Wayne Stolz was a 77-year-old male whose body was discovered on May 31, 2017, in Tacoma, Washington. The decedent passed away of natural causes at the Franciscan Hospice House. Despite efforts by the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office (PCMEO) to locate family members who might claim him, Wayne Stolz remained an unclaimed person. His Namus ID was UCP5334, and the agency case number was 17-1129.
Stolz had a son; however, the son declined to claim his father's remains, citing that he was adopted. This left the PCMEO with the task of identifying any other potential family members. Despite an extensive search, the office was unable to locate any relatives willing to assume responsibility for Stolz's remains. In light of these circumstances, the decedent was sent to a rotation funeral home where he subsequently underwent cremation. The cremains were then returned to PCMEO headquarters, located at 3619 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma, Washington.
In a fortunate discovery, it was determined that Wayne Stolz was a veteran, which made him eligible for burial at the Tahoma National Cemetery. On September 28, 2017, the cremains were released to the Missing in America Project. This organization is dedicated to ensuring that unclaimed remains of veterans receive dignified and honorable interment. Consequently, Stolz's cremains were laid to rest with the appropriate respect at the national cemetery. This case underscores the importance of initiatives that honor the service and dignity of every veteran, ensuring they receive the respect in death that they may have lacked in life.
Date Found: 05/31/2017
