Совет Санфорда разрешил перенос двух заброшенных могил несмотря на опасения по поводу поиска родственников

The Sanford City Council voted Tuesday to allow the relocation of two abandoned graves discovered on property near the Raleigh Executive Jetport, despite questions from several council members about efforts to locate descendants of those buried there. The request came from Stephens Enterprises, which purchased property at 603 Rod Sullivan Road. The tract, annexed into the city in 2022, contains two unmarked graves believed to belong to Lonnie Womble, who died in 1923, and Elizabeth “Lizzie” Womble, who died in 1926. The company plans to relocate the remains to Broadway Town Cemetery, where they will receive perpetual care. Under North Carolina law, city consent is required before abandoned graves within the city limits can be disinterred and relocated. City Attorney Susan Patterson told the council the applicants had complied with the statutory requirements, including notifying potential heirs through newspaper publication and coordinating the removal with the Lee County Health Department. The issue prompted an extended discussion among council members, several of whom questioned whether enough had been done to locate living relatives before disturbing the graves. Councilman Charles Taylor proposed delaying action, saying advances in genealogy research since the original notifications were made in 2022 might make it possible to identify additional descendants. “What efforts have been made to contact the next of kin?” He asked. “They may not know anything about it.” Patterson said that after a notification letter was sent, officials were not contacted by any relatives. Councilman Byron Buckels also asked about the process, noting that he had the same concerns as Taylor. “They did try to find out who the relatives were,” Patterson said. Taylor asked if the city should try again. “Is that sufficient, or should we make another attempt?” He asked. Patterson responded that the city’s role was limited to determining whether the applicant had complied with state law, not directing how the relocation should be carried out. She said the property owner is responsible for the disinterment process. According to documents submitted with the request, legal notices were published in The Sanford Herald on Sept. 10, 17 and 24 and Oct. 1, 2022. More than 30 days passed without objections, satisfying state notification requirements. The application also included a genealogy study prepared by Terracon. The report said researchers identified 39 possible descendants through the siblings of Lonnie and Elizabeth Womble because neither of the two buried individuals had children. Letters were mailed to the identified relatives. Two descendants responded, but neither objected to the relocation or wished to participate further in the process. During the meeting, council members noted the extensive family research included in the application and said the evidence indicated the company had made a good-faith effort to identify and contact descendants. The graves were discovered after developers noticed depressions in a wooded area on the property. There were no visible headstones or grave markers. Further investigation confirmed the presence of two burials. Under the approved plan, a licensed cemetery relocation company will remove the remains under the supervision of a licensed funeral director and the Lee County Health Department. After reinterment at Broadway Town Cemetery, a certificate documenting the relocation will be filed in accordance with state law.