Troubleshooter helps Raleigh man finds closure after trying to get memorial marker for late wife

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- A Raleigh man is fighting for closure after losing his wife of 60 years. George Sandy's wife, Shirley, died more than a year ago, but he said it's been one frustration after another trying to get a memorial marker for her resting place.

"Lord worried the death out of me," Sandy said.

Worrying is what Sandy did when it came to getting a marker for his wife's gravesite at Montlawn Memorial Park in Raleigh.

"I started going to the office, but every time I would go up there, they were busy. I tell the guy operating the telephone, give him my number and tell them my name and tell them to call me and they have never called me one time," said Sandy.

Shirley died in December of 2020, and Sandy would go visit her gravesite weekly hoping to see the marker he paid for at her gravesite.

He said that when he did talk with a representative from Montlawn he would get different excuses.

"They first started out with it's the pandemic, then half the help quit or got laid off, if short help, why laying off?" Sandy said.

After a year and no marker, Sandy's daughter got in touch with Troubleshooter Diane Wilson.

"I suggested we get a lawyer, and she said no, let's talk to you," Sandy's daughter told Wilson.

Troubleshooter Diane Wilson got in touch with a representative at Montlawn who worked directly with the family. It took several more weeks of waiting, but finally, the marker is down. Sandy said he now has the closure he's been waiting more than a year for.

"You feel good all over, it's a relief," he said

A representative from Montlawn did not say what caused the delay, but a worker at the site did say they've dealt with staffing shortages throughout the pandemic.