 9 years to register her transfers but didn't. In every communication between their attorney and mine, their attorney said awful things about me. Belittled me, tried real hard to make me look bad. After 1 year, I filed with small claims. If they were voiding my deeds, that meant their Sexton had made a mistake. They should have given her two other lots. I thought Joplin should pay for the costs of buying two new lots in another cemetery, etc . They turned around and filed a civil suit against me, which voided my small claims suit. Now I'm having to defend myself. They still had never talked to me. I couldn't believe it. They accused me of trespassing, desecrating a grave, buring my sister and putting down the markers without their knowledge or approval. They said the former Sexton was in cognitive decline and that I had coerced her into making those transfers , none of which was true. A year later the civil suit was still going on. In our research, we discovered that the documents that she had were probably forged. At the very least they were not valid. My mother had already transfered those lots back in 2000. She had no authority to transfer lots that someone else held the title to . We discovered that the board member who was making these decisions was not even registered with the county and had no authority to do anything. Regardless, after two years, guess what. I lost. She was paid for the lot with my sister in it and given the other lot. And my deeds were all voided. read more
