By Rodd Cayton

Community members who may have been forgotten in life will be remembered Sept. 3 with a special ceremony at Fairview Memorial Park. Bernalillo County each year invites the public to honor those who recently died.

“This program is important because it ensures that every unclaimed or indigent resident receives a dignified memorial, reinforcing that no one in our community is forgotten,” county Spokesperson Kristen Ferguson said.

Bernalillo County held its annual formal burial of indigent and unclaimed residents last year at Fairview Memorial Park. Director’s Choice Mortuary Services and the county conducted the ceremonial services, which included a dignified and appropriate disposition of the cremains of 171 people. Pastor Richard Mansfield delivered offer the eulogy. Pictured is Robert C. Noblin Jr. of Director’s Choice Mortuary giving the opening remarks. Photo by Roberto E. Rosales / New Mexico News.

The county is partnering with Director’s Choice Mortuary Services for the memorial, a news release announcing the event states. County Commissioner Walt Benson and Robert Noblin Jr. of Director’s Choice Mortuary Services are scheduled to speak at the memorial.

Cremains of the indigent and those who leave no known next of kin are held for up to two years while the county makes every effort to locate family members, the release states. When those efforts are unsuccessful, the county provides burial in accordance with state statutes.

The program will include a eulogy and the respectful disposition of cremains. A full list of the individuals being honored can be found here. The ceremony begins at 9:30 a.m. Fairview Memorial Park is at 700 Yale Blvd. SE.


Rodd Cayton is a senior reporter with nm.news covering local news and government as a local reporting fellow with NM Reports.

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