Should Alabama Man Be Allowed to Keep Late Wife Buried in His Front Yard?

by SodaHead News Posted 2012/08/19 19:06:11

Related Topics: James Davis, Alabama, Grave, Wife, Yard

876 votes
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	Yes	741 votes	85%
	No	135 votes	15%

A controversy is brewing in Stevenson, Alabama over a husband's front yard grave for his late wife. According to the Associated Press, James Davis is fighting for what he believes is his right to maintain his late wife's grave, which has been on his property since 2009. The local government however, believes this could set an unhealthy precedent for the community.

"We're not talking about a homestead, we're not talking about someone who is out in the country on 40 acres of land," said Stevenson city attorney Parker Edmiston. "Mr. Davis lives in downtown Stevenson." One can imagine having a neighbor with a front lawn graveyard, no matter how sentimental the reason, would freak out some folks.

In response to the city's request, the "Let Patsy Rest in Peace" campaign has been created to let Mr. Davis keep his late wife's remains buried in the front yard. It may seem odd to some, but Davis has said it was his wife's wish to be buried on the property. Stevenson officials are probably worried about the home's resale value should it become vacated, but Davis claims if they get their wish and remove the grave, it will be when he's joined his wife.

Should Alabama Man Be Allowed to Keep Late Wife Bu

+35

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richard.maloney.7 2012/08/19 19:39:34

Yes

+12
shes dead, and its not like hes gonna dig her up on special occations and trot her out for tea... when your dead your dead... you dont worry abut it so why should the living
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Cameron 2012/08/22 02:24:54

Yes

+5
If people can't do what they wan't on their own property, do they really own anything?

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Prophet... to Cameron 2012/08/22 06:22:22

+2
That's what I was thiinkin.. wtf!

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Wm Kabrich 2012/08/22 02:16:41

Yes

+4
Let the man be. Why should he have to pay for someone else to take care this. Plus the local government said nothing for 3 years.

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SJG 2012/08/22 02:01:30

Yes

+2
Makes good fertilizer!!

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Angus 2012/08/22 00:15:31

Yes

+3
His property. PERIOD

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teigan 2012/08/22 00:08:31

Yes

+5
The grave was prepared properly. Leave the guy alone, I'm sick of Government intruding on private property rights.

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Jacob Torres 2012/08/21 23:38:59

Yes

+5
There comes a time when the authorities really are unabashedly being total dickweeds. That time is now.

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Sheery 2012/08/21 23:30:44

Yes

+5
I just heard on the radio about the town trying to get the man to move his wfe or they do it.
He said nobody was going to come on his property and do that.

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teigan to Sheery 2012/08/22 00:10:09

+5
He needs to put a no trespassing sign up. Then shoot em.

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bluelady to Sheery 2012/08/22 15:07:34

+2
found out it is in the town of Stevenson ,Jackson County , Alabama...I sent an email to the chamber of commerce there saying how I will never stop there and spend money in the county when I go thru (I have land south of there in Flomaton)..can we get all snowbirds and others email them ?? might help the old gentleman

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Larre 2012/08/21 21:36:16

Yes

+8
That is a family affair. Why dig her up and haul her off to a Cemetery when he owns the land and the grave that's on it? Back in the 19th Century many people, as well as pioneers, buried their dead on their own land to establish their households and their estates.

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Larre to Larre 2012/08/21 21:39:27

+5
Yep.. If I was there I would have some flowers in hand to lay on her grave :-)

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Diddley Squat 2012/08/21 20:57:25

Yes

+5
Yes. Usually yard graves are murder scenes. But in this case, it's legit.

She's buried already! Let her rest in peace!!!!

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exhon2009 2012/08/21 20:11:17

No

+1
I wonder how the 84% who answered yes would have voted if the subject property were their next door neighbor?

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chris.h... to exhon2009 2012/08/21 22:21:23

+4
Who cares.

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exhon2009 to chris.h... 2012/08/21 23:14:14

+1
I can see that you do not. Perhaps that is because you can always hop in your home and drive away.

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SJG to exhon2009 2012/08/22 02:02:24

+2
Please don't argue with that fool.

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exhon2009 to SJG 2012/08/22 02:03:57

Now you tell me.

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chris.h... to exhon2009 2012/08/22 07:16:21

+1
Ooo that's cute is that you first attempt at a clever comeback. If you spent more time practicing cognitive thought rather, then blowing random truckers for a sense of belonging you would have some intellectual input.

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exhon2009 to chris.h... 2012/08/23 00:06:39

So your answer "who cares" qualifies as intellectual input, or as you put it, the "practicing of cognitive thought"? You shouldn't post on SH while you're driving chris.

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chris.h... to exhon2009 2012/08/24 21:40:02

You might be right about that bud. I certainly don't need one of those $200 tickets lol.

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Soundstorm to exhon2009 2012/08/22 19:54:23

You can see..........dead people?

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NoBama Man to exhon2009 2012/08/21 22:52:06

+5
people live RIGHT NEXT DOOR to cemetery's all the time...what is the difference...it's better than having a neighbor with a junkyard of dead cars and crap in their yard...nobody says that's illegal.

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exhon2009 to NoBama Man 2012/08/21 23:13:45

+1
People CHOOSE to live next door to an established cemetery. This guy turned his block into a cemetery without the consent of his neighbors. Some proportion of people who are looking to buy would choose to not live in that neighborhood. The price of houses in that area would drop to reflect that.

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Grammar... to exhon2009 2012/08/22 12:27:46

+1
Eh.
Likely not.
I'm pretty sure that the majority of people who'd want to buy property in that area are not likely the type to be very freaked out by such a thing... & apparently there are loads of other properties in the town with similar grave sites on them. His neighbors didn't even complain (because many of them have graves on their properties as well). The city council hesitated & denied his application simply because this property is on the main road through town (that has a population of roughly 2,000), though the county health department approved his application [for a cemetery permit]. I would guess, in fact, that the freedom to do what one chooses on one's property would likely increase property values in this particular area rather than lower them. It's definitely a matter of intelligent marketing.
I don't buy into the fear tactics of attention seeking busy bodies. I'd guess that anyone who'd want to live in a dinky, little, out of the way berg like Stevenson, Alabama wouldn't mind such a situation one bit.

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Andrea to exhon2009 2012/08/22 14:46:52

+2
And some people would not buy in a neighborhood because someone's house is the wrong color, or Asians live there, or someone has a pitt bull.

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Grammar... to NoBama Man 2012/08/22 12:12:41
Andrea to exhon2009 2012/08/22 14:44:06

+3
Well, being as the woman is not going to dig herself up and come to my house and hurt me, it would not bother me at all. Jesus, what is this fear you people have with the dead? All of you naysayers are the type who want your dead out of your face where you do not have to be bothered with them. You never visit the graves or bring flowers, or mow the grass or even give a damn. Once your family are dead, they cease to exist for you.

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exhon2009 to Andrea 2012/08/23 02:40:25

Every time I'm in Los Angeles I visit the gravesite of my infant son. I put flowers on his grave and ensure it's neatly trimmed. Who the hell are you to tell me how I feel about a deceased family member.

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Andrea to exhon2009 2012/08/23 09:59:51

Andrea, that's who. I am the grandmother of a deceased infant myself, and when I visit that sweet baby, I can see a cemetery full of neglected so called loved ones. Grass grown over, old withered fake flowers, it is atrocious. That is not the only cemetery that has unwanted loved ones in it. People expect someone else to care for their family member's resting places.

And unless I called your name specifically, who the hell are you to even ask me anything? Your guilty conscience is why you took it personally apparently.

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exhon2009 to Andrea 2012/08/24 00:27:38

You accused all those who oppose burying a family member in the front yard callous towards their own deceased family members. I oppose burying people in residential lots, so whether you intended to or not you directed that comment at me. I'm opposed to this simply because of the potential impact it has on property values. Since I voiced that opinion I became aware that this town routinely issues cemetery permits so family members can be buried on the residential lot. Sounds like anyone buying in this town likely gets a few stiffs for neighbors.

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**Bessie** to exhon2009 2012/08/22 15:11:18

Same way.

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Soundstorm to exhon2009 2012/08/22 19:53:40

Brrrr! Dead people next door! Head cases like that don't make for good and just law.

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trainfan to exhon2009 2012/08/23 01:55:16

Wouldn't make a difference. It's their property and their business.
It's none of my business and it is nobody else's business either.

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exhon2009 to trainfan 2012/08/23 02:38:11

Really, why then does just about every jurisdiction in the country have zoning laws? I couldn't give two $hits about someone burying a family member in their front yard until it knocks 15% off the value of my home. Perhaps you simply quit caring for your property years ago and don't mind the weeds growing between the abandoned cars.

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trainfan to exhon2009 2012/09/05 23:26:35 (edited)

Don't have weeds and I don't have abandoned cars. But what I do have is the insight to see the all mighty dollar is more important to you than a deceased family member on a piece of property you will never own. Just as I will never own my property. As we all make payments to the government on our property long after the mortgage is paid off. And then if you sell it, the f**king government has thier hand out again for more.

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mike j 2012/08/21 20:04:55

No

+3
Remember Folks you do not own the property that you reside on, even if you have paid off the note that let you purchase it . You are not a property owner, You are a Stakeholder on that property , the Government is the ultimate owner of that property and if you fail to pay your property taxes , the Govenment then comes and reclaims that property away from You and resells that property to the next sucker that comes along.If the Government does not like what you are doing on that property the Government can levy fines or take you to jail . Thus the Government has big say as to what you are allowed to do on its' property. Think about it ??? Folks , buying property is not a good deal , no matter how much you pay and how much you improve it , it (property) is never yours, you are a Stakeholder and as you already know , the Government can by making an edict , allow or dis-allow you to use that property for your purposes. Think about it ....

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Dave1969 to mike j 2012/08/21 21:38:03

+2
Sad,but true

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chris.h... to mike j 2012/08/21 22:25:44

+3
There are about 20 dead animals in my back yard and in reality there no different then a human corpse other then the unfounded connection with a decaying corpses.

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Grammar... to mike j 2012/08/22 12:30:35

The county health department approved his application for a cemetery permit.
The city council denied it because he lives on the main road through town... though there are dozens of other properties in town with graves on them similar to this one.
Whomever would want to live in a village like Stevenson, Alabama is not likely to flinch at the idea of a grave in the front yard of some old codger's house.
As far as I'm concerned, the city council of Stevenson, Alabama needs to just drop it already.

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