Burial & Cremation for Charlie Messmer SHHS 1974

My name is Kerry Henson- and I want to tell you about an old friend of mine- Charlie Messmer.   Charlie and I met while attending E. Russell Hicks, and were long time friends until things started changing in his life in the mid 1990's.   While his career was doing well - as the director of the JSAP  an alcohol  and substance abuse program- his personal life started a bad direction as he became more dependent upon alcohol.  Try as he may- he never fully recovered and life became very difficult for him- as he began the spiral downward trend and lost everything he had ever worked for in life.  

Fast forward to three weeks ago- when I received a call from a good friend who had heard Charlie had died.  While we waited and watched the newspaper for his obituary- an obituary was never published. 

I started to try and find out what may have happened- and it wasn't until I contacted the Board of Anatomy in Baltimore- did I find out.  Charlie was found dead in his room which was in a building on Washington street- and since he was missing for a few days some people became alarmed when they didn't see him and called the police. 
With no family alive to claim him- his body was taken to Baltimore.
When I talked with the Board today- I was told he had been there since January 11th, and would have been cremated and put in a ash depository somewhere in Virginia.  They were just waiting on the Death Certificate and it would have been done.

After talking with other good friends who knew him- the game plan is this:  Bring Charlie's body back to Hagerstown- and have his ashes interned with his Mom and Dad in Cedar Lawn Memorial.

As you can imagine - it is a good idea but one that is not cheap.  Quoted costs are as follows:

Board of Anatomy:  Approx $934  (mileage to - cost of bag- storage fee of $25/ day.  Been there since Jan 11)

Cost for funeral home to go bring body home and cremate-  Approx $1300.  Director said we could negotiate a little

Cost for Cedar Lawn-  $895 for "second right of burial in earnment" (to put in same grave as mom and dad)

Cost for Cedar Lawn- $915 for internment - to be done on a Saturday morning

Cost for a "ashes vault"  - Approx $450 - hopefully less from funeral home.  Was told this was a requirement.

Total Cost to bring Charlie Home- and bury his ashes at Cedar Lawn would be approx. $4494 

We would plan to use this money 100% for this purpose. Depending upon how much is donated - could possibly buy a small grave marker.

Any monies that would be left over- would be donated to the local AA or NA groups.  We want no money for ourselves.  As for time frame- would like to get him up here and his ashes buried within the next three weeks maximum.  

As one of the friends who knew Charlie in the good days- he was like a brother to me. Most people in town would see us "out on the town" in our younger days. I was best man at his wedding- and he was in my wedding as well and we spent many vacations and holidays together with our wives.  Those of us who knew him then- just didn't like the thought of a friend ending  up that way.

I want to thank you in advance for any donation you can provide towards these costs- and to let you know it is most appreciated in our efforts to being Charlie back to Hagerstown- where he can rest in final peace with his mom and dad.

God bless you for your consideration.