Hello, I am raising funds on behalf of my aunt and her two adult grandchildren who have recently suffered the heartbreaking, sudden loss of James; a proud father and a beloved son who served his country with honor as a Navy Seabee and qualified Navy Diver. He loved his four children deeply, and they deserve the chance to honor him together.

Before his passing, James and his spouse were living separately and in the process of divorce. Because the divorce was not finalized, the law still recognizes the estranged spouse as the legal next-of-kin. This gives her full authority over all decisions; including funeral plans, burial location, and who is allowed to attend, even when those choices exclude children and family.

After James passed away, that is exactly what happened. During the most painful moment of his mother’s and children’s lives, we found ourselves completely shut out of the funeral planning process. With his estranged wife now solely in charge of all arrangements, we have had not had the opportunity to participate in traditional grieving, planning, or burial processes.

The only information provided is that she chose cremation. Since then, all communication has been cut off, leaving family, friends, and fellow Sailors with no details about his final arrangements. (It has been about a month since his passing at the time of creating this go fund me)

Because of his honorable military service, James is eligible, and would be proud to be buried in a national cemetery. However, these arrangements can only be scheduled by the legal next-of-kin. Without cooperation, his children risk being permanently excluded from their father’s funeral, burial, and the chance to say goodbye. There is also deep concern that the younger siblings may be cut off from their extended family entirely during this difficult time and in the future.

At this point, the only remaining option is to bring the matter before a judge, both to ensure that the children have the right to be present when their father is laid to rest, and to establish safe, consistent visitation between the younger siblings and their family.

We are doing everything we can, but we need legal assistance. These steps, include court clarification of burial authority, helping James' young adult children navigate the probate process, and to protect the younger children’s ability to have contact with their father's family. But this come with costs..... any support, whether financial or simply sharing this page, brings the family one step closer to honoring James as he deserved: with unity, dignity, and love.