GRANT COUNTY, Ind. — The Grant County Council will vote on September 17 on whether to spend $300,000 in taxpayer money to help fix up a deteriorating cemetery.
It’s an update to a story WRTV Investigates brought you in July about Estates of Serenity in Marion, a cemetery dating back to the early 1800s, where more than 70,000 people are buried across 100 acres.
A Grant County judge ruled a township trustee can take over the maintenance and financial matters of Estates of Serenity.
“It’s 110% better”: Marion woman encouraged by progress at cemetery
Claudia Hubartt lives in Marion and visits Estates of Serenity once a week.
“When my mother and father passed, this is where I would come to mourn,” said Hubartt.
But in recent years, high weeds and tall grass have made it more difficult to get to their headstones.
“There were weeds two feet tall, and my husband would come out with a weed wacker,” said Hubartt.
When WRTV Investigates stopped by the cemetery on June 30, the grounds were plagued with brush piles, dead trees, high weeds and grass, and headstones out of place.
Since Center Township Trustee Deb Can took over maintenance of the cemetery in mid-July, crews have been working around the clock to mow and weed-eat.
“It is 110% better,” said Hubartt. “This has turned around completely.”
Hubartt says the improvements at the cemetery mean a lot to her.
“Makes me teary-eyed to see how nice it is,” said Hubartt. “It’s beautiful.”
“I feel a responsibility”: Township trustee says more work to be done
Center Township Trustee Deb Cain now has full control over the cemetery’s ground maintenance, repairs, financial matters and operations.
After receiving complaints from families, Cain filed a lawsuit in September 2024 against Brian Jeffrey, president of the Marion Cemetery Corporation, who had been running Estates of Serenity.
Jeffrey took over the business in 2021 after his brother died.
WRTV caught up with Jeffrey in Grant County on June 30.
- WRTV Investigates Kara Kenney: “What do you want to say to the families who are concerned about the condition of the cemetery?”
- Jeffrey: “My lawyer said not to talk to you guys.”
- WRTV Investigates Kara Kenney: “Is the condition of the cemetery acceptable to you?
- Jeffrey: “Lawyer said not to talk to you, so I’m not going to talk to you.”
In July, a Grant County Judge ruled in favor of Trustee Cain.
“The neglect must stop now, and the only path forward is to vest the Center Township Trustee with the care and maintenance of Estates of Serenity,” read the judge’s order.
Since then, Cain says she’s been working more than 70 hours a week between her township trustee duties and improving the cemetery.
"This is part of me now. This is who I am,” said Cain. “I feel a responsibility to every family that’s out here."
While crews have made a lot of progress, Cain emphasizes there is still a lot to do, including fixing mausoleums in disrepair.
"There are multiple headstones out here that need to be reset, need to be put back into place, need to be fixed,” said Cain. “There are dead trees, at least 50, that’s expensive to get down. "
Grant County Council to vote September 17
Cain is looking to taxpayers for help.
Last month, the City of Marion Common Council approved $300,000 to help with maintaining the cemetery.
The Grant County Council will vote on September 17 to add another $300,000.
Last fall, Grant County Commissioners appeared on board with the idea.
"Once all the legal ramblings is all settled, come back to us,” said Grant County Commissioner Ron Stewart in October 2024. “And then the commissioners will work with the council on finding you the money."
But in 2025, the county now has several newly elected officials, and Senate Bill 1 is strapping finances.
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WRTV Investigates emailed all the Grant County Council members and Grant County Commissioners.
Grant County Council member Greg Kitts was the only official who responded.
“I applaud the efforts of Deborah Cain in cleaning up the cemetery. While I know there was some discussion last year at a commissioners' meeting about possibly providing funds to the cemetery, no official vote or approval for the county council was ever performed,” said Kitts in an emailed statement to WRTV. “I consider this a new request for funding from the county, which must be carefully considered in light of all funding requests, including employee raise requests, regular payroll, utilities, capital improvements, repairs and general maintenance of all of our facilities.”
Cain says as a trustee, she is also concerned about the impact of Senate Bill 1.
“That shouldn’t stop you from doing the right thing,” said Cain. “This is the right thing. The city council did the right thing.”
The judge’s July order points to the $600,000 Cain secured.
“While this $600,000 is not enough to perpetually care for Estates of Serenity, the funding is sufficient to ‘jump start’ revitalization while other funding sources are explored by the Trustee for the perpetual care and maintenance of the cemetery,” read the judge’s July order.
The trustee emphasizes that this taxpayer money is a one-time thing, not an annual commitment.
“It’s a huge task,” said Cain. “I did what I said I would do. I’ve got to start somewhere with the funding.”
Claudia Hubartt hopes the Grant County Council approves the $300,000.
"I think the money is put to good use here at the cemetery," said Hubartt.
The Grant County Council meets on Wednesday, September 17, at 6 p.m. at the Grant County Government Building, 401 S. Adams Street.
State Cemetery Board taking action against Brian Jeffrey
WRTV Investigates has learned Brian Jeffrey’s cemetery license has been on probation with the state since February 2024.
And in February 2025, the Indiana Funeral and Cemetery Board found Jeffrey violated his probation and cited Jeffrey for failing to:
- Regularly mow large sections of the grounds
- Trim around monuments
- Remove dead or dying trees
- Repair and reset monuments
The most recent order says Jeffrey must submit quarterly reports to the board, including financial documents and photographs. The February 2025 order also says Jeffrey was supposed to submit an action plan within 90 days.
“No, he has not submitted any of those,” said Emily Cox, a spokesperson with the Indiana Professional Licensing Agency, in an email to WRTV.
Jeffrey failed to show up for an August Indiana Funeral and Cemetery Board meeting, citing that he did not have the funds or transportation to attend the hearing.
The matter is expected to be discussed at the next Indiana Funeral and Cemetery Board meeting on October 2.
