Marine's family, Palatine cemetery resolve gravestone dispute

In a complete reversal of its earlier stance, the Archdiocese of Chicago's Catholic Cemeteries has not only agreed to allow an upright monument at the gravesite of a suburban Marine at St. Michael the Archangel Cemetery in Palatine, but they've agreed to install it at no charge.

"We are so happy," said Brian Guzy, whose son, Michael Scott Guzy, was buried in July. "This is the scenario I'd hoped for."

The resolution happened during a Thursday afternoon meeting between the Guzy family and Roman Szabelsk, the executive director of Catholic Cemeteries.

Until the meeting, the Inverness family's hope to have an upright grave marker installed over Michael's grave was in doubt.

At the heart of their dispute with the cemetery was a form that the Guzy family filled out and a Catholic Cemeteries employee signed permitting an upright marker provided by the U.S. Marines. When the stone marker arrived in October, cemetery officials said they could not install it because they allowed only flat markers in the area where Michael is buried.

Szabelsk told the Daily Herald in October that no one at Catholic Cemeteries should have signed the document. He could not be reached for comment Thursday.

Brian Guzy said Szabelsk admitted Thursday that his staff had made an error.

In addition to allowing an upright marker, Brian Guzy said Szabelsk gave the family an adjacent plot so the marker could be installed properly. Guzy said Catholic Cemeteries will pay for the marker's installation, including the cost of a foundation.

The Guzy family will not be able to use the upright marker paid for by the Marines. Brian Guzy indicated it likely will be destroyed because they don't want to take it home, saying the 300-pound stone might be a little too macabre for them.

The Guzy family will pay for the new marker.

While the new marker is produced, a granite flat marker paid for by Catholic Cemeteries now marks Michael's grave.

Brian Guzy said he and his wife are pleased that they were able to come to a resolution without involving the legal system.

"We wanted to be reasonable. The last thing we want to do would be to drag this to the courts," he said.

Michael Guzy, 27, died July 19 after he was struck by an SUV while walking across an interstate in San Diego. The Barrington High School graduate had been stationed at nearby Camp Pendleton.