Former Howard funeral home director sentenced for ‘betrayal’ of corpse abuse
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AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Former funeral director pleaded guilty after corpse decomposed nearly six weeks.
- Woman’s daughter described emotional, financial and health impacts on family.
- Judge sentenced him to house arrest and restitution; licenses revoked.
A grieving daughter detailed Monday the betrayal and emotional toll her family endured after a former Howard funeral home director allowed her mother’s body to decompose for nearly six weeks.
Sherry Cramer, who had been Joan E. Donley’s full-time caregiver for four years, said her mother was robbed of the dignity and peace she deserved in death — something she will “never be able to forget.”
“You took something from me that I can never get back — my ability to have closure. I will never forget the lies, the pain or the image of what happened to my mother,” Cramer said in a written impact statement read aloud in court. “I can’t visit an urn and find comfort like I should have been able to. Instead, I live with the memory of betrayal and the heartbreak of knowing my mom was treated without respect.”
Former Singer-Kader-Neff Funeral Home and Cremation Services owner Garrett A. Singer, 34, pleaded guilty in August to a misdemeanor count of abuse of Donley’s corpse. The business was shut down and Singer’s licenses were revoked.
Cramer — who remembered her mother as a kind and loving person — first learned her mother’s body had not been cremated weeks after being told the ashes were ready. The corpse, she later found out, was only identifiable through a surgical implant and dental records.
The mishandling was discovered after state police at Rockview and the Centre County Coroner’s Office arrived at the funeral home in response to numerous complaints about missing death certificates.
Instead of dignity in her mother’s death, Cramer said she was thrust into financial stress, health issues and emotional pain she “wouldn’t wish on anyone.”
“This entire experience broke my heart in ways I can’t even fully explain. It stole my trust, my peace and part of my ability to heal,” Cramer said. “I hope you, Mr. Singer, and the court understand that your actions didn’t just violate my mother — they tore through an entire family and close friends who loved her deeply and cared for her when she needed us most.”
As part of a negotiated agreement Cramer supported, Singer was sentenced Monday by Centre County Judge Brian Marshall to 23 1/2 months of probation. Thirty days will be served on house arrest. He was also ordered to pay more than $4,000 in restitution.
Singer apologized to the family, saying he recognized his decisions brought an “unfathomable level of pain and anger.” He said he was unprepared for the “overwhelming challenges” that come with being a first-time business owner.
In Donley’s case, he said he failed to complete necessary documentation after being unable to acquire authorization to cremate her corpse. Singer also said he was disappointed he allowed mental health struggles to “inhibit the work ethic I was once proud of.”
“I failed to seek the help I needed while in crisis and those who I have worked with in the industry, the families and the community deserved better than I gave,” Singer said.
He’s since moved in with his family, undergone a mental health evaluation and been prescribed treatment.
“Though no words can take back the pain caused by my actions, I respectfully ask you, Ms. Cramer, and the court to consider my genuine remorse, my apology to those I’ve hurt and the steps I’ve taken toward rehabilitation,” Singer said. “The last thing I ever intended in my career was to cause harm to those I was meant to care for.”
The state board of funeral directors temporarily suspended Singer’s licenses in March. The agency responsible for licensing and regulating funeral directors said the allegations made him and his funeral home an “immediate and clear danger to public health and safety.”
His licenses were revoked in September as part of a settlement, and he may not apply for reinstatement for at least five years.
Cramer said the funeral home being shut down brought her a small amount of peace, but added it does not “erase what you did to mine.” She said she spoke for her mother, as well as other families who trust funeral homes to “do what’s right.”
“My hope is that by standing here, by sharing her story, her voice is finally heard through mine,” Cramer said. “My mother deserved dignity, honesty and respect — and while she was denied that by you, I am here to make sure she is remembered with love, compassion and truth. I will carry her memory with me always, and I will never stop speaking out for her.”
The funeral home, 135 W. Main St., has since reopened under new ownership. Wetzler Funeral Service and Victorian Crematory opened its first branch location in August and is in the midst of a major renovation.