John Stacy Whipple, identified posthumously as a 59-year-old male, was discovered deceased on February 8, 2017, in Tacoma, Washington. His case, documented under Namus ID: UCP5342, involved a thorough but ultimately futile search for next of kin following his death from natural causes at Tacoma General Hospital. The Pierce County Medical Examiner’s Office, located at 3619 Pacific Avenue in Tacoma, took charge of the case under the agency case number 17-0353. Attempts by hospital staff and the Medical Examiner's Office to reach John’s only known relative, his father, were unsuccessful, leaving the search for additional family members equally fruitless.
In the absence of reachable family, John’s body was initially sent to a rotation funeral home where he was cremated. The cremains were subsequently returned to the Medical Examiner’s Office. Despite the challenges in locating relatives, it was determined that John was a veteran, qualifying him for burial at Tahoma National Cemetery. This discovery marked a turning point in ensuring that John received a fitting resting place.
By May 16, 2017, the cremains of John Stacy Whipple were entrusted to the Missing in America Project, an organization dedicated to ensuring veterans are honored with proper burials. The project facilitated his interment at the national cemetery, providing a sense of closure and respect in lieu of family presence. This case highlights the work of local agencies and organizations like the Pierce County Medical Examiner's Office in providing dignified end-of-life services even when kin are not present to coordinate such details. Anyone seeking further information about this case is encouraged to contact the Medical Examiner’s Office directly at 253-798-6494.
Date Found: 02/08/2017
