Fact Finder: Embalmed bodies stashed in rented storage unit
Page Last Updated: Thursday February 25, 2010 8:51am PST
Joe Hart-News 4

To most people its a startling revelation: For years, a local funeral home has been storing bodies in a rented storage unit on Vassar Street in Reno.

The practice, however, is about to come to an end.

News 4 has learned that the Reno-Tahoe Airport, which owns the storage facility, has evicted Washoe Memorial because it doesn't want bodies stored there any longer. The funeral home has until the end of the month to move out.

"Its just not something the airport wanted to be associated with," said airport Spokesman Brian Kulpin.

Will Leahy, the owner of Washoe Memorial, says the bodies are stored in caskets inside a large rented warehouse at Airport Warehousing Mini Storage. Leahy says the unit is refrigerated and that his business is fully licensed.

News 4 checked with the Washoe County Health Department and the Nevada Funeral Board. It turns out there are no laws or regulations concerning the storage of bodies.

Leahy says the storage facility provided a cost-effective storage solution for his business. He admits he did not tell families that their loved ones remains were stored off-site in a rented facility. Leahy says in the future he will store the bodies at a local crematorium.

http://www.mynews4.com/story.php?id=11692&n=80

these "stored" bodies are waiting to be buried....WHY? This is just creepy. I can't believe there are no laws or ordinances concerning this. What a great argument for me NOT having climate-controlled storage.

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Have you ever stopped to think and forgotten to start again?

ewwwwwwww

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No Good Deed Goes Unpunished

Maybe they should start chrging rent by the body, er, person.

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Bob Taylor (Astro)
Blue Ridge Self Storage
Cashiers, NC

Disclaimer: What Gina said....'cause the the cheese fell of my cracker.

let me second that eeeewwwww. there's gotta be some laws against this.

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Amy Campbell
Editor
Inside Self-Storage
acampbell@vpico.com

Triple ewwwwww!

Ok gang, seriously we are talking about Nevada here. After many experiences involving their legal system and statutes you'd be horrified at the lack thereof.

Try keeping your deceased brother's son from becoming a ward of the state while you prove kinship, or transfer property from a decedent to their spouse. Records are kept in little old fashioned places like pictured in old Wild West movies. If you're extremely lucky, some records are on micro-fiche. I'm not surprised at all about the body storage being allowed. Our undertaker experience for my brother was horrific.

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Gina 6k
CochraneStorage dot com
Morgan Hill, California
twitter.com/CochraneStorage

You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough!
I am not an attorney, just an experienced manager who is willing to share what I have learned. Your thoughts, practices or opinions may vary and neither of us may be right.

Here in Michigan, bodies are stored during the winter waiting for the ground to thaw so they can dig. BUT none in this storage. We did have someones dad's ashes.

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Bill & Dawn
Shelby Road Self Storage

I shall also join in the EWWWWWW's!! I just read this and wow! It is funny because I specifically say to people when going over their lease, Do not use the unit for anything but dead storage, BUT NO DEAD BODIES!!!! I told that to a police officer once who rented here and he said Do you tell that to everyone?? And I said YES Sir!!!! And No Meth Labs either!!!

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By permission from Auto Doc

All arguments can be resolved ... with high explosives and Humor!!!

MCG your hysterical. We have to be super careful of what we say here at our locations. Now a days it seems like everyone gets offended at the smallest of comments. I'm sure if I even touched on the "dead" issue some customers would run out the door, lol !!!

Last week I had a woman call from a local cremation business and this thread was all I had going thru my mind! Luckily she said they are just storing files.

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No Good Deed Goes Unpunished