HomeMy WebLinkAbout2015 07-16 Maplewood funeral home reopens after settlement with State PIONEER PRESS Maplewood funeral home reopens after settlement with state �
Updated:07/16/2015 09:25:48 AM CDT TwinCities.com
=: �,� A Maplewood funeral home shut down by the state in May
;: ..
' has reopened.
A Minnesota Department of Health order had prohibited
` ' -�" , Maple Oaks-Phalen Park Funeral Home at 2585 Stillwater
y�.` - _.� ,<<`� � Road from embalming,cremating, casketing or transporting
�-1� �� bodies.
��> '
�����`' �� � .`.,;��� '�`;��' �t [����, ,,�;� �� Last week,the Health Department and the funeral home's
�,
� ,�- � ,� i 1 " attorney, Michael Sharkey, reached an agreement to allow
� , � ��,,;;� �'���F���" � , ;, j the funeral home to reopen.
��* i
' s' "It boils down to the Department of Health had questions
_�t� ! �, E �»
��„ ,; i j fi �`� �� and they were answered,"Sharkey said.
;,:,� . S i � i y.,y�`f�.
� ����� ;���'� �,�;, �' The Health Department did not return a phone cail or email
..� �}��.
,�r Wednesday.
��;,, ��s r.,�,�E„F���n �«.�_.� �r�t��,m��,.��-,�o-� r ��.���,-r.�� ���}e The state's allegation that the funeral home, opened by E.
Katf�e�)
Peter Vasey and David Thorsell in 1976, left bodies in
various states of decomposition was not addressed in the settlement agreement, Sharkey said.
The bodies, being embalmed for Hmong funerals,were showing natural dehydration, not decomposition, Sharkey said
when the cease and desist order was issued.
Maple Oaks-Phalen Park Funeral Home will no longer hold bodies for Hmong funeral homes, Sharkey said.
A Health Department investigator in March had found missing records and unclean conditions in preparation and
embalming rooms.
As building codes changed and the porous materials used in the room became outdated,the room had fallen out of code
compliance, Sharkey said.As part of the settlement,the preparation room was brought back up to code,allowing fines
totalling$20,000 to be reduced by$5,000.
Sharkey said the state's actions were devastating for Vasey and Thorsell but that they were met by an outpouring of
support from the community and are happy to be open again.
"They're happy that after 40 years in that community,they're back in business and can't wait to be serving families again,"
Sharkey said.
Katie Kather can be reached at 651-228-5006.
Follow her at twitter.com/ktkather.