Billy The Spa Guy, an Elvis Expert, tells us about the beginning of The Memphis Mafia. Balboa Park Trails in the background near The Morley Field Dog Park, The Pool and The Velodrome. The Zoo Parking Lot and Navy Hospital are in the far background.

Billy Stallings, famously known as “The Spa Guy,” is a content creator, hot tub expert, and well-known Elvis Presley historian. Operating out of the Memphis area, he shares hot tub maintenance advice alongside hundreds of videos exploring the life, homes, and artifacts of Elvis Presley. [1, 2, 3]

Hot Tub Expertise

Billy started in the pool and spa industry as a child, learning the trade from his father who built pools for over 40 years. He later established his own business, The Spa Guy Inc., providing pool and spa services, repairs, and advice. [1, 2, 3, 4]

Elvis Presley Historian

Beyond spas, Billy is a dedicated Elvis historian. He has filmed over 700 Elvis-related videos and tours for his Spa Guy YouTube Channel. His work in the Elvis community includes: [1, 2, 3]

• The TigerMan Dojo: Billy successfully reopened the TigerMan Karate Dojo & Museum near Graceland, where Elvis trained and earned his black belt.

• Artifact Exhibitions: He shares and displays rare Elvis artifacts.

• Music: Billy is also a musician who has recorded gospel albums and toured in tribute acts. [1, 2, 3]

The Spa Guy,

Elvis Presley,

The Memphis Mafia,

Thank you, Billy, for taking time to chat with The Ronnie Republic. I love hearing about Elvis. WE have studied him many times in our History of Rock and Roll Class at San Diego Community College Extension.

BikePalestine.com

Lu Ellen Lu at The Dog Beach and Great Hotel Tip

Ramada Inn San Diego Airport Wyndham is a great location to stay in San Diego. Lived there forever and this is a perfect place.

Five minutes from Ocean Beach Dog Beach without going on the Freeway and literally right across the street from Point Loma Seafoods and Mitch’s for casual dining.

Perfect walking along the harbor and Shelter Island.

Easy access to the hotel and everything around it. The staff was friendly and helpful and the continental breakfast was delicious.

The hotel was not expensive and it was a good value for the price.

Lu Ellen Lu,

Lu McDowell,

The Ronnie Republic,

Ramada Inn San Diego Airport Wyndham,

Dog Beach, San Diego,

The Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sunday, February 8, 2026

Watch this homily! (begins at 36:30)

A couple of questions to begin with this morning. What is a preacher to do when the moral imperatives of God’s Word in the scriptures – and our deeply-held beliefs as Catholics – are clearly at odds with the word coming from our government? What happens when to pretend otherwise or to look the other way would be nothing short of cowardice? That’s the time a preacher finds his deepest calling, and a community finds its greatest challenge. It is also the time when we awaken to the fact that the Word of God doesn’t live in isolation from our lives. On the contrary, it is right in the midst of our lives that God’s Word comes to life. That Word, simply because it is God’s Word, makes great demands and disturbs consciences.

If we look to the scriptures, it is precisely this sort of thing that made life dangerous and difficult for the prophets of old. Isaiah is a good example. In today’s first reading we heard him challenging people to share their bread with the hungry, to shelter the oppressed and the homeless, and to clothe the naked. Why didn’t Isaiah stick to purely ‘spiritual’ things like prayer and keeping the Commandments? For one reason only: God. God had inspired Isaiah to speak out against people who thought they were fulfilling their religious obligations simply by observing the Sabbath, keeping their fasts, offering sacrifice, piously performing religious rituals - all the while turning their backs on the poor, the hungry, the homeless, and the dispossessed. In God’s name, Isaiah exposed their hollow religiosity for what it was and he challenged the people to make their religion real by caring for the poor, feeding the hungry, sheltering the oppressed and the homeless, clothing the naked. Only then, he told them, only then would they be truly honoring God. Only then would their light break forth like the dawn, their wounds be healed, their prayers be heard on high.

Fast-forward to today. I’m no Isaiah, that’s for sure, but I have been sent to preach God’s word and I find myself wondering what God would have me say about a burning issue of our day – one that Father Gary and I have both addressed a number of times but which we need to keep before us. I’m talking about the way our government is dealing with - and has for years dealt with - the huge issue of immigration: with migrants, refugees, and asylum-seekers. No administration has gotten this right, that’s for sure, and we now have one that is dealing with it by closing our borders to people simply on the basis of their race, color, religion, or national origin - people most of whom are fleeing violent conditions, oppression, maltreatment, and economic ruin in their homelands. Why else would they leave them? All of which makes this an ‘Isaiah moment’ for me. I simply cannot be silent when wholesale sweeps and dragnets are currently taking place across the country, and the indiscriminate mass deportation of people is being carried out by militarized, masked agents of the federal government who employ brutal and even deadly tactics, targeting not only migrants but people who are doing nothing more than exercising their First Amendment right to engage in peaceful protest.

You hardly need me to remind you that all of this is a direct contradiction of some of our most deeply held beliefs and values as Americans. We are a nation of immigrants, after all, with a long and glorious history of welcoming ‘the tired, the poor, the huddled masses yearning to breathe free.’ So many of our own parents and grandparents were among those huddled masses, and so are many of you!

But this is far more than just an American issue: it is an issue that involves fundamental Judaeo-Christian beliefs. Words from the Book of Exodus come to mind, “You shall not oppress the alien… you shall befriend the alien, for once you too were aliens in the land of Egypt.”

And in the Book of Leviticus Moses reinforces this when he says, “the alien who resides with you shall be to you as the citizen among you: you shall love the alien as yourself.” And that logic is repeated and reinforced in the Gospels when Jesus not only teaches us to welcome the stranger, he actually identifies himself with the stranger! And, of course, there is his foundational teaching, “do unto others as you would have them do to you.’

None of this is to say that our immigration system isn’t badly in need of reform. It most certainly is. Nor does it mean that people guilty of crimes shouldn’t be brought to justice. They should, of course. And reasonable precautions need to be taken for the safety of all. But when reasonable precautions turn into a paranoia that whips up suspicion and hatred toward entire populations or religious or ethnic groups, we believers need to speak up and speak out.

My friends, this is not politics from the pulpit, it is morality from the pulpit: basic Christian morality that flows from the gospels and has been articulated clearly by all our recent popes. Listen to these unambiguous words of Pope St. John Paul II: “It is necessary,” he said, “to guard against the rise of new forms of racism or nationalism which attempt to make any of our brothers and sisters scapegoats.” To that I would add these plainspoken words of Pope Francis: “It is hypocrisy to call yourself a Christian and chase away a refugee or someone seeking help, someone who is hungry or thirsty. If I say I am a Christian but do these things, I am a hypocrite.” And only two months ago, Pope Leo XIV, in an address at the Vatican, spoke these very pointed words (I quote): “Ever more inhuman measures are being adopted – even celebrated politically – that treat these ‘undesirables’ as if they were garbage and not human beings.”

Let me say it again, my friends: this is not politics, this is gospel! And it is Church teaching.

In today’s reading from Matthew’s gospel, Jesus challenged his disciples to engage with the world around them. He didn’t want timid followers – quiet, cautious, fearful - who would tiptoe around. No, he wanted his followers to make a difference in the world around them – to add the kind of flavor and zest that salt adds to food. Jesus also wanted them – wanted us – to be light: to bring light to the dark and disordered world around us - the light of the gospel, the light we dare not hide under a bushel basket, the light that reveals, in this present moment, ugly things like racism, nativism, Christian nationalism, authoritarianism - calling them out for what they are.

Dear friends, on the day of our baptism we were each given a lighted candle and told to keep it burning brightly and to walk always as “children of the light.” That is our calling, our sacred calling. We do it alone and we do it together, but do it we must, for we are the light of the world - our too dark world that is desperately in need of light. And we must be that light!

Father Michael G. Ryan

804 Ninth Avenue
Seattle, Washington 98104
Phone 206.622.3559 Fax 206.622.5303

A New Season of Lesley Stahl and her Hunk’in Chunks

One can literally gauge how cute Lesley Stahl’s earrings were by the amount of viewers to the post.

Here is a rerun of an earlier post talking about Lesley and her never ending ability to wear cute earrings.

Lesley Stahl and her earrings rule the day with a stunning jolt of color and shape coupled with her equally impressive interviewing skills the other reporters are left in the dust.

Here is the original post:

https://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2013/09/i-want-to-be-leslie-stahl-so-i-can-wear.html

Wait...here is another post:

https://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2013/11/leslie-stahl-and-her-stunning.html

Thank you for reading and thank you for your comments. It seems like Lesley works very hard to get the assignment completed in a way that is professional and enlightening. Her earrings and her work are the same in a way because it is the quality that shows without any distractions. In the jewelry one can see the beauty of the gem, bold color and perfection without distractions but her interview skills are really the same. She uses the facts for the story and she keeps her cool. At the end of the day the viewer is the winner because we simply have more information about the subject.

People will not stop talking about Lesley Stahl:

https://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2014/10/leslie-stahl-and-her-hunkin-chunks.html

Thank you, Lesley, for all of your hard work. Always enjoy watching your reports and love your cute earrings.

Sherry McDowell

The Ronnie Re

Lesley Stahl

60 Minutes

Lesley Stahl and her Cute Earrings

Earrings

Lesley Stahl and her beautiful earrings

The location of this podcast is Discovery Park in Seattle, Washington. It is in the middle of The Heritage Area.

My lady is gone but I know we will be together again someday.

 People, when you write it you share it.

It is a helpful  thing for frustration.

How does the NCA verify information?  How did they verify the facts given to them by my cousin?

The National Cemetery Administration is the government arm of burials for veterans.  It is run by the VA--the Veterans Administration.

I think most of the time they do a very good job--but there are glitches in the system.

My cousin had my mother's ashes.  I foolishly agreed to let him pick them up for me--it did save a trip.

Full of revenge and angry with me for being indecisive my cousin placed her ashes behind my back at Prescott National Cemetery.

 38 CFR § 38.600 Personal Representative

A “Personal representative” means a family member or other individual who has identified himself or herself to the National Cemetery Administration as the person responsible for making decisions concerning the interment of the remains of or memorialization of a deceased individual.”  Hence, “Personal representative” (PR) is an umbrella term, which encompass the Next of Kin (NOK).  Note:  38 CFR 38.600(a) Personal representative definition allows NCA to accept anyone who identifies as the person responsible for making decisions concerning the interment of remains of or memorialization of a deceased individual. 

Annoyed with Greenwood, I wanted to wait.  I wanted to wait until I could afford it and I was starting to consider Miramar at a friend's suggestion.

Scott was never the person responsible for making decisions about my mother--this is in the trust and with the advanced health care directive in the trust.

He started his talks with the burial scheduling office in March claiming he had not heard from me in years and he had no idea where I was.  This is what he said to me in a recent phone call before he quit talking to me again.

Did he mention we had spoken in November when I said I could not afford the trip to San Diego?

Did he mention to the scheduling office she already owned her plot at Greenwood.

Did he mention I had been chatting with Greenwood about the price..one can see my text on a different post.

To the individual at NCA:

Please do not throw out everything I suggest because it looks like you are only interested in absolving yourself from any responsibility and it is terribly uncaring.  Like the time you did not want to admit I was the daughter.....and not dignified.

They really like to talk about dignity.

In this instance your policy is very flawed and creates a huge mess and definitely is not dignified for the NOK of the person who has passed.  Scott falsely identified himself as NOK when he knew I was completely available....we have this on date and time with text and e-mails to Greenwood....and phone calls with date and time.

It seems like they are being so careful with their words.

Could it be they do not want to make a statement clarifying that Scott made false statements.

The other hurtful part:

Scott loves rolling in his own glory--he is good and I am bad.  Hard core trumper at heart he loves mentioning the wild policies of Gerry Brown and since I love Hillary Clinton, Kamala Harris and other dems it seems like this gives him leeway to disregard everything I say.

He acted as if my mother did not like me and therefore he had the right to make these decisions just because he was so grand.

I know I took good care of my mother in her final years...and did Scott ever live with mother?

Why did the guy at the NCA mention to me he put a note in the files that I was the daughter.  Was that after he finally said who I was, or what?

He keeps talking about his counsel...I do not have counsel.

"I did the right thing for Aunt Frances, go ahead and sue me."

Seriously, Scott, wouldn't it have been easier to just give me a call.

One wonders if the burial office noted that I was the NOK on the DD214 they had to access in order to dtermine eligibility for her burial.

But why did you lie Scott, why.  I've got a history of 16 phone calls between us from the first of the year until November....why did you tell them you had no way to get a hold of me 4 months later.

My mother wanted to be at Greenwood in San Diego by her mother and father and brothers, Scott's dad...I was never worried about time.

Greenwood raised their prices 1000 dollars in 6 months--just to dig the hole in the ground.

Trust me on this one, people, if it ws the other way around and mother was trying to put me in the ground she would definitely be looking for the least expensive option.

The doggy girl was getting so old to make the trip.

March 20, after a message, which he would not respond to, he placed mother's ashes claiming he did not know where I was or how to get a hold of me.

Why?

Here is a post with more information:

https://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2023/03/va-burials-flaws-in-system-where-is.html

Thank you for reading.

Scott told the VA he id not know how to get in touch with me.

Scott said he did not know how to get in touch with me but here he is sending me the Remains Permit to send to Greenwood where my mother owned her plot next to his father.

I wish the VA would have invited me to my mother's service.

Jan. 27, 2024

There seems to be a huge issue about getting the will and trust into the file.  The National Cemetery Administration is going out of their way not to put the will and trust into the file.  The will and trust names me, the daughter, as the Next of Kin and the agent in charge of her remains.

So frustrated with this Veterans Administration policy on burials--there is nothing left to do but write.

My cousin hijacked my mother's ashes--basically pretending to the VA I did not exist.

He had offered to pick them up for me in San Diego where we all had lived forever.

We both lived in other places now and I stupidly agreed...it saved me the trip and it was getting near the time I had said I would get them.

San Diego Neptune said to pick them up before Christmas and I agreed.

I was never late in picking them up--one understands time frames--this is a salient point to the story.

I think they must have been inundated with remains and they were filling up fast with ashes after COVID,

My cousin had engaged in endless self-congrulatory statements about saving the ashes and my mother.

We were to meet later and place her at Greenwood...but the prices kept going up...even when she owned the plot.

High gas prices and car rental, a lovely old doggy girl and another family member not able to make it and I renegged on the trip--basically due to cost.

I was never worried about time....but the cousin was and this created the problem.

He claimed he had not heard from me in years and I was totally uninterested--he buried her behind my back in revenge.

Yes, they had the 21 gun salute he gloated, and I was the only one there.

Of course he was the only one there--why didn't he call me.

Oh, I have given them a ton of facts trying to move mother to Miramar in San Diego but they will not listen.

Remembering I had my old phone, I dug up a history of plenty of phone calls and texts between the cousin and myself--yes, it more than proves my point that I really do exist.

The director of the cems says it is a moot point--according to counsel.

Of course they can't listen--it would prove all of my points and that my cousin was a bold faced liar--again congratulating himself on his actions.

I was never worried about time--mother named me to take care of her--I did take good care of her.

It is humilating--it is not a dignified burial.

Here's the thing--my cousin has listed himself as NOK at the cem and I guess as punishment and revenge for waiting, he wants to keep it that way.

Well, my phone calls make the point and he has asked me not to send him any more information--obviously he does not want to hear the truth.

According to counsel...........

My counsel.

Did Scott have my number?

Why wasn't I invited to the service?

A history of my phone calls showing communication with my cousin, Scott.  He told the VA he did not know how to get in touch with me.

Labels: National Cemetery Administration, Prescott National Cemetery, VA Burials--Flaws in the System--Where is the Dignity, VA-OIG, Wills and Trusts

jay dalrymple had to comment on my financial situation--what did that have to do with anything--I had an agreement to meet with scott in November to place my mother at Greenwood but when I wanted to wait scott became angry.  I was never worried about time.

From the tone and subject matter one might guess this communication could be from jay dalrymple.

Do keep in mind it is mr dalrymple who told me many folks make false statements today and hung up one me.

One wonders if mr dalyrymple would be so cavalier if it was his mother that was buried without his knowledge.

One would kindly ask mr dalrymple for empathy at a time like this.

As far as his "interesting nugget" of information goes...my mother's cremation was paid for years in advance.  She had paid for her cremation at Neptune and her plot at Greenwood next to her mother and father and her brother's one of them being scott's father.

She was very proud of this fact and often repeated it and scott often reminded me of this.

There was never any kind of money agreement with scott varley.

I probably did say I was on a budget and the trip to San Diego would cost about 6 thousand and I preferred to wait until prices were lower.  Scott did not want me to wait, became angry and buried her without my knowledge.

I have shown the text where scott sent me the remains permit for me to send to Greenwood.  Greenwood did raise their prices from 2000 to 3000 in six months.  I felt this was expensive when she thought everything was paid for in advance.

scott merely called and asked if he could pick up the ashes for me as a favor as he was visiting San Diego where we all lived forever.

I felt we had a good relationship and foolishly agreed, never guessing this horrible fiasco would ensue.

In my job, as an operating room nurse for 25 years, one has to be all about the facts.

My point is that I guess I expect other people to take their job seriously and be about the facts, too.  We cannot lie or make false statements.  Not only would someone find out immediately, but, honestly, would you really want someone bringing you in the operating  room for a surgery who was not being careful with the facts.  You know what I mean--right arm / left arm--you get my drift.

Why would jay dalrymple find it to be such an "interesting nugget of information"  to know that I was on a budget?  More than that, what if I honestly did not have any money, Would that give scott varley the right to bury my mother without my knowledge when I am listed in the will and trust to be in charge of her remains and carry out her wishes.

mr randy heard ends all of his e-mails with the quote from John Lewis to make a good noise.

But when I ask questions and try to make a noise people have complained they have spent too much time talking to me.  Do keep in mind I am asking why randy heard dodged the questions repeatedly about the remains permit when we know now he had it all along.

Do keep in mind randy heard said I was not notified about the service because he didn't know about me but now we see with the FOIA he knew about me all along as I was listed as a NOK on the paperwork.

I have asked the NCA to acknowledge that my cousin scott varley willfully withheld information so I would not know he was burying my mother in Prescott.  There is plenty of evidence showing he had my phone number.  Would randy heard or John Lewis think that is a good noise?

So when I have asked the NCA repeatedly to admit that scott varley lied I do not appreciate one person saying I had issues with mental health.  Does it mean I have an issue with mental health when I merely asked the NCA to admit the truth.

Remember randy heard said scott varley did not make any false statements and the VA did not do anything wrong.

And remember, it was sworn to in an investigation that scott varley absolutely made false statements--this was from a person at the cemetery.

Do the people at the NCA think it is a joke that my cousin said I did the right thing for Aunt Frances--we had a 21 gun salute and I was the only one there.

He simply could have called me up.

Do the people at the NCA think I am mentally ill because I had to endure my other cousin, jean, scott's sister sending me an expletive ridden e-mail when someone must have said something about exhuming ashes-words i never use--simply because she became aware of the fact that I wanted to move my mother's ashes to where she owned her plot.

I do not appreciate the sentiment of the NCA regarding this humiliating and extremely hurtful event.

What if I was broke, what if I was mentally ill, what if I was homeless, what if I never wanted to bury the ashes but keep them with me........

Does that give scott varley the right to lie about me, about my contact information and to bury my mother's ashes without letting me know.

My mother put me in charge of the disposition of her remains, not scott varly, and not the NCA to make decisions for me.

I am sending the trust again where I am named the NOK and the agent in charge of her remains.   Please read 6.3 where it says I am the agent in charge of her remains.

Do me a favor, please read it--you can skim most of it--it does not really take that long.

In my job we take care of people, regardless of their income, home situation or their mental health--all of those people need surgery and if I put a derogatory remark in the chart questioning someone asking too many questions, their budget or their mental health I would be fired--it is simply not allowed.

One would suggest the same respect from the NCA and the VA, particularly when they cannot stop talking about dignity.

Please have some respect for my situation.

Thank you for your time,

Sharon McDowell

Bamula

Peerless Cleaners--Orange California

Phone  580--Orange

129 South Glassell

Orange, Ca

Old Towne Historic District

From the files of Bessie Ida Arnim Varley

Tags:  Peerless Dry Cleaners--Vintage Orange, Peerless Cleaners, Historic Orange California, Glassell Street, Historic Southern California, Vintage Orange County, 

The Plaza at Orange, Ca--Historic Orange, California

221 So Glassell St, Orange, Ca about 1904

Tags:  Wedding Bells for Richard Byron Varley and Bessie Ida Arnim--August 5 1913,Bessie Ida Arnim Varley,Richard Byron Varley Senior,Helen Virginia Laidley Arnim,221 So Glassell St Orange Ca, Historic Orange California. The Plaza in Orange, Genealogy,

So, they buried my mother but could not be bothered to let me know.

Yes, they did their big investigation and what was their result--their own perfection.

Complaining and shaming about answering too many of my questions they have proclaimed they do not have time for me.

Really, because they did not answer any of my questions.

I still do not know what happened--what took place at the cemetery between my cousin and the employees--he told me he talked to someone at the cemetery and they agreed with him completely--about burying my mother and not letting me know.

I asked them to look into the fact that my cousin lied to the cemetery and the NCA.

They refuse to address the issue.

I asked them to look into the fact that randy heard, cem director, lied about the remains permit.  He had it all along and denied it several times--refusing to acknowledge the policy for scanning information with the remains.

But why.....

What do we know so far?

We know scott varley lied to the NCA because one employee told me he absolutely lied and had to swear to that in an investigation.

So we know that the NationalCemetery Administration knows that my cousin, scott varley made false statements to the federal government and took my benefits.

We know that randy heard lied because he said I was not invited to the service because he did not know about me.  We know he did from the remains permit--he lied about having it and he had it all along--the pauper's grave statement and the statement from scott about his conversation with the cem.

scott varley painted a picture of me a a derelict, as if I fell off the earth.

Why--so he could bury my mother and I would not know what was happening.

Is any of this up for debate.

Can the NCA acknowledge the facts.

It is humiliating to have this horrible, shameful, embarrassing information in my mother's file and then they go on about dignity--it is disgusting and it is ridiculous for grown men and women to not deal in facts and truth.

Should we expect integrity from the government--just asking......

The other huge question they are not addressing is my mother's will and trust and durable power of attorney where it states specifically that I am her agent to make decisions about her remains according to her wishes.

There are many publications where the VA encourages a veteran to have these documents in place.

I have asked them several times--is her will and trust on file--tell me why you will not recognize the legal document.

They skipped over these giant issues in their investigation and claimed they have spent way too much time looking into things for me.

We know they know scott varley lied--I am asking them kindly to acknowledge this information and include it and the will and trust in my mother's file.

I think they are reasonable questions since they buried her and did  not let me know.

randy heard lied about knowing I existed, about the remains permit, and claimed scott varley did not make false statements and the VA did not do anything wrong after the other person said he swore in an investigation scott did make false statements.

Dear execs at the NCA...if someone lied to you about burying your mother wouldn't you want to know why.

We know they have a cavalier relationship with the truth because when jay dalrymple was told scott varly lied he said a lot of people lie these days and hung up on me.

According to Vince at Neptune in San Diego, Scott's pauper's grave story was a fantasy.  The burial experts should have seen the red flags.

Did they contact Vince during their investigation?

Four different employees from 4 different National Cemeteries have told me they can easily check with the mortuary if there are red flags.  I frequently try to do research.

They had Neptune on the Remains Permit, not to mention my name as the daughter and the destination of Greenwood where my mother owned her plot in San Diego.  Her plot was next to her mother and her brother's one of them being scott,s father.

I trusted scott completely when he offered to pick up the ashes on a visit to San Diego--I thought we had a good relationship and I was happy about it but he became angry when I was indecisive and said I was on a budget.

scott varley used the VA as a tool for anger and revenge.  

Is it too much to ask for the truth and honesty in my mother's file?

Given the indescrepencies it seems like it would be reasonable for one to ask questions.

If anyone has any tips, information, help, suggestions, ideas or thoughts about this very confusing issue please contact me.

Sherry McDowell

316-347-9710

chloe.louise.langendorf.louis@gmail.com

Who is Chloe Louise really.......

Chloe Louise Langendorf Louis

The mystery of Bradley Phillips.

Thank you for listening.

Here we are at Christmas--Me, Mike Scott and Jean with Grandma and Grandpa--This was our holiday scene for so many years.

Here we are at Mother's 102nd at the Veterans Home in Clula Vista.  It was nice of scott to visit my mother but he overstepped his bounds.  Does anyone really think he did not know how to get in touch with me.

How The VA Steals Your Soul

The ashes of my mother were placed at Prescott National Cemetery without my knowledge by my cousin.  Written about in other posts on this blog--he had offered to pick them up for me while visiting San Diego, but when I wanted to wait to place them he put her in AZ where he lives.

Then bragged about it to me after the hijacking took place.

One does understand that a court order is necessary to move the ashes but there are other mysteries surrounding the case.

Upon complaining, it was required for me, the daughter, to show--well--who I was.

heard, director of Prescott National Cemetery

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told me he would patiently wait for me to get the death cert as a form of proof.

The cousin, Scott Varley, would not speak or send it and I kindly received it from Vince at Neptune.

heard told me, on more than one occasion, they would not have the death certificate as it was not required by the state of Arizona for burial, like it is in California.

He explained in a phone conversation that they did not know I existed--they had no way to let me know about the service.

The death cert and the Application and Permit for Disposition of Human Remains were with the ashes from Neptune.

Scott sent me a text with the Permit for Human Remains in November for me to send to Greenwood where my mother owned her plot, right next to her parents and her brothers, one of them being Scott Varley's father. 

Scott was often reminding me of this fact.

Trying to show that Scott Varley made false statements to the federal government, I wanted to know if this remains permit was with the ashes.

Did they have it?

Once heard made the ridiculous proclamation that Scott did not make false statements to the federal government and that the VA did not do anything worng--as in Scott did not have my number to invite me to the service of my own mother--one could see something was not right.

Pressing him for the answer to the mystery of the remains permit, he kept dodging the question and telling me it was not required--again.

What is the policy for recording paperwork that accompanies the ashes--they are quick to tell me the policy for the court order.

No response on ashes info paperwork.

Again, I said--how were they labeled.

Finally, in exasperation phillips responded to the question--did the remains permit accompany the ashes--how were they labeled--what identifying paperwork was with the ashes?

phillips, the regional director, said--the death certificate.

WHAT?

heard directed me to get the death cert and said he would wait patiently when he had it all along.

Something is not right here.

Did Scott Varley make false statements to the federal government claiming he did not know how to get in touch with me.

They determined there was no reason to let me know about my own mother's service.

Scott loves to bragg--there was a 21 gun salute and I was the only one there.

Seriously--why didn't you just call me up.

heard said he did not have the death cert., backed up with plenty of e-mails.

Something is not right at the Prescott National Cemetery with Director, randy heard.

What is going on and why--my mother and I would like to know.

Thank you to the Consumer Affairs Department of the Attorney General of Arizona for looking into this case.  This post is in response to randy heard claiming he was honest and again, refusing to answer the questions about the remains permit.

randy heard, Director of Prescott National Cemetery claiming he did not have the death cert but he would wait for me to get it.

 verb (used with object), horn·swog·gled, horn·swog·gling.Slang.

to swindle, cheat, hoodwink, or hoax.

Here is Scott Varley sending me the Remains Permit in November later claiming he did not know my phone number so there was no way to invite me to the service.

 randy heard, Prescott National Cemetery Director, should have called Neptune...

Should randy heard, Prescptt National Cemetery Dierector, have called Neptune?

Were there red flags?

My name was on the death certificate as the daughter, the destination of Greenwood was on the death cert, Neptune was on the death cert.....

But why did randy heard, Prescott Director, lie about having the death cert?

I wanted to know if he had the remains permit--this was with the ashes--I had to get a copy from cousin scott, to send to Greenwood where my mother owned her plot.

If they had all of that information--why didn't they just give me a call.

Wouldn't that have been easier and avoided this horrible incident.

The destination, alone, on the death cert is an issue--that alone is a red flag.

scott had to call me to give the okay so he could pick up the ashes from Neptune.

Certainly, randy heard, an experienced cemetery director, would have known this kind of thing.

He told me he did not know about me because he did not have the death cert because it was not required in the state of Arizona, therefore, I would not have been invited to the service.

But he did have the death certificate all along.

phillips, regional director, tells us this in an e-mail when he was questioned about what paperwork came with the ashes.

I kept assking randy heard, what papers were with the ashes--did you have the remains permit.

He repeatedly dodged the question and refused to answer telling me it was not required and good luck.

Initially he told me he did not have the death cert and he would patiently wait for me to get it.

I do not understand what was going on until this day--why all of the false statements.

scott told me, as he was bragging about burying my mother--as if he knew what to do and I did not--as if my mother and I did not have a brain--that he told someone at the cemetery the whole story and they agreed with him completely.

This would be how he did not know where I was or how to get in touch with me.

He saved the ashes from a pauper's grave.

"They had a 21 gun salute and I was the only one there."

"Why the heck didn't you just call me up?"  I said.

(There may have been a different word used other than "heck" but I will leave that to the imagination.)

Vince from Neptune has later affirmed to me that he never used those words and they simply do not apply.  He never could have done anything with the ashes without calling me because I am listed on the death cert as the NOK and the distination is Greenwood.

Would randy heard not know some of this info as an experienced cemetery director?

So if scott told the story to the cemetery would they not know about me?

The things do not add up and false staements are involved.

There are many stories on this blog that further explain the issue.

The issue of the NCA burying my mother and not letting me know.

She passed in 2020 and the service was inAugust of 2022.  It wasn't like I disappeared off the face of the earth.

My phone number could easily have been found with the DD214.

Scott had my number.

There is so much lying and covering-up involved--that is what is hurtful.

I am asking them for honesty.

Should we expect honesty from a Ntional Cemetery Director when it comes to placing the ashes of a loved one.

Should we expect honesty from the government.

Is it wrong to trust the government.

Asking randy heard--why did you lie about the death cert?

If anyone has any tips or suggestions my name is Sherry McDowell and my number is 316-347-9710.

Thank you for reading.

Here we are at the VA Home in Chula Vista on mother's 102nd.  It is kind of odd for scott to act like I did not exist.  To me it is stretch for anyone to believe that.