A 9 month wait is over after a News10NBC investigation into missing crypt plaques at Riverside Cemetery

ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WHEC) — A News10NBC investigation showed several apparent missing plaques on crypts at the city owned and operated Riverside Cemetery.

Less than a week after our story aired, the plaque for one family was shipped and affixed to the crypt of their loved one.

Phillip Demanchick died last May from cancer.

His widow, Lisa Demanchick, paid more than four thousand dollars for the crypt and bronze plaque with her late husband’s name and she says she was promised that it would be up in four to six weeks.

At the time of our story, the plaque had still not been delivered by the manufacturer to the cemetery and Phillip’s name was scribbled on a strip of blue painter’s tape.

But now, the plaque is up with his name.

"I’m happy that it’s up. It’s exciting to finally put closure to it. It’s been hard with COVID and I get COVID slowed things down but his whole journey was COVID, COVID. COVID and by the end I was like it took cancer and COVID. I called it the double C’s," Lisa Demanchick said.

Our story showed several crypts with blue painter’s tape.

"Do you think our story is going to solve a bigger problem?" I asked Lisa.

"I hope it does solve a bigger problem and when I get to go there again I hope I see more plaques going up," she said.

Phillip Demanchick’s mother also purchased a $300 vase for flowers. The city hired a new vendor for the vases. The day after our story, the vases were shipped to the city and there is now a vase on Demanchick’s crypt.

The city refunded Elia Demanchick her $300.

If you have a loved one at a cemetery and the monument or plaque you purchased is still not up, contact News10NBC chief investigative reporter Berkeley Brean at bbrean@whec.com or call him at (585) 313-7374.