Request for Guardianship/Conservator Records

Diane L Junk filed this request with the Marion County Probate Court of Marion County, SC.
Submitted Aug. 26, 2021
Est. Completion None
Status
No Responsive Documents

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From: Diane L Junk

Subject: South Carolina Public Records Law Request: Request for Guardianship/Conservator Records

Email

To Whom It May Concern:

Pursuant to the South Carolina Public Records Law, I hereby request the following records:

I am looking for the Guardianship/Conservator Records of Robert James Brown. Mr. Brown was a white male, over 6' tall, Blond hair and Blue eyes. He was born in Greenville, Mercer County, PA on 26 August 1949, and died on 11 November 2013. He was the son of Samuel McMillan Brown, Jr., and Nancy Gray Brown. For the last 10 years of his life, he lived at 1325 Santee River Road in Berkeley County, SC. The Postal address changed in those 10 years from Jamestown, SC to Alvin, SC. His residence was a homeless shelter/micro community. I was told by Berkeley County that his Guardian was Todd Smith, yet they have no Guardianship records on file. In order for his body to be cremated, the Guardian had to signed a release. Berkeley County says that is not on file either. The Coroner suggested that he did not die in Berkeley County. The closest hospital is in Kingstree, Williamsburg County. Today I was informed by Williamsburg County Probate Court that there are no guardianship records for Mr. Brown. I am asking Marion County Probate Court because his father and his step-mother are buried in Marion County, SC. His father preceded him in death leaving my friend with no next of kin. Mr. Brown's Guardian, Todd Smith, did not pick up his cremains at the Crematorium and died two years after my friend. I believe the name was Low Country Crematorium in Moncks Corners.

The purpose of my request is that I am trying to obtain a proper burial for USMC Robert James Brown. He was a Vietnam Veteran and his cremains are located in an unclaimed crypt in Building D, #153, Level D, at Greenlawn Memorial Park, 845 Leesburg Road, Columbia, SC 29209. He is entitled to an Honors Service and burial in a National Cemetery with a stone that bears his name. Thank you.

The requested documents will be made available to the general public, and this request is not being made for commercial purposes.

In the event that there are fees, I would be grateful if you would inform me of the total charges in advance of fulfilling my request. I would prefer the request filled electronically, by e-mail attachment if available or CD-ROM if not.

Thank you in advance for your anticipated cooperation in this matter. I look forward to receiving your response to this request within 15 business days, as the statute requires.

Sincerely,

Diane L Junk

From: Marion County Probate Court

Subject: Re: South Carolina Public Records Law Request: Request for Guardianship/Conservator Records

Email

Good morning,
I have looked through all of our files and do not see anything in the name
of Robert James Brown. However, I did do some research and found a few
things that may or may not help. I think I found the Todd Smith that you
are referring to. He ran a Homeless shelter in South Carolina. You also
referred to Berkeley County, SC. I found that Todd Smith was from Berkeley,
California before he came to South Carolina. I am not sure if that is a
coincidence or not. I then researched Robert James Brown in Berkeley,
California. I am not sure if it is the same one or not but a Robert "James"
Brown graduated from Berkeley High School in 1967. By the date of birth
being 1949, in 1967, he would have been 17. In Todd Smith's obituary it
mentions a man by the name of Bishop Jerome Wilson. You may want to contact
him or a family member of Todd Smith to see if the homeless shelter kept
any kind of records.

Thank you,
Samantha Woodberry

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From: Marion County Probate Court

Subject: Fwd: Attached Image

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Please see the attached obituary for Todd Smith.

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This email and any files
transmitted with it are confidential and
intended solely for the use of the
individual or entity to whom they are
addressed. This message contains
confidential information and is intended
only for the individual named. If you
are not the named addressee you
should not disseminate, distribute or copy this
e-mail. Please notify the
sender immediately by e-mail if you have received
this e-mail by mistake
and delete this e-mail from your system. If you are not
the intended
recipient you are notified that disclosing, copying, distributing
or taking
any action in reliance on the contents of this information is
strictly
prohibited.

From: Diane L Junk

Subject: RE: South Carolina Public Records Law Request: Request for Guardianship/Conservator Records

Email

Thank you Samantha for your effort. I had already did a search on Todd Smith and even wrote a letter to the homeless shelter. I did not receive a reply. I have found the resting place of my high school friend. The cemetery will not release his ashes to the Missing in America Project that was formed to help homeless veterans get the burial that they were promised by our government. The MIA Project is not talking to me anymore because they said he is buried. I live below the poverty level and do not have the funds to get myself appointed as next of kin. His classmates have no interest in giving him a decent burial, nor the local veteran groups here in the Greenville, PA area.

I suspect the truth of the matter, that no one involved will admit to, is that the cemetery threw his cremains into a "Unclaimed Cremains Crypt" which contains the cremains of other indigent souls with no next of kin. They cannot separate Bob's cremains from the rest, so that he can obtain an Honors Service and a headstone that bears his name. My friend was a Vietnam Veteran who was honorably discharged and had several strokes due to the effects of Agent Orange, which our Government would not acknowledge caused harm to our servicemen and women and the Vietnam People for many years.

God Bless you for your effort. Thanks for listening, Diane

From: Marion County Probate Court

Subject: Re: South Carolina Public Records Law Request: Request for Guardianship/Conservator Records

Email

We do not have anything to send you.

From: Diane L Junk

Subject: RE: South Carolina Public Records Law Request: Request for Guardianship/Conservator Records

Email

Hi,

Thanks so much for your help with this request! I really appreciate it.

Sincerely,
Diane L Junk

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