Arizona man says remains of late sister now missing after shipping through USPS

QUEEN CREEK, AZ (AZFamily) — A Valley man who lost his sister earlier this year now says her remains are also lost after he shipped them through the United States Postal Service.

At the end of April, Bob Severson mailed out packages with precious items, including his sister Joie Severson’s remains.

One of the packages was sent to their nephew, one to their sister, and the last to a man in northern Wisconsin with whom his sister had recently reconnected.

“We decided while she was still living that Gordy’s going to have 40 acres up there, and he’s going to be buried on his land, and she’s going to be buried with him,” said Bob.

A week and a half later, after Bob had mailed out the packages, he said Gordy had contacted him, saying he had never received Joie’s remains.

“Three packages, two of them made it, and the most important one didn’t,” said Bob.

A USPS spokesperson says an initial review suggests the urn separated from the box at some point from the initial drop-off in Arizona to the final destination in Wisconsin.

“I waited until I had a heavy-duty box to mail that, and I knew it was a sturdy box. I tapped it up good, and you know I mailed it out,” said Bob.

USPS has started a search for the urn and will continue to search to reunite the urn with the family.

“It seems like a total disregard for people that are sending whatever it might be,” says Bob. “It just baffles me.”

Now, nearly four months after the urn was last seen, Bob is trying to hold out hope his sister’s remains will be found.

“I mean, I got to have some hope, and you know I’ve got to hold on to that,” he said.

USPS says there is a special process for shipping cremated remains, which includes ensuring the packaging is highly visible and that the remains are sent with expedited services.

Learn more about USPS recommendations on shipping cremated remains here.

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