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:
- Adams, Samuel, 10/12/2004
- Allen, Willie, 2014
- Allison, William, 2018
- Aultman, Donnie, 12/6/2016
- Banks, Jimmy, 2015
- Barker, Alonzo, 9/18/2016
- Barrett, Marcia, 2018
- Barrow, Fleda Patricia, 2016
- Bell, Henry, 1/4/2017
- Bell, Marva Jean, 2014
- Bennett, Henry Tyrone, 2016
- Briscoe, Rodney, 10/21/2016
- Brown, Andrew, 4/25/2015
- Brown, Marslyah, Infant, 11/9/2016
- Brown, Richard, 2017
- Bruno, Baby Boy, 3/13/2012
- Bryant, Teresa Lynn
- Bullington, Imogene, 2009
- Burgess, Thomas, 2017
- Bush, Johanna, 2018
- Bush, Thomas, 7/13/2013
- Butler, Wilbur, 10/13/2016
- Caldwell, Curtis, 5/23/2017
- Campos, Kimida, 4/30/2013
- Carter, Charles, 5/15/2017
- Chatfield, Rose Marie, 10/17/2015
- Cheely, Robert, 8/19/2016
- Clark, Odelia, 6/16/2012
- Colbert, Eschol, 1/17/2017
- Coleman, Russell, 2/4/2015
- Coley, Joyce, 2005
- Colton, James, 6/4/2015
- Copeland, Calvin, 9/25/2014
- Craig, Maxie, 7/25/2014
- Cross, Willie, 9/28/2015
- Curry, Carl, 7/22/2014
- Dale, James, 2017
- Danials, David, 2018
- Daniels, Ronnie, 2013
- Davis, Betty, 11/19/2005
- Davis, Harold, 4/23/2015
- Dixon, Tommy, 2017
- Dominick, Jimmy, 2015
- Dowd, Ronald, 2017
- Dunlap, Lorraine, 8/9/2005
- Earley, Harry, 12/22/2006
- Eason, Albert, 2016
- Eaton, Charles, 2/2/2015
- Edwards, Thomas, 7/27/2015
- Elliott, Jessie, 4/22/2015
- Elrod, Vernon, 2/18/2016
- Etheridge, Baby Boy, 1/9/2017
- Evans, William, 2018
- Farrar, Bobbie, 7/24/2014
- Faust, James, 2016
- Fisher, Baby Boy, 3/3/2012
- Fleming, A.D., 12/26/2017
- Fortner, Miles, 2017
- Foster, Roy
- Gainey, Susan Smith
- Galipean, Myrna, 2008
- Galipean, Roger, 2012
- Garcia, Luis, 2017
- Gartrell, Johnny, 9/29/2013
- Gates, Alton, 2016
- Gibbs, Anthony, 1/12/2017
- Giles, Charles, 2016
- Giles, L Mordy, 2014
- Gleen, Jimmy Lee
- Glover, James
- Godfrey, Harold, 9/24/2014
- Golden, Fenton, 2016
- Goss, Judith Ann, 2015
- Green, Elizabeth, 2015
- Gulley, George, 2/20/2004
- Hancock, James, 2015
- Hargrove, Baby Girl, 2017
- Harris, William Keith, 5/25/2005
- Hartkoph, Johanna, 2018
- Henderson, James Leroy, 7/24/2015
- Henry, Donald, 1992
- Hicks, Mary, 2010
- Holbrook, Garland, 11/27/2017
- Holt, Larry Stafford, 2006
- Hons, Eleanor, 11/16/2015
- Horne, Thomas, 2017
- Howell, James, 2016
- Huhgley, Elijah, 2014
- Jackson, Baby Boy, 4/11/2016
- Jenkins, Kenny, 2017
- Johnson, Russell, 2014
- Jones, Virginia,2007
- Jones, Waymon III, 5/16/2013
- Kelley, John Jefferson, 2007
- Kent, Ruth, 2014
- Law, Thurza, 2005
- Leslie, Cora Ann, 2014
- Lewis, Patricia, 2017
- Lundberg, Peter, 2016
- Mays, Annie Mae, 2015
- McFarland, Maxie, 2013
- McKnight, Ross, 11/26/2005
- Michaels, James, 2017
- Mitchell, James, 2015
- Moody, Mark, 2015
- Morgan, Kathleen, 12/18/2016
- Morrell, Dorothy
- Oliver, Alphronia, 1/14/2014
- Pauldo, Eli
- Pentecost, Johnny
- Pomianowshi, Donna, 2015
- Proffitt, Larry, 2001
- Quinn, Mildred, 2018 (foot only)
- Richards, Hattie
- Ross, Bobby, 2014
- Ross, Gussie, 2013
- Rozier, Leo, 2/14/2014
- Rushin, Bertha, 7/9/2005
- Scheick, Thomas, 2017
- Scholz, Paul, 2014
- Simpson, James, 2010
- Sims, Mary, 2015
- Sims, Vernon, 2016
- Singleton, James, 2015
- Smith, Bessie, 2018
- Smith, Jimmy
- Smith, Willie, 2017
- Stafford, Baby Girl, 4/22/2015
- Stanley, James, 11/30/2017
- Stephens, Baby Boy, 12/1/2010
- Stevens, Jaylen Baby Boy, 9/24/2012
- Stubbs, Sharon
- Swint, James, 2017
- Taylor, James, cremated 1/16/2017
- Taylor, James, cremated 10/23/2017
- Taylor, Melton
- Tharpe, Baby Boy, 1/16/2013
- Tharpe, Hamcel, 2014
- Tharpe, John William
- Thibault, William
- Thomas, Della, 10/21/2005
- Thomas, Joseph, 2013
- Thrasher, Peggy, 7/17/2013
- Tolbert, Annie, 12/24/1985
- Trotman, Maude, 10/8/1991
- Tucker, Norman, 2013
- Unknown
- Unknown
- Unknown
- Unknown
- Walker, Herbert, 1/18/2017 (2 boxes)
- Walters, Julianne, 2016
- Ward, Eva Mae
- Warner, Barbara Jean
- Watts, Curtis
- Whimberly, Elisha, baby boy, 2018 (2 envelopes)
- White, Leon, 2018
- Whitfield, Carlton
- Whittlesey, Mark, 2018
- Wiggins, Virginia, 5/22/2014
- Williams, Authur Lee, 2018 (2 boxes)
- Williams, Charles, 2017
- Williams, Gerald
- Williams, Robert, 2015
- Williams, Timothy. 8/9/2014
- Wise, George