Rochester Mother Finds Infant Burial Site After 45 Years

After four decades, a Rochester family locates their infant son buried in Section 13 of Oakwood Cemetery.

Updated on Oct. 24, 2026 in Babies

Bold flat-color editorial illustration of a solitary, blank stone marker in a minimalist landscape, evoking solemn reflection on family history. — Dana Hastings located the final burial site of her infant son, who died in 1981, at Rochester's Oakwood Cemetery after 45 years. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

After 45 years of searching, a Rochester mother has located the final resting place of her infant son at Oakwood Cemetery. Abraham Joseph Hastings, who passed away shortly after birth on May 27, 1981, was identified in a group burial site used for Mayo Clinic research donors.

Why it matters

The discovery sheds light on historical institutional burial practices for donated remains between 1917 and 1985 in Rochester. For families affected by similar arrangements, the case highlights the role of institutional record-keeping in resolving long-standing questions about burial locations.

Abraham Joseph Hastings, born 18 weeks premature and weighing 1 pound, 3.5 ounces, was interred in Section 13 of Oakwood Cemetery. The site served as a collective burial ground for research donors processed by the Mayo Clinic Anatomy Department between 1917 and 1985.

The players

Dana Hastings

The mother who successfully navigated institutional records to locate her son.

Mayo Clinic

A Rochester-based medical institution involved in body processing and anatomy research.

Oakwood Cemetery

A long-standing burial ground in Rochester that began operations in the 1860s.

The details

The discovery followed a three-month search initiated by Dana Hastings in March 2026. Staff at the Mayo Clinic Office of Decedent Affairs cross-referenced historical burial records to locate the remains, which had been transferred to Arendt Funeral Home for cremation before burial. The identification provides closure for the family after four decades of uncertainty regarding the infant's final resting place.

1917-1985: Section 13 served as a burial site for research donors.
May 27, 1981: Birth and death of Abraham Joseph Hastings.
March 2026: The mother initiated the search for the burial site.
June 2026: Burial site identified.

The Home Front

The discovery at Oakwood Cemetery reflects evolving standards in how medical institutions manage and document the remains of research donors. This case underscores the challenges families may face in tracing records from an era when group burial protocols were common practice.

Families seeking information on historical burials or records should contact the specific medical institution's Office of Decedent Affairs to request a formal search. Keep any available original certificates or records on hand to help staff expedite the verification process.

The takeaway

Locating a final resting place after several decades often requires persistent engagement with institutional administrative offices. Families can begin by requesting assistance from the decedent affairs department associated with the relevant facility.