Elizabeth Patrick had hoped to find closure this Remembrance Day after a nearly decade-long quest to locate her estranged father’s grave, which ultimately led her to a cemetery near Winnipeg. However, her plans were disrupted when her father’s grave at Green Acres Cemetery was discovered to be empty during disinterment earlier this year.
Sgt. Gordon Patrick, a glider pilot for the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force during World War II, spent his final years in Winnipeg and passed away in 1973. He was laid to rest without a headstone due to the absence of family in Canada.
Expressing her dismay, Elizabeth Patrick emphasized the importance of honoring veterans with proper burial rites. She sought to relocate her father’s remains to a cemetery in Ontario to be beside her son. Despite initially positive interactions with Service Corporation International (SCI), the company that owns Green Acres, communication stalled following forensic searches conducted by the RCMP to locate Sgt. Patrick.
SCI, in response to the situation, offered to cover the costs of a custom headstone but declined responsibility for the missing remains, citing the passage of time and limited historical records. Elizabeth Patrick, determined to fulfill her father’s wish for a proper resting place, engaged legal counsel to negotiate with SCI. However, the company rejected her demands, asserting that they were unwarranted.
The legal situation surrounding SCI’s liability for the missing body is being scrutinized by Winnipeg lawyer Troy Harwood-Jones, who suggests that the terms of the cemetery sale could impact their accountability. Additionally, he highlights potential legal implications under the Manitoba Cemeteries Act.
Despite the challenges faced, Elizabeth Patrick remains optimistic that SCI will reconsider and offer a fair resolution to facilitate her father’s reinterment alongside her son. As Remembrance Day approaches, she emphasizes the need to honor her father’s memory and service like any other veteran.
