Brenda
sioux falls,#2Author of original report
Sat, March 15, 2003
First, I want to thank you for the offer of help but the Funeral Consumers Alliance didn't even help. I had contacted them at the same time that I contacted all the other agencies. I received notice from the South Dakota Board of Funeral Service and it said that they are only sent a letter of reprimand to Barnett-Lewis due to their lack of an itemized billing statement. That was one of the lesser violations in which they committed!! So I contacted the local newspaper and the Governor's office. The Governor's office gave me the brush off and did not even do anything but question the investigator, who was also a local funeral director. Then the Governor sent me his brush off. So I contacted him via email about the entire story and now I have gotten a call from a representative in his office. He said that they are going to look at the allegations to see if there is anything in which they can do. The local newspaper is running a 3 page story, beginning on the front page. The reporter was so outraged that he also contacted the agencies and etc..... that I had previously contacted and got the same unsatisfactory answers. This is going to be quite an interesting story and is due to come on 03-23-03. When it does I will send yet another update.
Melody
Golden,#3Consumer Suggestion
Fri, December 20, 2002
Hi Brenda, I have a website that might help you - www.funerals.org. It is the Funeral Consumers Alliance site. There are some stories similar to yours on it. Good luck in getting some satisfaction.
#40
Mon, October 07, 2002
I have sent 2 certified letters since the previous uncertified lettes to Barnett-Lewis Funeral Home in which a demand for refund was enclosed. Each of the letters were received by the funeral home as proved by the certificate of receipts being returned to me signed by funeral home reps. They are 3 weeks past the deadline I had set for settlement and I have gotten NO response from them of any kind! They don't seem to care, after all, they got the money!!!! They are still under investigation by the State Board of Funeral Services and the State Attorney General's Office.
#50
Mon, October 07, 2002
I have sent 2 certified letters since the previous uncertified lettes to Barnett-Lewis Funeral Home in which a demand for refund was enclosed. Each of the letters were received by the funeral home as proved by the certificate of receipts being returned to me signed by funeral home reps. They are 3 weeks past the deadline I had set for settlement and I have gotten NO response from them of any kind! They don't seem to care, after all, they got the money!!!! They are still under investigation by the State Board of Funeral Services and the State Attorney General's Office.
#60
Mon, October 07, 2002
I have sent 2 certified letters since the previous uncertified lettes to Barnett-Lewis Funeral Home in which a demand for refund was enclosed. Each of the letters were received by the funeral home as proved by the certificate of receipts being returned to me signed by funeral home reps. They are 3 weeks past the deadline I had set for settlement and I have gotten NO response from them of any kind! They don't seem to care, after all, they got the money!!!! They are still under investigation by the State Board of Funeral Services and the State Attorney General's Office.
#70
Mon, October 07, 2002
I have sent 2 certified letters since the previous uncertified lettes to Barnett-Lewis Funeral Home in which a demand for refund was enclosed. Each of the letters were received by the funeral home as proved by the certificate of receipts being returned to me signed by funeral home reps. They are 3 weeks past the deadline I had set for settlement and I have gotten NO response from them of any kind! They don't seem to care, after all, they got the money!!!! They are still under investigation by the State Board of Funeral Services and the State Attorney General's Office.
#80
Thu, September 05, 2002
I had sent demand for refunds to Barnett-Lewis funeral Home and never got a response. So I sent the following letter via certified mail..........AND I GOT THE RESPONSE THAT FOLLOWS MY LETTER. But remember that it took us 4 months to get a copy of the funeral statement and he continually ignored our requests and told us lies when we asked questions. TO: Barnett-Lewis Funeral Home 08-30-02 Brian Fritz 901 S. Minnesota Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57104 RE: Deceit, professional malpractice, fraud, immoral behavior, intentional infliction of emotional distress, failure to comply with the FTC Funeral Rule, failure to comply with the South Dakota State Board of Funeral Directors codes and laws and etc... In the Matter of: Jay Jacobson Funeral - Mishandled 03-04-02 to 03-07-02 You have evidently ignored my previous correspondence via the US postal service as I have yet to hear anything, not even a denial of responsibility in the matter. I am taking this as yet another attempt by you to ignore me and my family as you have done on several other occasions. This is the final opportunity to try to resolve this matter before I elevate my quest for resolve to the next level. I have already spoken to my attorney and am starting to deal with television and print media. If you do not want this to escalate to that level, please contact me via mail at the above address so we may attempt to resolve this matter. If you do not make a good faith effort to resolve this by September 15, 2002, I will be forced to go forward with my pursuit through legal channels and taking this to the Sioux Falls area public through the media. Sincerely, __________________________ Brenda Reeves - Jay Jacobson's aunt & legal guardian in life Representative for the family RESPONSE 09-03-02 Dear Ms. Reeves: We are more than willing to deal with you on this issue. However, at this point, we have to see how the pending investigations turn out. After the Attorney General, The South Dakota Board of Funeral Service and the Better Business Bureau have concluded their investigations, we can then rectify the situation with you. It is unfortunate that this turn of events had to fo to this extent. We would have been more than willing to deal with you personally, rather than delaying the issue for this long. We will contact you as soon as we get approval to move ahead from these agencies. Sincerely, Brian D. Fritz Now, I have contacted all of the above mentioned agencies and they all have said that the money owed my family and the negotiations thereof, will not effect the outcome of their investigations. They said that the hope that we can negotiate as they do not collect money for the consumers. All that I have talked to said that his letter sounded like what he was trying to say was - I'm waiting to see what the agencies say that I have to pay! In the meanwhile, it sounds as though the Funeral Board has some issues with the way our funeral was handled and I think I may get some results.
#90
Thu, September 05, 2002
I had sent demand for refunds to Barnett-Lewis funeral Home and never got a response. So I sent the following letter via certified mail..........AND I GOT THE RESPONSE THAT FOLLOWS MY LETTER. But remember that it took us 4 months to get a copy of the funeral statement and he continually ignored our requests and told us lies when we asked questions. TO: Barnett-Lewis Funeral Home 08-30-02 Brian Fritz 901 S. Minnesota Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57104 RE: Deceit, professional malpractice, fraud, immoral behavior, intentional infliction of emotional distress, failure to comply with the FTC Funeral Rule, failure to comply with the South Dakota State Board of Funeral Directors codes and laws and etc... In the Matter of: Jay Jacobson Funeral - Mishandled 03-04-02 to 03-07-02 You have evidently ignored my previous correspondence via the US postal service as I have yet to hear anything, not even a denial of responsibility in the matter. I am taking this as yet another attempt by you to ignore me and my family as you have done on several other occasions. This is the final opportunity to try to resolve this matter before I elevate my quest for resolve to the next level. I have already spoken to my attorney and am starting to deal with television and print media. If you do not want this to escalate to that level, please contact me via mail at the above address so we may attempt to resolve this matter. If you do not make a good faith effort to resolve this by September 15, 2002, I will be forced to go forward with my pursuit through legal channels and taking this to the Sioux Falls area public through the media. Sincerely, __________________________ Brenda Reeves - Jay Jacobson's aunt & legal guardian in life Representative for the family RESPONSE 09-03-02 Dear Ms. Reeves: We are more than willing to deal with you on this issue. However, at this point, we have to see how the pending investigations turn out. After the Attorney General, The South Dakota Board of Funeral Service and the Better Business Bureau have concluded their investigations, we can then rectify the situation with you. It is unfortunate that this turn of events had to fo to this extent. We would have been more than willing to deal with you personally, rather than delaying the issue for this long. We will contact you as soon as we get approval to move ahead from these agencies. Sincerely, Brian D. Fritz Now, I have contacted all of the above mentioned agencies and they all have said that the money owed my family and the negotiations thereof, will not effect the outcome of their investigations. They said that the hope that we can negotiate as they do not collect money for the consumers. All that I have talked to said that his letter sounded like what he was trying to say was - I'm waiting to see what the agencies say that I have to pay! In the meanwhile, it sounds as though the Funeral Board has some issues with the way our funeral was handled and I think I may get some results.
#100
Thu, September 05, 2002
I had sent demand for refunds to Barnett-Lewis funeral Home and never got a response. So I sent the following letter via certified mail..........AND I GOT THE RESPONSE THAT FOLLOWS MY LETTER. But remember that it took us 4 months to get a copy of the funeral statement and he continually ignored our requests and told us lies when we asked questions. TO: Barnett-Lewis Funeral Home 08-30-02 Brian Fritz 901 S. Minnesota Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57104 RE: Deceit, professional malpractice, fraud, immoral behavior, intentional infliction of emotional distress, failure to comply with the FTC Funeral Rule, failure to comply with the South Dakota State Board of Funeral Directors codes and laws and etc... In the Matter of: Jay Jacobson Funeral - Mishandled 03-04-02 to 03-07-02 You have evidently ignored my previous correspondence via the US postal service as I have yet to hear anything, not even a denial of responsibility in the matter. I am taking this as yet another attempt by you to ignore me and my family as you have done on several other occasions. This is the final opportunity to try to resolve this matter before I elevate my quest for resolve to the next level. I have already spoken to my attorney and am starting to deal with television and print media. If you do not want this to escalate to that level, please contact me via mail at the above address so we may attempt to resolve this matter. If you do not make a good faith effort to resolve this by September 15, 2002, I will be forced to go forward with my pursuit through legal channels and taking this to the Sioux Falls area public through the media. Sincerely, __________________________ Brenda Reeves - Jay Jacobson's aunt & legal guardian in life Representative for the family RESPONSE 09-03-02 Dear Ms. Reeves: We are more than willing to deal with you on this issue. However, at this point, we have to see how the pending investigations turn out. After the Attorney General, The South Dakota Board of Funeral Service and the Better Business Bureau have concluded their investigations, we can then rectify the situation with you. It is unfortunate that this turn of events had to fo to this extent. We would have been more than willing to deal with you personally, rather than delaying the issue for this long. We will contact you as soon as we get approval to move ahead from these agencies. Sincerely, Brian D. Fritz Now, I have contacted all of the above mentioned agencies and they all have said that the money owed my family and the negotiations thereof, will not effect the outcome of their investigations. They said that the hope that we can negotiate as they do not collect money for the consumers. All that I have talked to said that his letter sounded like what he was trying to say was - I'm waiting to see what the agencies say that I have to pay! In the meanwhile, it sounds as though the Funeral Board has some issues with the way our funeral was handled and I think I may get some results.
#110
Thu, September 05, 2002
I had sent demand for refunds to Barnett-Lewis funeral Home and never got a response. So I sent the following letter via certified mail..........AND I GOT THE RESPONSE THAT FOLLOWS MY LETTER. But remember that it took us 4 months to get a copy of the funeral statement and he continually ignored our requests and told us lies when we asked questions. TO: Barnett-Lewis Funeral Home 08-30-02 Brian Fritz 901 S. Minnesota Ave. Sioux Falls, SD 57104 RE: Deceit, professional malpractice, fraud, immoral behavior, intentional infliction of emotional distress, failure to comply with the FTC Funeral Rule, failure to comply with the South Dakota State Board of Funeral Directors codes and laws and etc... In the Matter of: Jay Jacobson Funeral - Mishandled 03-04-02 to 03-07-02 You have evidently ignored my previous correspondence via the US postal service as I have yet to hear anything, not even a denial of responsibility in the matter. I am taking this as yet another attempt by you to ignore me and my family as you have done on several other occasions. This is the final opportunity to try to resolve this matter before I elevate my quest for resolve to the next level. I have already spoken to my attorney and am starting to deal with television and print media. If you do not want this to escalate to that level, please contact me via mail at the above address so we may attempt to resolve this matter. If you do not make a good faith effort to resolve this by September 15, 2002, I will be forced to go forward with my pursuit through legal channels and taking this to the Sioux Falls area public through the media. Sincerely, __________________________ Brenda Reeves - Jay Jacobson's aunt & legal guardian in life Representative for the family RESPONSE 09-03-02 Dear Ms. Reeves: We are more than willing to deal with you on this issue. However, at this point, we have to see how the pending investigations turn out. After the Attorney General, The South Dakota Board of Funeral Service and the Better Business Bureau have concluded their investigations, we can then rectify the situation with you. It is unfortunate that this turn of events had to fo to this extent. We would have been more than willing to deal with you personally, rather than delaying the issue for this long. We will contact you as soon as we get approval to move ahead from these agencies. Sincerely, Brian D. Fritz Now, I have contacted all of the above mentioned agencies and they all have said that the money owed my family and the negotiations thereof, will not effect the outcome of their investigations. They said that the hope that we can negotiate as they do not collect money for the consumers. All that I have talked to said that his letter sounded like what he was trying to say was - I'm waiting to see what the agencies say that I have to pay! In the meanwhile, it sounds as though the Funeral Board has some issues with the way our funeral was handled and I think I may get some results.