'Leave my parents alone': Grave marker removed against family's wishes

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A grave marker had been in place for Charlene Phifer’s parents’ graves for nearly 40 years, but she said the cemetery on Beatties Ford Road in Charlotte removed it and mailed it to her house.

That marker had been at Beatties Ford Memorial Gardens for nearly four decades. Phifer said her family paid for the companion marker, which was set in between the graves.

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In May, the cemetery sent Phifer’s family a letter saying the companion marker was erroneously installed and had to be removed. She said they offered to replace it with individual markers.

Despite the family's disapproval, Phifer said the cemetery removed the marker and shipped it to her in the mail.

"Here we are with my mom and dad's headstones in the garage,” Phifer told Channel 9. "I just want to know why. Why now? Leave my parents alone. Leave them alone. Let them rest in peace.”

Eyewitness News called the cemetery and a representative said the family was made aware of why the marker was removed and that the family was aware of the cemetery's rules beforehand.

They declined to comment further.

Phifer has asked the North Carolina Cemetery Commission to investigate.

Cox Media Group