A Fair Bluff family says their final goodbye turned into a horror story when they realized the woman in the casket was not their loved one. According to relatives, S & L Funeral Home mixed up the bodies of two women, Vivian Fairley and Steller Williams, who died one day apart at the end of May and had services scheduled on back-to-back days.
Family says the error was obvious at the viewing
Relatives of Vivian Fairley say the mistake was clear the moment they approached the open casket. As reported by WECT, one cousin told reporters, “We were looking at her and we’re saying ‘this is not her,’” adding that the family immediately confronted funeral home staff. Family members say they later heard from the other woman’s relatives, who called after a separate viewing to say they believed the bodies had been switched.
Obituaries and scheduling show the services were a day apart
S & L Funeral Home’s own online obituaries list services for both women just one day apart, something Fairley’s relatives say opened the door to a mix-up. The listings show an obituary for Vivian Fairley dated May 30 and one for Steller Williams dated May 31, with services scheduled closely together. The funeral home’s website publicly lists both names, the dates, and the planned burials.
Funeral home dug up a grave to correct the mistake, family says
According to the family, the funeral home later acknowledged the error, exhumed a recently buried casket, and swapped the remains to put each woman back with her proper arrangements. Relatives say they were briefly shown Fairley again, but complained that her appearance was mishandled, alleging her wig was on backward and her makeup was smeared. Local reporting by WRDW relays the families’ anger and notes that funeral staff described the situation to them as an “honest mistake.”
Regulatory and next-step options for families
In North Carolina, families who believe a funeral home mishandled remains can file a consumer complaint with the state funeral board and can consult civil attorneys if they suspect negligence. The North Carolina Board of Funeral Service provides a consumer portal with instructions on how to submit complaints and verify license information, according to the board’s website. North Carolina Board of Funeral Service
Where things stand now
Funeral home officials told local reporters that the mistake has been fixed and that both women are now in their proper resting places. Family members, however, say they have yet to receive an apology. For now, local coverage and the funeral home’s listings form the main public record of what happened, and reporting continues as relatives and regulators weigh their next steps.
