Spokane Cremation & Funeral Service, Inc

Review: My mother, [redacted], died Wednesday, August 13, 2014 about 8:45PM at Hospice House in Spokane.

I had called Spokane Cremation earlier to arrange to have her remains picked up when she passed away.

After her passing, I sat with her for a half-hour to an hour and was told by the staff at Hospice House

that Spokane Cremation would pick her up probably within an hour.

Spokane Cremation had an online form that I filled out and submitted upon her death. I advised them

that, for religious purposes, my mother was not to be cremated for 72 hours after her death. Also that

her remains were to be placed in a transportable container with the appropriate documentation for air

shipment to Hawaii as her will stated specifically that her remains were to be dispersed in the waters of

Oahu.

I went to Spokane Cremation the following morning to pay for their service and sign an authorization.

The agreement stated she was not to be cremated for 72 hours; not 3 days; not 2 days and 24 hours.

Specifically, 72 hours after her death. That would have made her cremation, at the earliest, 8:45PM,

Saturday, August 16.

While there I asked to see my mom. I was told I could not see her unless she was embalmed. I had just

seen her hours before but now I could not unless she was embalmed? I immediately became suspicious.

My daughter had just witnessed the cremation of her mother in Alaska at the end of July. She had not

been embalmed. Why, as her only surviving relative, was I refused access to my mother?

To be honest, my concern was Spokane Cremation’s care of my mother. Had she already been

cremated? Was she stacked in a pile with other decedents awaiting her cremation? I didn’t ask these

questions of the fellow who completed the paperwork as he hustled me out the front door before I

could ask anything else.

In retrospect, I should have called another Funeral Service and had her moved.

On Monday, August 18, I was called to come pick her up. She was in an appropriate container for

shipping and the paperwork for her transport was included.

I asked the same fellow when she was cremated and he told me Saturday, August 16. I told him that the

proviso was 72 hours after death. Well, it was 3 days from when she died, he said - Thursday, Friday,

and Saturday.

Whether his customer service skills were lacking or what, I don’t know but when I

asked him how I could be sure the remains I held were my mom’s, he said, “You’ll have to trust us”.

That’s a poor answer to someone who has just lost their mother...”Trust me”. Do I have floor sweepings

or somebody’s uncle in a box or is it really my beloved mother? I will never know unless I conduct a

DNA analysis.

As I proceeded to ask about Spokane Cremations accountability, he again hustled me out the door. I

understand you will conduct your own investigation on this matter. Whatever is decided in the matter,

I do hope Spokane Cremation is placed on a watch list. They have shown that they will not be held

unaccountable.Desired Settlement: I want proof that she was not stacked up in a pile of bodies with other decedents before cremation, and documented proof that Spokane Cremation did, in fact, wait the agreed upon 72 hours before cremating her remains. I also think a written apology for their inappropriate behavior might mollify my ire.