Over 100 people with family and friends buried at Eternal Hills met Wednesday night in Klamath Falls to learn more about what’s happening at the cemetery.
Carolyn Wade of the Oregon Department of Justice summed up the problems at Eternal Hills: “It’s a complicated mess.”
A meeting was held at the Klamath County Fairgrounds to try to make sense of that mess.
Kimberlee Underwood of the ‘Eternal Hills Guardians’ explains the purpose of the meeting. “To bring people up to speed that haven’t been privy to the entire process, since this catastrophe began.”
Multiple complaints against the cemetery owners led to loss of their operating license, and involuntary bankruptcy.
“The bankruptcy has been pretty much on hold while we’ve been trying to work out a settlement.” Notes Wade.
Chad Dresselhaus of the Oregon Mortuary and Cemetery Board acknowledges that the situation is unusual. “The cemetery being private property kind of creates another layer of challenge if you will, or just things to deal with.”
Many are concerned over deteriorating conditions at Eternal Hills.
Once the bankruptcy issue is resolved, that will free up about $35,000 from the endowment trust.
However, there are those that think it will cost much more than that to restore the cemetery following the period of extended neglect.
Dresselhaus is optimistic that conditions at the cemetery will eventually be restored. “We are very hopeful that we will come to a resolution in the near future that will benefit the community who have loved ones interred there, and who own plots.”
Questions about Eternal Hills can be made to the Oregon Mortuary and Cemetery Board: https://www.oregon.gov/omcb/Pages/default.aspx
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