Settlement reached in gravesite battle

A gay Baltimore man has won a legal battle to keep his late partner’s remains buried in the Tennessee grave the two men chose.

Kevin-Douglas Olive reached a settlement Aug. 10 with the parents of his late partner, Russell Groff, who sought to move the body to a family plot. The settlement ended a legal battle that lasted two years.

“It’s been pretty traumatic,” Olive said. “I’m just ready to put it all behind me and see what comes next.” (Washington Blade)

I'm glad that this case has been settled. This is a good example of why gay couples should follow the advice of Olive's attorney and "make sure that your affairs are in order early, don’t wait until your partner is ill or something catastrophic happens". Yet that aside, I am simply amazed at the absolute cruelty of the parents who in their misguided notion of doing what they thought was right instead violated the heart and soul of the Gospel they claimed to hold to. Even with their son dead and this dispute settled, the Groffs are in denial about their son's sexuality and accuse Olive of "using everything that he can, everyone that he can, to further the homosexual agenda". No Mrs. Groff, what we witnessed was your abuse of the person who loved and cared for your son whether you agreed with that love or not and you disgracing his memory with your misbehavior. You may argue that Olive and even your son were living in sin but your reaction here was every bit as sinful as you think their relationship was -- if not more. May Russell now rest in peace.