Elizabeth Patrick had anticipated that this Remembrance Day would provide closure in her nearly decade-long quest to locate her estranged father’s grave, which eventually led her to a cemetery near Winnipeg. However, her hopes were dashed when she discovered that her father’s grave at Green Acres Cemetery was empty during exhumation 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 without a headstone, as he had no family in Canada.
Elizabeth, who resides in England, sought to move her father’s remains to a cemetery in Ontario where her son is interred. Despite initially positive interactions with Service Corporation International (SCI), the company that owns Green Acres, the communication slowed following a ground-penetrating radar search by the RCMP forensics unit to locate her father.
SCI, in a letter dated July 30, expressed skepticism about finding Sgt. Patrick’s remains on their property due to the passage of time and limited records from the previous owner. Their offer to cover the cost of a custom headstone was deemed unsatisfactory by Elizabeth, who sought a settlement amount to cover relocation expenses, damages, and legal fees, citing a previous $12 million settlement in a similar case involving SCI.
SCI’s legal counsel contended that the company bore no liability for the missing body as the burial occurred before their ownership of Green Acres in 2006. Despite this claim, a Winnipeg lawyer suggested that SCI’s liability could hinge on the specifics of the sale and compliance with the Manitoba Cemeteries Act.
Elizabeth remains hopeful that SCI will extend a fair offer to contribute to the replica headstone in Ontario and provide her father with a veteran’s burial, especially as Remembrance Day approaches. She emphasized the importance of honoring her father’s service and ensuring he receives the recognition he deserves, having dedicated his youth to military service.