Eternal Hills in Klamath Co. awarded new owners after years of 'horrific' conditions

KLAMATH COUNTY, Ore — Eternal Hills Funeral Home was granted new owners following years of legal battles.

According to Klamath County Commissioner Derrick DeGroot, a federal judge awarded the rights to John Yeatman and Guy Saxton earlier this year. The duo owns several funeral homes across the country, and were the second highest bidder in the auction of the cemetery.

The highest bidder was former owner Robert Gordon, but a judge prohibited him from owning the property again. Several complaints regarding costs and mishandling at the cemetery began to be filed in 2014 – which later led to a loss in its license in 2016. The state then forced Gordon into involuntary bankruptcy in 2017.

DeGroot says within that time frame, conditions at the cemetery worsened.

“This is a huge weight that’s lifted off of the shoulders of the entire community,” DeGroot said. “It has been a struggle to drive by and see the cemetery in its present condition. We’re very excited to finally put this nightmare for our community to an end.”

The state, with the assistance of a trustee, took control of the property but had difficulties landing a new owner. DeGroot says Yeatman and Saxton have fixed other sites in the same conditions as Eternal Hills, and plan to start rehabilitating it when conditions permit.