This is in reference to the unprepared grave in Newport (BDN, May 22). This was not a “make them pay” principle.

On April 28, Jack Wilson was spoken to by [Mike] Crosby in our presence. The job order was put in for a committal service in May. (We were informed this was confirmed twice after that.) The statement was printed “the immediately responsible parties apologized several times, the town also offered its official apologies.” If indeed the town had taken responsibility for the mistake and had apologized, nothing more would have come of the situation.

The town was aware of the problem. While we were at the cemetery a message came over the scanner, something like, “someone better get to the cemetery, there ‘s been a big screw-up,” one week between the burial and the town meeting. Not once did anyone call or come to us with anything like an apology.

Concerning the statement Paul Tormey made, “The women wanted to make them pay” — when you pay for a job you expect it to be done as ordered. In this case it caused a lot of inconvenience and heartache. Only someone who has lost a loved one could possibly understand the feeling of knowing your mother was going back to the funeral home and put in the garage for a couple of hours, then the family having to make that trip of grief again.

We did ask for the one $150 back. We intended it to be put toward something for the town in our mother’s memory and not for personal gain as you would have people believe. It was the principle, not the money.

We apologize to the Crosby Funeral Home for the inconvenience and criticism they had to endure. We couldn’t have asked anything more to have been done on their part. We wish there were more people in the world like them. Joyce Roache Judy Pomeroy Greensboro, N.C.