MANCHESTER, NH — The Cremation Society and Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium have partnered with Mt. Calvary Cemetery to provide a respectful final resting place for unclaimed cremated remains. A public Mass to honor and accept these remains will be held on Saturday, November 2, 2024, at 9 a.m. at Mt. Calvary Chapel, located at 474 Goffstown Road. The event coincides with All Souls’ Day, a Roman Catholic observance dedicated to praying for the souls of the departed.
“Honoring the unclaimed remains through this annual service is deeply meaningful to us. These individuals deserve dignity, respect, and remembrance,” said Arthur “Buddy” Phaneuf, President of Phaneuf Funeral Homes and Crematorium. “By providing a final resting place and holding this public mass, we ensure that no one is forgotten, and we offer the community a chance to come together in kindness and compassion. It’s a powerful reminder of the importance of human connection and respect for life.
The service offers an opportunity for friends, relatives, and members of the community to pay their respects. A list of the names, birth and death years, and known hometowns of the 25 individuals whose remains are unclaimed, is provided below in the hope that someone may recognize a name and attend the Mass or make alternative arrangements for a final resting place within the family.
NAME DATE OF BIRTH DATE OF DEATH RESIDENCE Sally Seymour 1/27/1937 12/21/2023 Concord William Milardo 10/5/1963 12/19/2023 Concord Jonie Modtland 11/16/1961 12/18/2023 Manchester Barbara Garvin 12/28/1943 12/6/2023 Salisbury Raymond Day 10/26/1944 11/6/2023 Gilmanton Joseph Cadorette 8/15/1942 11/3/2023 Manchester Eric Curry 6/22/1962 11/1/2023 Nashua John Bolduc 12/1/1956 10/26/2023 Nashua Donna Bilodeau 5/13/1958 10/22/2023 Lisbon Debra Marcus 10/26/1954 10/14/2023 Concord Martin Power 4/29/1951 9/27/2023 Londonderry David Gray 6/14/1968 9/26/2023 Keene Michael Laduke 6/1/1982 8/19/2023 Deerfield James Lilly 5/19/1976 8/14/2023 Keene Douglas Call 7/15/1943 8/6/2023 Derry Peter Cormier 8/13/1948 6/13/2023 Manchester Paul Ouellette 11/22/1951 5/21/2023 Rochester Michael Tibbetts 10/4/1946 4/10/2023 Rochester Joseph Hill 1/17/1942 4/5/2023 Dover Joy Gunderson 3/19/1953 4/4/2023 Lebanon Helen Villiard 8/5/1938 1/12/2023 Derry Randy Philbrook 9/16/1965 9/2/2022 Manchester Sandra Welch 3/18/1943 7/12/2022 Franklin James Anderson 9/6/1944 6/18/2022 Concord Nancy Clark 10/6/1961 8/19/2015 Bedford
Each year, some cremains go unclaimed in funeral homes and crematoriums. Phaneuf makes every effort to contact family members, but in some cases, the remains are left behind due to a lack of living relatives, unaware distant family members, or overwhelming grief that prevents loved ones from retrieving them.
The unclaimed remains do not fit into any particular demographic; they include individuals from all walks of life: babies, the elderly, and people of various ages and backgrounds. While New Hampshire law requires remains to be held for at least 30 days before they can be discarded, Phaneuf does not discard unclaimed remains. Instead, Phaneuf works with Mt. Calvary Cemetery to ensure they are interred in a permanent and respectful location.
This year’s Mass is an opportunity for the public to join in honoring those who have passed on but remain unclaimed. Members of Phaneuf’s staff will be in attendance, and the event often sees an outpouring of love and compassion from the community.
All are welcome to attend this moving service to offer kindness, respect, and remembrance to those who have gone unclaimed.