Guyanese woman cremated by mistake in New York, family seeks answers

For 93-year-old Euvy Rodney, returning home to Guyana for her final resting place was her last wish. But instead of being buried in the land where she was born, her family says a New York funeral home mistakenly cremated her. Rodney, who was originally from Beterverwagting, East Coast Demerara, died on July 8, 2026. She was a mother of 11 and grandmother and great-grandmother to 55. She had always told her family that she wanted to be buried in Guyana. Her granddaughter, Roxanne, said the family was left devastated when the funeral home informed them that Rodney had been cremated by accident. “She is Guyanese and her request was to be buried in Guyana. The funeral home was aware of that, and a few days after she passed, the funeral home informed the family that they cremated her by accident,” Roxanne told the News Room. Roxanne also questioned the funeral home’s handling of her grandmother’s remains in the days following her death. “Initially, they weren’t allowing us to see her. A few days after she passed, my aunt was told she couldn’t see her because she wasn’t prepared or they hadn’t prepped her,” Roxanne stated. Despite the heartbreaking mistake, the family intends to honour Rodney’s wishes as much as possible by bringing her ashes home to Guyana. “It was her home. That was always the plan.” Rodney was described as a kind, selfless woman who dedicated her life to caring for others. “We all loved her. She never caused any problems with anybody. She would give you the clothes off her back,” Roxanne said. They added that Guyana was always where she wanted to be laid to rest. The family has since filed a complaint with New York State’s Bureau of Funeral Directing against the J. Foster Phillips Funeral Home in Queens.