Authorities spread ashes of 56 unclaimed people

Two people who died in Spanaway are among the 56 individuals whose ashes are scheduled to be spread on Puget Sound this month if no one claimed them.

Their friends or family members had until Aug. 28 to reclaim the remains. After that, personnel from the Pierce County medical examiner planned to scatter unclaimed ashes on the Sound’s water near Tacoma.

“Everything possible is done to find the next of kin or friends of the deceased,” said Dr. Thomas Clark, the medical examiner. He added that family members or friends aren’t always interested in claiming remains.

A list of unclaimed remains was posted online at www.co.pierce.wa.us/medicalexaminer. All of the deaths occurred between 2009 and 2015. The list included two men who died in Spanaway four years apart:

• Gary Rolland Olsen (case #15-1589). Age 71. Died Sept. 30, 2015.

• Gene Gerard Smith (case #11-0798). Age 59. Died June 10, 2011.

Other deaths of unclaimed persons occurred in Puyallup, University Place, Tacoma, Lakewood and Bonney Lake.

Ashes will be scattered from a Pierce County Sheriff Department boat.

The practice of scattering ashes by the medical examiner, which officials said is done respectfully, started in 2014 due to limited resources and an inability to store records indefinitely. Clark said it’s more dignified and environmentally friendly to scatter ashes than storing them on a shelf.

The medical examiner’s office hoped to be contacted about remains before Aug. 28 at 253-798-6494.

More information on all unclaimed cases in Pierce County is at https://claimus.org/.