Lost ashes in Fort Myers: USPS employee speaks out

A widow’s search for closure continues as her husband’s ashes remain lost in the mail.

Stacie Claytor is still frustrated and desperate after the U.S. Postal Service (USPS) failed to deliver the package containing her husband Ron’s cremated remains a week ago.

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“I don’t know how, how you can lose somebody’s loved one and just act like you lost a piece of junk mail,” said Claytor.

Postal employees are also upset with the management’s handling of the situation. They say customer service needs to do better and be more accessible.

An anonymous postal worker revealed, “Employees are upset & angry with management’s lack of handling the loss of one’s loved one’s cremated remains. Only hearing about this via your news report.” 

The employee confirmed that colleagues have been searching since WINK News published a story on Monday but with no luck so far. “They’re very, very much aware, and they’ve pretty much made everybody else aware and just be on the lookout,” said the employee.

USPS has posted a notice around the facility. It contains the package’s tracking number and urges employees to report it immediately.

However, this action came six days after the package went missing and only after Claytor filed a complaint and WINK News reporter Olivia Jean visited the post office and spoke to a supervisor in person.

Employees believe that cremated remains should be treated with utmost respect. “Treat the mail like it’s your own, and we’ve gotten away from that,” said the postal worker. “We used to be trained to handle the mail as if it were our own.”

The longtime employee went on to say, “Cremated remains are to be handled with care. They absolutely should be clearly labeled and identifiable! They should not be mixed in with other mail.”

Claytor continues to press and question USPS supervisors and officials asking, “What are you doing about this?”

The package was scanned upon pickup from the crematorium and should have been delivered overnight.

WINK News has learned that the mailman has been questioned and the vehicle has been searched.

WINK News has also learned that three other cremated remains packages were picked up the same day. All three reached their out-of-state destinations, while Ron’s remains, a local package, remain missing.

The search continues as the USPS faces criticism over communication and accountability.