Iraq vet's family still wants SpongeBob gravestone

Iraq vet's family still wants SpongeBob gravestone

The family of a slain Iraqi war veteran wants her towering SpongeBob SquarePants headstone returned to her final resting place while the cemetery officials that removed it say that's the only thing they won't do, leaving both sides at an apparent impasse that may have to be decided in court.
Deborah Walker told The Associated Press after Tuesday's meeting with Spring Grove Cemetery officials that she'd consider their various proposals if they would think about hers — simply putting her daughter Kimberly's gravestone back.
But cemetery President Gary Freytag told the AP that isn't an option.
The headstone fashioned in the cartoon character's likeness was erected at Spring Grove Cemetery on Oct. 10, almost eight months after Kimberly Walker, 28, was found slain in a Colorado hotel room.
Despite getting the cemetery's prior approval of the headstone design — a smiling SpongeBob in an Army uniform, with Walker's name and rank — cemetery staff called her family the day after it was installed to say it would have to come down.
Cemetery officials said the employee who approved the design made a mistake. It was taken down along with a near-exact duplicate erected for Walker's living twin sister.

The way I see it the cemetery should have to put the tombstones back. The cemetery gave no reason why they were taken down in the first place. These people even went to the trouble of getting copyright approval from Nickelodeon if this is what she wanted on her grave then it should be allowed.

reply to post by buster2010


That cemetery is being a real squidward.

Hope she ain't rollin over in her grave over what stone was placed then removed

I mean, RIP, hotel-slain young vet!

He he, the solemn graveyard. The regimented grave "stone". They want us all thinking that death is a solemn sad affair with the same old shapes they have always used. Who says thats the law about that?

I think they should come out of the middle ages with this, make burial a tongue in cheek thing. I'd want a miniature dumpster replica for mine. Others could have whatever they wanted. It would change the entire look. People would be grinning at all the odd and quirky adornments. Instead of dressing in black and hanging our heads we could bury em' and dance.

It'll never happen. We are too serious. Imagine the outrage...

catfishjoe
reply to post by buster2010

 

That cemetery is being a real squidward.

I just honked my nose out loud.

far out tho, the family are strange. takes all sorts I guess.

"Lets honor our dead adult children with a cartoon character with dubious sexual tendencies."

freaky... I guess they really really like spongebob.

reply to post by winofiend


I have a two year old who loves spongebob and unfortunately for me its on 15 hrs a day. I got that damn song stuck in my head.

reply to post by buster2010


AGREED. INDEED.

Bureaucracy strikes again.

What the silliness does it matter to the cemetery officials?

If it brings comfort to the deceased's living relatives--isn't that sufficient!

It's not lewed. It's not violent.

Sheesh what abtuse absurdity.

That's the best that Cemetery can do?! "Ooops, the employee made a mistake, you're outta luck, pal?" Are they kidding???

That looks like it's made of granite for goodness sakes...and it says it's one of a nearly matching pair. That's not "oops" material. That's "Lawsuit beyond belief" material in JUST recovery of the real life losses of "Ooops" for the fortune producing those must have been.

If they had class and any decency in the world, they'd let Ooops stand and fire the idiot who did this ... a clear and unmistakable policy going forward maybe ...but no.. that's so wrong it screams it for how they DID handle it.

I have a feeling I'll be updating this story thread out of Courthouse News listings before too long.

reply to post by buster2010


Why does it matter that she was an Iraq vet?

Just curious, as she died in a hotel room, in Colorado.

reply to post by buster2010


As I said on the last post on this issue. EACH family member should file a lawsuit for pain and suffering. THey arlready admitted there was a CONTRACT with the family to allow the headstone.

If they really have a problem with the headstone then erect a 6 foot hedge around the entire plot of six gravesites sold to the family. SHEESH!