Oct 14 2014 The journal news, Hillsboro, Illinois
Unwanted Inmates Find Final Resting Place
by Mike Plunkett
They were 14 forgotten men. Their average age at the time of their death was 52 years old. Two were veterans. All 14 died in prison-most at Graham Correctional Center in Hillsboro-and their bodies went unclaimed by family.
On Saturday morning, Oct. 11, their cremated remains-which had been in the care of Montgomery County Coroner Rick Broaddus, many for years-were entombed in the 101-year-old mausoleum at Oak Grove Cemetery in Hillsboro.
"We are here today to inter these residents who we don't know," retired Graham Correctional Center employee Steve Wright of Witt said during the committal service. Although retired from the Illinois Department of Corrections, Wright as been a volunteer in prison ministry for 13 years. "This is done out of a good conscience toward God. Matthew writes, 'whatever you do to the least of these you do to me.'"
He then read their names:
• Robert Lee Anderson of Chicago, who died on July 11, 2012, at age 59
• Jessie Broomfield of St. Louis, who died on Jan. 5, 2011, at age 50
• Richard Carter of Chicago, who died on Nov. 5, 2011, at age 58
• Earl Folks of Heyworth, who died on Feb. 10, 2012, at age 73
• James Martin Jenkins Jr. of Mattoon, who died on July 16, 2007, at age 49
• William IVLahan, who died on July 22, 2010, at age 56
• Enrico Delvon Moore of Chicago, who died on April 27, 2010, at age 39
• Christopher Nichol of Chicago, who died Jan 8, 2013, at age 26
• Bernard Peoples, who died on Jan. 11, 2013, at age 54
• Charles L. Phillips of Chicago, who died on Aug. 24, 2009, at age 54
• Esiquio Rodriguez of Oklahoma, who died on June 5, 2006, at age 48
• Edward James Roe of Walla Walla, WA, who died on June 9, 2008 at age 50
• John F. Simmons of Shawneetown, who died on Oct. 20, 2007, at age 66
• Jackie Williamson of Joliet, who died on July 23, 2008, at age 49
Foraslongas eight ye ar s, Coroner Broaddus has taken care of cremains of those who have died in prison in his jurisdiction and gone unclaimed by family. When their number surpassed a dozen, he brought the issue to the Montgomery County Board's Finance Committee during budget hearings in July. Board member Mary Bathurst of Litchfield took the problem to heart.
"The first image that came to my mind was Jesus on the cross with a thief on either side," Bathurst said.
She discussed the problem with Litchfield funeral director Terry Plummer, who said one possibility was a burial at the old county farm cemetery on top of the hill south of the prison.
Plummer asked for advice from a colleague in Danville, Drew Edwards, who suggested the mausoleum.
Bathurst, though, had also discussed the issue with Montgomery County Clerk Sandy Leitheiser, who also plays in a local band, Scrap Iron and Gold. She and the other members of the band-Andy Ritchie of Litchfield, Brenda Oberle of Schram City, Ron Lawrence of Litchfield, Sondra Stallman of Litchfield, Rick Calvert of Hillsboro, and Doug Glenn of Litchfield-donated funds for the Oak Grove mausoleum entombment.
"It's part of our ministry," Leitheiser said. She and Lawrence, Oberle, and Ritchie, who also volunteers in prison ministry at Graham, played and led in the singing of three old-time Gospel favorites during the Saturday morning committal service.
Graham warden Cecil Polley and Chaplain Daniel Shreve joined the band members, Broaddus, Plummer, Bathurst, Wright, Hillsboro Mayor John Downs, and Oak Grove Cemetery Board members Jeff Dunn and John Stretch at the service.
"No man knows the heart of another man but God," the chaplain said.
"I want to thank everyone who helped with this," Broaddus said, including David and Dan Hough who provided cremation services. "It's taken a while."