A Hero’s Family Fights Back - Bank Policy Frustrates Grieving Family
HEMET, Calif. (KABC) — He gave his life serving this country in the war zone of Afghanistan. But a local bank has refused to cash the government check to pay for his burial. Now his family is fighting back.
Navy Corpsman Marc Retmier was the 500th Californian to die in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. He had dreams of coming home to Hemet to become a doctor.
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But now his family says a controversy involving a bank and his bereavement check is adding an insult to their tragedy.
The family of 19-year-old Navy Medic Marc Retmier told Eyewitness News they were stunned when they told by their bank branch manager that they would have to wait nearly two weeks before they could have access to their son’s bereavement funds — money they needed to pay for his funeral services.
The family says the two $50,000 checks from the U.S. Treasury could have been verified with a phone call. However, according to the Retmiers, the Hemet branch of Downey Savings and Loan refused to budge.
“He did what he believed in doing,” said Joy Retmier, Marc’s mother. “And they said he was the best of the best, and I believe that. And I love him very much and miss him.”
A grieving mother speaking of her son. Navy Corpsman Marc Alan Retmier volunteered in January for service in Afghanistan as a Navy medic.
On June 18, 2008, he died in a rocket attack and became the 500th soldier from California to die since the start of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.
One day after his death, his parents, devastated and distraught by the news, received two bereavement checks from the U.S. military.
Determined to give their son the funeral he deserved, they tried to cash the checks at the Downey Savings and Loan branch they had banked with for 10 years.
It was then that they were told that the check would be put on hold until July 1, days after the June 25 funeral service they were planning.
“I have cried and cried over my son’s loss, and they have just made it worse. They made me worry that I wouldn’t be able to get the money to bury my son,” said Joy Retmier.
“Downey Savings should be ashamed of themselves for what they did,” said Dale Powers, Marc Retmier’s grandfather. “And I hope they will never make anyone else suffer what we had to endure, because of their insensitivity to us.”
Still angry about the experience, the Retmiers hired attorney Gloria Allred, hoping to get all banks and savings-and-loans to change their policy on check holds so no other grieving military family will have to face such an experience.
“This cannot continue. Just the stress of the shock of the loss of their loved one is enough. But then to have the stress of, ‘How are we going to pay to bury our son?’ This is just totally unacceptable,” said Gloria Allred, the Retmiers’ lawyer.
Eyewitness News contacted the assistant manager of the Hemet branch of Downey Savings. She would not comment.
Eyewitness News contacted the corporate offices of Downey Savings. In an statement, a spokesperson for the company wrote:
“Downey Savings is saddened by the loss of Marc Retmier. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family. As a brave soldier from our local community, he made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. We have repeatedly communicated our sympathies to his family. Downey Savings’ check hold policy conforms with federal banking regulations and industry practices. Downey Savings offered to release the funds immediately upon verification of the funds. This was explained in detail to the family. Mr. Retmier’s family declined the Bank’s offer. We sincerely regret any misunderstanding this situation may have caused. — Elizabeth Stover Corporate Marketing & PR, Downey Savings and Loan Association, F.A.”
The Retmiers eventually went elsewhere and cashed the checks at a credit union.
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I hope they screw Downey into the ground. I don’t usually like Allred but here it seems she took a good case.
Sure the banks words say nice things but their actions, which speak louder than their words, speak the truth.
July 31st, 2008 at 10:09 amBanks are always trying to pull this scam. There are specific federal laws to punish them. Also, if their excuse is “it might be conterfeit,”–TOO BAD–get the technology to confirm its authenticity automatically, or get fined. Scum!
July 31st, 2008 at 11:21 amhow much do you wanna bet, the person who rejected the check is a democratic
July 31st, 2008 at 11:49 amThis policy enables the bank to hold back the money and loan the money out on an overnight basis to other banks and make a small percent on interest, but when you multiply that number by millions and millions of dollars it translates into big bucks for them and we have to wait for out money. This is in fact routine but it’s just a way to screw their customer.
I hope they lose a lot of customers over this.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:02 pmTragedy upon tragedy upon tragedy.
Not only does this happen to the family but in reporting the story they refer to him as a medic and a soldier.
Navy Corpsmen are Navy Corpsmen, not Navy Medics, not Marine Medics. We are sailors, many of us are SQRUNTS and even thou some of us are serving with the army, we are NOT soldiers.
I also have to wonder if there isn’t something not quite complete about this story. Hemet is a little town but there is a significant active and retired military population residing there.
July 31st, 2008 at 12:02 pmMost banks would have done the same thing. Checks are not perfect and this kind of dollar amount should always be treated with caution. If any of your banks started cashing checks regardless they would go down faster than bad home loans would ever do.
If you want to be mad at someone, be mad at the government for giving the family a check that they knew full well they wouldn’t have access to immediately. If you can get your tax refund direct deposited, then they could offer grievance money in the same fashion and it’s more secure to begin with!
July 31st, 2008 at 12:44 pmObviously, there are some facts that are missing or conflicting. Some reports say they went in to cash the checks. Why would they need $100K in cash? I think the reports are inaccurate. Also, the bank’s statement said they were willing to release the funds upon verification. Seems reasonable to me. I bet the family just wanted it “NOW” and they didn’t want to take no for an answer. By the way, checks are just pieces of paper. Banks have to wait for the check to clear just like you and me. Leadfoot is right, a wire would have been more appropriate.
July 31st, 2008 at 1:38 pmTo contact the bank.
https://www.downeysavings.com/ad/contact/contactResponse?department=Banking
July 31st, 2008 at 3:00 pmIf Downey had cashed the checks as requested, they would have been in direct violation of government regulations. All checks, including government checks, can be forged. The standard hold on checks over a specific amount is ten days. However, the depositor may request notification as soon as the check clears. Downey offered that option to the family and they declined.
August 1st, 2008 at 10:27 amI work at a bank and the story does seem a bit incomplete. Banks are losing money daily due to check fraud and most of the losses come from fraudulent cashiers checks, money orders and, yes, government checks. We would have held the check until it could be verified also. I’m sure that’s what the bank told this family. Also, I read in a different article that the credit union did not release the whole 100k. They released 20k after the checks were verified.
August 2nd, 2008 at 11:46 amBig Ass lie by the bank. At first they offered three thousand and then said no! We will have to hold the check
until the first of July. The funeral was held on June 25
one day after his body was returned from Afghanistan. All
the family wanted was enougth to pay for the burial.
Someone who knows all the facts.
August 2nd, 2008 at 4:49 pm