Memorial For The Forgotten

The Ada County Coroner’s Office will occasionally investigate a case resulting in an unclaimed decedent. These decedents are individuals who either had no legal next of kin or were abandoned in death by their family. Many offices follow the practice of storing the remains in a closet or storage area. Coroner Owens felt this practice was not dignified and strove to find a better solution.

In order to ensure these remains receive a proper resting place, the Ada County Coroner’s Office partnered with the Cloverdale Funeral Home. In 2016, Cloverdale Funeral Home graciously donated a crypt to store the unclaimed remains until such a time loved ones can be located and/or someone will come forward who will take responsibility for them.

All remains are interred in the crypt prior to a full service. Past services have included honor guards, bagpipes and the reading of the names of the individuals. At this time, there are 76 total cremated remains interred into the crypt. At the Ada County Coroner’s Office, each case has an assigned case number and proper files are kept in case someone does come forward to claim their loved one. In the meantime, Ada County remains will rest at the mausoleum at Terrace Lawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery thanks to Cloverdale Funeral Home.