Since I’ve been investigating details on some cemetery markers across town, when the theory that Gene Raymond was not interred with Jeanette MacDonald was brought up, I was drawn to it more than I usually would have been. In the MacEddy “Master’s Class” on Jeanette’s Funeral, which is uploaded on youtube, at about the 44 minute mark, the speaker goes into the conspiracy theory that Gene is not in the Sanctuary of Heritage, space 20364.
From Find A Grave because I’m too lazy to scan my own.
I do need to put a disclaimer on here that this may not be for all readers. I will go into minor detail about the process of decay.
First, let’s discuss some basics about mausoleums. In my 8 years working for the Museum Of Funeral Customs, I not only learned my way around the funeral industry, but came to have the utmost respect for the men and women who work to care for our deceased loved ones. The funeral directors and cemetery workers of the world are doing a job that the average mortal couldn’t handle, and they take their profession quite seriously. In a place such as Forest Lawn, Glendale, you would find the mausoleums to have either tandem or companion crypts. From what I was able to gather in my research, back around 2005, Jeanette and Gene have a tandem. It is a straight-through, single wide crypt made to accommodate two people in line. When Jeanette was interred, she would have been in the rear of the crypt and the front would have been sealed. Consider, of course, that even with embalming fluid, the human body will decompose, gases will build up and need to be released. She would have been sealed in, but there is never, ever a guarantee that everything will go as planned, when the front is re-opened. I would say that 99.99% of funeral professionals do not want to scar people for life. Any guesses as to why they wouldn’t have wanted anyone around to see Gene be interred? Jeanette is in that hole in the wall, dudes. She has been in that wall since 1965. That’s some major creep show weirdness to even want to be around for that opening, and I don’t care what side of the “affair fence” you’re on.
Second, the idea that this conspiracy was cooked up by Mary Kipling is so off the wall preposterous that I’m shocked anyone could even have the brass balls to say it out loud and be serious about it. Mary Kipling, Gene’s mom, died in 1963. Even if, in some parallel universe, she had a will and a pre-plan fund set up for Gene, his legal adult wishes must be respected. Any will he had signed and notarized would trump all desires made by a parent, especially if the parent is too DEAD to contest it. *pulls out Miss Sally’s Mirror* DO YOU SEE HOW DONKEY BALLS INSANE YOU ARE BY SAYING THAT GENE’S MOM HAD HIM MOVED?!
Lastly, I’m coming to the defense of the funeral industry. To even insinuate that there were shady goings-on at Forest Lawn, publicly, is a serious matter. A couple of really scandalous events took place, in Illinois, while I worked for the museum. Those are isolated cases of greed, not to mention positively disgusting to both the public and the professionals. Look at Forest Lawn’s track record and tell me where the company has ever given any indication that what they are doing is not out of the utmost respect, for the dead. On their website, they even warn people not to walk over graves, which is something of a respect built more on superstition than anything else. Not only are they looking out for the famous dead, they’re looking out for the families of common folk who might be pulling up to see Aunt Wanda get trampled by some rampaging fans of her neighbor. They do their best to prevent all disrespect, even when they’ve got clowns like my stupid self, doing a run and slide across a marble floor and under a rope to get a picture. SORRY. No one saw me, and Aunt Wanda’s family was spared my moment of ridiculous.
Seriously, wake up, people. You’re really going to place your trust in the folks who came up with zombie Kipling stealing dead Gene so they could live creepily ever after, out in the yard?
Damn.
Cinema Dilettante 
Thank God our side of the fence has you to expertly (and with just the right amount of sarcastic humor) represent us. I literally laughed out loud (and frightened my 3 fursons) when I read ‘especially if the parent is too DEAD to contest it.’ Then I simply shook my head in what I can only say is utter bewilderment at the fact that anyone would actually say publicly that Gene Raymond’s mother, dead for 35 years, had him interred in a different place. The more I read and hear about this group, the more I fail to understand why some, apparently intelligent people, follow this complete idiocy.
Then there was the part of her presentation where they claimed that Jeanette’s and Gene’s marriage was never consummated. How, the hell, do they know?? Were they hiding under the MacRaymond bed every damn night for 28 years?? ‘Cause to be so certain that they NEVER had sex, you’d pretty much have to do that. Oh…and that Jeanette’s dying words were to Nelson…that she thought it was him she was talking to. How disrespectful can you be? Just how DAMN disrespectful?
Yep, these people need to wake up. But that won’t happen. They enjoy the wallow too much. If any of you on the other side read this, let me add that not one of you has an ounce of love, admiration or respect for Jeanette MacDonald RAYMOND!!
Thanks for all you’re doing, Kayla.
Thanks for sharing your knowledge of the funeral industry to bring some common sense to this crazy story. It’s a wonder they haven’t tried to have Jeanette’s body exhumed (or whatever the proper term is for someone who isn’t buried) to see if she’s wearing “Nelson’s ring.” You know, the so called emerald that was really a sapphire given to her by Gene? Remember “fan” comes from fanatic.