3 veterans receive proper burial after cremains found in North Olmsted City Hall closet

RITTMAN, Ohio (WOIO) - Three veterans were honored at laid to rest Thursday at Ohio Western Reserve National Cemetery.

The cremated remains of Gerald Stocks (Air Force), Ervine Folley (Army), and Arthur Krells (Navy) had been in a closet for years at North Olmsted City Hall.

“What had happened was there was a funeral home in North Olmsted that had closed its doors,” said North Olmsted Mayor Nicole Dailey Jones. “They had the cremains of a number of people whose next of kin never claimed them.”

The cremains were then taken to North Olmsted City Hall, where they sat sit for years.

“When we came into office last year, we realized that they were still there and nothing had been done yet,” said Jones.

Jones says it took about a year to give the veterans a proper burial because of the lengthy process that happens to prove their service to the U.S.

“Immediately we wanted to make sure to honor the veterans by giving them a proper veteran’s burial,” said Jones.

Kevin Kearney, the North Olmsted Service Director, played a role in bringing these men to their final resting place.

“These are men that served our country. They should be honored here. It’s wonderful,” said Kearney.

First responders were present at the burials.

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