07/12/2004

Sherrill Harden Memorial Service

by Mark Merz, President of the Funeral Directors Association of Northwest Ohio

On June 20, 2003, ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, CNN, the Associated Press, as well as many radio stations and newspapers reported that eight bodies in various stages of decomposition were discovered on the premises of the Sherrill Harden Funeral Home located at 639 Indiana Ave. in Toledo, Ohio. During further investigation and upon its closing by the State Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors of Ohio, 33 sets of cremated remains were also found in the facility, all of which were unclaimed by area family members. When this news first broke last June regarding the atrocities that occurred in this funeral home, the Funeral Directors Association of Northwest Ohio, led by its President, Mark A. Merz, Manager of Blanchard Bros. Funeral Home, immediately assembled a task force that worked directly with area authorities to try and resolve these horrific circumstances.

We began by assisting those families whose loved ones were found on the premises by providing them with proper and dignified burials. We continued working with the Lucas County Bureau of Vital Statistics, Lucas County Police Department, Lucas County Coroners Office, the Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors of Ohio and the State Attorney Generals Office to secure all the necessary information for proper permits and mandatory paperwork. Pressing forward, we continued to work with area authorities to not only identify, but to locate and properly place these cremated remains with their families. After months, seven of the eight individuals found on these premises as well as all 33 sets of cremated remains were properly identified. Despite our tireless efforts, 17 cremated remains were unclaimed and one individual still remained unidentified.

On May 26, 2004, nearly a year after this incident began, the Funeral Directors Association of Northwest Ohio hosted a community wide memorial service in Historic Woodlawn Cemetery to pay tribute and honor those families affected by this tragedy. The service was well attended by not only family members, but by many area community leaders, local funeral directors, members from OFDA, the Ohio Board of Embalmers and Funeral Directors of Ohio and local news media. We felt that it was important to close this chapter of unrest, pain and suffering, facilitate the grieving process and move toward closure. As funeral service professionals, it was our responsibility to host this memorial service. We wanted to provide an opportunity for families to openly grieve and express themselves.
We also believed it necessary that we provide a permanent resting place for our community to not only pay their respects, but to serve as a constant reminder so that tragic events like this never occur again.

OFDA would like to commend Mark and the entire membership of the Funeral Directors Association of Northwest Ohio for all their efforts and professionalism in dealing with this event.