Hosemann announces sale of Corinth cemetery

RELEASE:

Corinth Cemetery Sale Officially Final

Forrest Memorial Park Cemetery in Corinth, Mississippi is now officially in private ownership, after attorneys with the Secretary of State finalized the property closing in Northeast Mississippi.

“Private cemeteries belong in private ownership—not with the State of Mississippi,” says Secretary of State Delbert Hosemann. “We are pleased a Mississippi company with strong ties to North Mississippi is taking ownership of the property. We hope this sale will bring closure to the families who have loved ones buried at Forrest Memorial Park.”

Thomas Fowlkes and Glenn Coleman of Oxford formed Forrest Memorial Park, LLC and submitted the highest bid of $128,750 to purchase the property after it was put up for public auction. Forrest Memorial Park, LLC was deeded the cemetery in the real estate closing by the Receivership today. The funeral home property was deeded to the Forrest Memorial Park, LLC by its owner, SouthBank.

A 2011 investigation by the Secretary of State’s Office found Forrest Memorial Park Cemetery preneed trust accounts were depleted by approximately $473,521 by former owner Wayne Hight. The cemetery was placed into Receivership by the Alcorn County Chancery Court and operated by the Secretary of State’s Office for the last four (4) years until its Court-ordered sale was completed today.

9/29/15