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'We can't do anything about it': 162 cremated remains unclaimed by deadline in Bibb County

Some of the ashes date back decades. The oldest is Annie Tolbert who died 37 years ago in 1985.

MACON, Ga. — Monday marks the deadline for people to claim their loved ones' ashes in Macon-Bibb. However, the county says still 162 boxes of ashes remain unclaimed by family members nearly two months after it called for families to claim them.

Downstairs in the basement of the Bibb County annex building among shelves and shelves of archives sits 162 boxes. Each has a story and all but four have a name. 

They are ashes that have remained unclaimed and, in some cases, forgotten. 

Coroner Leon Jones says some of the cremains date back decades. The oldest is Annie Tolbert's ashes. Tolbert died 37 years ago in 1985, according to county records. 

"I don't know why families don't claim their loved ones. I think sometimes it's a conflict between the families. Sometimes it's the mental stress," Jones said. 

It's been nearly two months since the county published a list of 166 people whose ashes remain unclaimed. The county asked their families to step forward, but as of the deadline Monday, only four families have claimed their loved ones' remains. 

"They're not calling back, and we can't do anything about it," Jones said. 

The county could not say whose ashes were claimed as of Monday.

With still 162 unclaimed, the county says they plan to move forward by filing a report with Bibb County Superior Court asking for permission to scatter the ashes. County Clerk Janice Ross says they don't know how long the process could take, but once the court approves, they plan to hold a ceremony at Rose Hill Cemetery. 

"Whatever we do, it will be respectful, and take on with reverence for these 162 final souls," Ross said. 

"On a shelf or not, they are still somebody's loved one. They should be treated with respect and dignity," Jones said.

If you'd like to claim your loved one's ashes, the county says you can do so filing with the Superior Court Clerk's Office at www.odysseyefilega.com. People also have the option to file in-person at the Superior Court Clerk’s Office. The county says People can contact Michael McNeill if they have any questions at 478-751-7651 or MMcNeill@maconbibb.us. You can find more information on filing on the county's website. 

List of Deceased whose ashes remained unclaimed as of July 2022: 

  1. Adams, Samuel, 10/12/2004
  2. Allen, Willie, 2014
  3. Allison, William, 2018
  4. Aultman, Donnie, 12/6/2016
  5. Banks, Jimmy, 2015
  6. Barker, Alonzo, 9/18/2016
  7. Barrett, Marcia, 2018
  8. Barrow, Fleda Patricia, 2016
  9. Bell, Henry, 1/4/2017
  10. Bell, Marva Jean, 2014
  11. Bennett, Henry Tyrone, 2016
  12. Briscoe, Rodney, 10/21/2016
  13. Brown, Andrew, 4/25/2015
  14. Brown, Marslyah, Infant, 11/9/2016
  15. Brown, Richard, 2017
  16. Bruno, Baby Boy, 3/13/2012
  17. Bryant, Teresa Lynn
  18. Bullington, Imogene, 2009
  19. Burgess, Thomas, 2017
  20. Bush, Johanna, 2018
  21. Bush, Thomas, 7/13/2013
  22. Butler, Wilbur, 10/13/2016
  23. Caldwell, Curtis, 5/23/2017
  24. Campos, Kimida, 4/30/2013
  25. Carter, Charles, 5/15/2017
  26. Chatfield, Rose Marie, 10/17/2015
  27. Cheely, Robert, 8/19/2016
  28. Clark, Odelia, 6/16/2012
  29. Colbert, Eschol, 1/17/2017
  30. Coleman, Russell, 2/4/2015
  31. Coley, Joyce, 2005
  32. Colton, James, 6/4/2015
  33. Copeland, Calvin, 9/25/2014
  34. Craig, Maxie, 7/25/2014
  35. Cross, Willie, 9/28/2015
  36. Curry, Carl, 7/22/2014
  37. Dale, James, 2017
  38. Danials, David, 2018
  39. Daniels, Ronnie, 2013
  40. Davis, Betty, 11/19/2005
  41. Davis, Harold, 4/23/2015
  42. Dixon, Tommy, 2017
  43. Dominick, Jimmy, 2015
  44. Dowd, Ronald, 2017
  45. Dunlap, Lorraine, 8/9/2005
  46. Earley, Harry, 12/22/2006
  47. Eason, Albert, 2016
  48. Eaton, Charles, 2/2/2015
  49. Edwards, Thomas, 7/27/2015
  50. Elliott, Jessie, 4/22/2015
  51. Elrod, Vernon, 2/18/2016
  52. Etheridge, Baby Boy, 1/9/2017
  53. Evans, William, 2018
  54. Farrar, Bobbie, 7/24/2014
  55. Faust, James, 2016
  56. Fisher, Baby Boy, 3/3/2012
  57. Fleming, A.D., 12/26/2017
  58. Fortner, Miles, 2017
  59. Foster, Roy
  60. Gainey, Susan Smith
  61. Galipean, Myrna, 2008
  62. Galipean, Roger, 2012
  63. Garcia, Luis, 2017
  64. Gartrell, Johnny, 9/29/2013
  65. Gates, Alton, 2016
  66. Gibbs, Anthony, 1/12/2017
  67. Giles, Charles, 2016
  68. Giles, L Mordy, 2014
  69. Gleen, Jimmy Lee
  70. Glover, James
  71. Godfrey, Harold, 9/24/2014
  72. Golden, Fenton, 2016
  73. Goss, Judith Ann, 2015
  74. Green, Elizabeth, 2015
  75. Gulley, George, 2/20/2004
  76. Hancock, James, 2015
  77. Hargrove, Baby Girl, 2017
  78. Harris, William Keith, 5/25/2005
  79. Hartkoph, Johanna, 2018
  80. Henderson, James Leroy, 7/24/2015
  81. Henry, Donald, 1992
  82. Hicks, Mary, 2010
  83. Holbrook, Garland, 11/27/2017
  84. Holt, Larry Stafford, 2006
  85. Hons, Eleanor, 11/16/2015
  86. Horne, Thomas, 2017
  87. Howell, James, 2016
  88. Huhgley, Elijah, 2014
  89. Jackson, Baby Boy, 4/11/2016
  90. Jenkins, Kenny, 2017
  91. Johnson, Russell, 2014
  92. Jones, Virginia,2007
  93. Jones, Waymon III, 5/16/2013
  94. Kelley, John Jefferson, 2007
  95. Kent, Ruth, 2014
  96. Law, Thurza, 2005
  97. Leslie, Cora Ann, 2014
  98. Lewis, Patricia, 2017
  99. Lundberg, Peter, 2016
  100. Mays, Annie Mae, 2015
  101. McFarland, Maxie, 2013
  102. McKnight, Ross, 11/26/2005
  103. Michaels, James, 2017
  104. Mitchell, James, 2015
  105. Moody, Mark, 2015
  106. Morgan, Kathleen, 12/18/2016
  107. Morrell, Dorothy
  108. Oliver, Alphronia, 1/14/2014
  109. Pauldo, Eli
  110. Pentecost, Johnny
  111. Pomianowshi, Donna, 2015
  112. Proffitt, Larry, 2001
  113. Quinn, Mildred, 2018 (foot only)
  114. Richards, Hattie
  115. Ross, Bobby, 2014
  116. Ross, Gussie, 2013
  117. Rozier, Leo, 2/14/2014
  118. Rushin, Bertha, 7/9/2005
  119. Scheick, Thomas, 2017
  120. Scholz, Paul, 2014
  121. Simpson, James, 2010
  122. Sims, Mary, 2015
  123. Sims, Vernon, 2016
  124. Singleton, James, 2015
  125. Smith, Bessie, 2018
  126. Smith, Jimmy
  127. Smith, Willie, 2017
  128. Stafford, Baby Girl, 4/22/2015
  129. Stanley, James, 11/30/2017
  130. Stephens, Baby Boy, 12/1/2010
  131. Stevens, Jaylen Baby Boy, 9/24/2012
  132. Stubbs, Sharon
  133. Swint, James, 2017
  134. Taylor, James, cremated 1/16/2017
  135. Taylor, James, cremated 10/23/2017
  136. Taylor, Melton
  137. Tharpe, Baby Boy, 1/16/2013
  138. Tharpe, Hamcel, 2014
  139. Tharpe, John William
  140. Thibault, William
  141. Thomas, Della, 10/21/2005
  142. Thomas, Joseph, 2013
  143. Thrasher, Peggy, 7/17/2013
  144. Tolbert, Annie, 12/24/1985
  145. Trotman, Maude, 10/8/1991
  146. Tucker, Norman, 2013
  147. Unknown
  148. Unknown
  149. Unknown
  150. Unknown
  151. Walker, Herbert, 1/18/2017 (2 boxes)
  152. Walters, Julianne, 2016
  153. Ward, Eva Mae
  154. Warner, Barbara Jean
  155. Watts, Curtis
  156. Whimberly, Elisha, baby boy, 2018 (2 envelopes)
  157. White, Leon, 2018
  158. Whitfield, Carlton
  159. Whittlesey, Mark, 2018
  160. Wiggins, Virginia, 5/22/2014
  161. Williams, Authur Lee, 2018 (2 boxes)
  162. Williams, Charles, 2017
  163. Williams, Gerald
  164. Williams, Robert, 2015
  165. Williams, Timothy. 8/9/2014
  166. Wise, George

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