Sometimes a simple 'sorry' just doesn't cut it.
My Grandfather was a United States Marine who fought in the Korean war and loved his country.
Last month he passed away, and a few weeks ago he was buried without the military funeral honors he deserved because the people at Salerno's Rosedale Chapels of Roselle 'forgot to file the papers'... and then blamed it on Uncle Sam.
So yeah. You can stuff your sorries in a sack, Salerno's.
On the night of the wake, I wrote Salerno's Funeral Chapel a 5 star, glowing review and then less than 24 hours later, I found myself hoping to see their business go down at the hands of my newly updated and much deserved (and still VERY generous) 2 star review. I waited a month to write this review to make sure it wasn't just the grievance anger talking, but I still felt the same, so here it goes...
There are oopsie daisies, there are wuh ohs, there are mistakes and there are epic fails. Salerno's, you outdid all the labels with the level of negligence and degradation you showed my deceased Grandfather and his mourning family. A funeral complete with Military Funeral Honors, servicemen, pallbearers, a salute and Taps should have been what he received. Instead, his 3 living sons and one grandson (all the men left to the namesake) carried him out on their own, only to be told on the spot as we were waiting at the cemetery that the military servicemen 'just didn't show up' and that that they 'have a lot so people's funeral's to attend, and they can't be at all of them."
First off, my Grandpa was not 'a lot of people', he was my grandfather, he was a father, husband, uncle, great-grandfather, a US Marine and more. Their line about having 'lots of people's funerals' was disrespectful enough without finding out later that day after doing my own digging through the USMC's casualty office, that Salerno's had lied and actually just plain forgotten to do their job and allow my Grandfather his last rightful honor. Salerno's did end up calling me back regarding my inquiry as to why he did not receive that service, only after they found out that I had researched what really happened and that the casualty office was also looking into their mistake.
As far as amending their mistake, too little and WAY too late doesn't even begin to cover it. And it wasn't made any better by the short matter-of-fact tone of the woman on the phone--in my opinion, the equivalent to her snidely saying 'Wha d'ya want ME to do about it now?'.
We had family in town from across the country and their offer to have the servicemen come out another day for the family that still lives in the area isn't enough. For something as stark and final as death, they should have gone above and beyond to amend their haphazard mistake and that was not done, not even close. If Salerno's wants to fly my grandfather's out of state Son, daughter-in-law, and granddaughter back in to complete the final ceremony, I'd reconsider my feelings, but anything less than that is simply unacceptable. I still can't believe they would even accept payment from a family after botching a service so badly.
I hope any and all considering Salerno's read this first, and decide whether your loved one deserves to be dis-honored the ways ours was.
Shame on you, Salerno's.
Sincerely,
The Granddaughter of Earl G read more
