RIP ? US veteran's ashes held for non-payment by funeral home
- CEOCambodiaNews
- Expatriate
- Posts: 62409
- Joined: Sun Oct 12, 2014 5:13 am
- Reputation: 4034
- Location: CEO Newsroom in Phnom Penh, Cambodia
- Contact:
RIP ? US veteran's ashes held for non-payment by funeral home
A veteran’s ashes are in limbo in Cambodia
1 November 2017
- Nonpayment of funeral expenses has left an American veteran’s remains in limbo nearly two years after his death in Cambodia.
Jimmie Herschal Sillavan, who served with the Air Force in the Pacific from 1959 to 1963, died of a heart attack at his home in Phnom Penh on Dec. 21, 2015. He was given a traditional Buddhist funeral; however, his cremated ashes have been held by a local funeral home since then because nobody has paid the $1,270 cremation fee, said Michael Estep, a fellow Air Force veteran living in Cambodia.
“The body was released (to the funeral home) without the U.S. Embassy checking to make sure funds to cover the cost of the cremation were deposited in a Phnom Penh bank account or with the embassy as required under the Foreign Affairs Manual,” he said in an email.
Sillavan’s survivors in Cambodia — he left behind a local national wife, Thavy Chevy, and a 4-year-old son, Hemmie Jimmie Sillavan — can’t afford to retrieve the ashes, said Estep, who added he tried but failed to contact the man’s extended family in the United States.
“Jimmie has never received any of the respect/honors given to honorably discharged veterans,” Estep said. “Thavy and her son have not received a burial flag or any other of the honors owed to the immediate family of a deceased honorably discharged veteran.”
Correspondence provided by Estep suggests Sillavan was receiving Social Security and veteran benefits at the time of his death, and there may be other benefits that his wife and child are entitled to, he said. U.S. officials in Phnom Pehn declined to comment on the case, citing privacy concerns.
Roy Day, commander of the Phnom Penh Veterans of Foreign Wars post, said members are looking for ways they can help recover Sillavan’s ashes.
Day said he wants to find out if there are survivor benefits and other things that Sillavan’s son is eligible for and help him obtain a U.S. passport.
https://www.stripes.com/news/a-veteran- ... p-1.495717
1 November 2017
- Nonpayment of funeral expenses has left an American veteran’s remains in limbo nearly two years after his death in Cambodia.
Jimmie Herschal Sillavan, who served with the Air Force in the Pacific from 1959 to 1963, died of a heart attack at his home in Phnom Penh on Dec. 21, 2015. He was given a traditional Buddhist funeral; however, his cremated ashes have been held by a local funeral home since then because nobody has paid the $1,270 cremation fee, said Michael Estep, a fellow Air Force veteran living in Cambodia.
“The body was released (to the funeral home) without the U.S. Embassy checking to make sure funds to cover the cost of the cremation were deposited in a Phnom Penh bank account or with the embassy as required under the Foreign Affairs Manual,” he said in an email.
Sillavan’s survivors in Cambodia — he left behind a local national wife, Thavy Chevy, and a 4-year-old son, Hemmie Jimmie Sillavan — can’t afford to retrieve the ashes, said Estep, who added he tried but failed to contact the man’s extended family in the United States.
“Jimmie has never received any of the respect/honors given to honorably discharged veterans,” Estep said. “Thavy and her son have not received a burial flag or any other of the honors owed to the immediate family of a deceased honorably discharged veteran.”
Correspondence provided by Estep suggests Sillavan was receiving Social Security and veteran benefits at the time of his death, and there may be other benefits that his wife and child are entitled to, he said. U.S. officials in Phnom Pehn declined to comment on the case, citing privacy concerns.
Roy Day, commander of the Phnom Penh Veterans of Foreign Wars post, said members are looking for ways they can help recover Sillavan’s ashes.
Day said he wants to find out if there are survivor benefits and other things that Sillavan’s son is eligible for and help him obtain a U.S. passport.
https://www.stripes.com/news/a-veteran- ... p-1.495717
Join the Cambodia Expats Online Telegram Channel: https://t.me/CambodiaExpatsOnline
Cambodia Expats Online: Bringing you breaking news from Cambodia before you read it anywhere else!
Have a story or an anonymous news tip for CEO? Need advertising? CONTACT US
Cambodia Expats Online is the most popular community in the country. JOIN TODAY
Follow CEO on social media:
Facebook
Twitter
YouTube
Instagram
Cambodia Expats Online: Bringing you breaking news from Cambodia before you read it anywhere else!
Have a story or an anonymous news tip for CEO? Need advertising? CONTACT US
Cambodia Expats Online is the most popular community in the country. JOIN TODAY
Follow CEO on social media:
YouTube
- vladimir
- The Pun-isher
- Posts: 6077
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 6:51 pm
- Reputation: 185
- Location: The Kremlin
Re: RIP ? US veteran's ashes held for non-payment by funeral home
Beats me why people still sign up when they and their families get treated like dirt when the chips are down.
Shameful.
Shameful.
Jesus loves you...Mexico is great, right?
Re: RIP ? US veteran's ashes held for non-payment by funeral home
"because nobody has paid the $1,270 cremation fee" But its only about $30 for a cremation. I once helped a family out for a funeral for their son. I gave them $500 and it was a very palatial affair, wagon to take the body to the wat, cremation, Large marquee, food for guests etc. Not forgetting the loud annoying music. Seems a bit of a rip off.
- John Bingham
- Expatriate
- Posts: 13763
- Joined: Sun Dec 07, 2014 11:26 pm
- Reputation: 8969
Re: RIP ? US veteran's ashes held for non-payment by funeral home
It seems pretty irresponsible fathering a kid in your 70s.
Silence, exile, and cunning.
- vladimir
- The Pun-isher
- Posts: 6077
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 6:51 pm
- Reputation: 185
- Location: The Kremlin
Re: RIP ? US veteran's ashes held for non-payment by funeral home
Unless he felt/knew they were entitled to support from the US...
If so, why not?
If so, why not?
Jesus loves you...Mexico is great, right?
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 3858
- Joined: Mon May 19, 2014 7:49 am
- Reputation: 978
- Location: Outside of Kampong Cham city
Re: RIP ? US veteran's ashes held for non-payment by funeral home
This is spot on.Kuroneko wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2017 7:43 pm "because nobody has paid the $1,270 cremation fee" But its only about $30 for a cremation. I once helped a family out for a funeral for their son. I gave them $500 and it was a very palatial affair, wagon to take the body to the wat, cremation, Large marquee, food for guests etc. Not forgetting the loud annoying music. Seems a bit of a rip off.
As my old Cajun bait seller used to say, "I opes you luck.
- vladimir
- The Pun-isher
- Posts: 6077
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 6:51 pm
- Reputation: 185
- Location: The Kremlin
Re: RIP ? US veteran's ashes held for non-payment by funeral home
Kuroneko, I see a business oppo...Kuroneko wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2017 7:43 pm "because nobody has paid the $1,270 cremation fee" But its only about $30 for a cremation. I once helped a family out for a funeral for their son. I gave them $500 and it was a very palatial affair, wagon to take the body to the wat, cremation, Large marquee, food for guests etc. Not forgetting the loud annoying music. Seems a bit of a rip off.
Jesus loves you...Mexico is great, right?
Re: RIP ? US veteran's ashes held for non-payment by funeral home
Good idea i'm just dying to startvladimir wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2017 8:09 pmKuroneko, I see a business oppo...Kuroneko wrote: ↑Tue Nov 07, 2017 7:43 pm "because nobody has paid the $1,270 cremation fee" But its only about $30 for a cremation. I once helped a family out for a funeral for their son. I gave them $500 and it was a very palatial affair, wagon to take the body to the wat, cremation, Large marquee, food for guests etc. Not forgetting the loud annoying music. Seems a bit of a rip off.
- vladimir
- The Pun-isher
- Posts: 6077
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 6:51 pm
- Reputation: 185
- Location: The Kremlin
Re: RIP ? US veteran's ashes held for non-payment by funeral home
I hear lots of deadwood in Takhmao, maybe we can start gathering fuel there
Jesus loves you...Mexico is great, right?
-
- Expatriate
- Posts: 13458
- Joined: Wed May 28, 2014 11:37 pm
- Reputation: 3974
Re: RIP ? US veteran's ashes held for non-payment by funeral home
The US Embassy took charge of a US citizen's body and gave it to a funeral parlour in PP (I presume) for cremation. Surely they are responsible for getting the body released, or am I totally wrong here ?
What about the Cambodian family ? It seems like the man's life was here and not in the US. Looks fked up, but please enlighten me.
What about the Cambodian family ? It seems like the man's life was here and not in the US. Looks fked up, but please enlighten me.
-
- Similar Topics
- Replies
- Views
- Last post
-
- 3 Replies
- 1315 Views
-
Last post by Doc67
-
- 46 Replies
- 9528 Views
-
Last post by SternAAlbifrons
-
- 1 Replies
- 1911 Views
-
Last post by Rossco180
-
- 13 Replies
- 3346 Views
-
Last post by John Bingham
-
- 11 Replies
- 5059 Views
-
Last post by Robins
-
- 5 Replies
- 1741 Views
-
Last post by techietraveller84
-
- 1 Replies
- 884 Views
-
Last post by sanjuro
Who is online
Users browsing this forum: jaynewcastle, PSD-Kiwi, xandreu and 450 guests