(WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Several people in Kane County, who died with no one to claim their remains, will receive a memorial service later this month.
Kane County Coroner Rob Russell says when family members cannot be found or there is no one willing to claim the remains of someone who died, the remains are left in the care of his office.
Russell says he wanted to make sure those remains were treated with the proper respect.
“Each and every person that comes through this office is a person. We want to treat each and every one of them no matter their background with dignity and respect. I hope that it gives society a little bit of comfort knowing that anybody who comes through my office is going to get treated that way.”
The coroner’s office does everything it can to find family members of the deceased.
Russell says sometimes relatives can't be found, while in other cases no one is willing to claim the remains.
Russell felt it was important to show respect for the people whose cremated remains were left in his care.
“It's just not honorable for them to be in here, in the office, on a shelf. We can't just dump them or throw them, that would be dishonorable. But it can be said that you can kind of judge a society by how well they treat their dead.”
Russell says a memorial service for the unclaimed remains of 29 people will be held on May 30 at St. Charles Township's North Cemetery. It will be the fifth time since 2013 that his office has held such a service.
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