Dispute Over Jim Thorpe's Resting Place Settled By Philadelphia Court
By Hadas Kuznits
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) --- The Poconos town that bears the name of Olympic gold medalist Jim Thorpe has settled a dispute over the athlete's body.
Anne Marie Fitzpatrick, organizer of the annual Jim Thorpe Birthday Weekend, says the body of Jim Thorpe was brought to the Pocono town from Oklahoma by his 3rd wife and renamed after him.
"He's been here for 60 years," she said. "He's got a beautiful mausoleum, a beautiful site, very peaceful."
But recently, all of that was threatened. "The sons from the second marriage waited until the 3 girls from the first marriage passed away before they filed a lawsuit to remove the remains," she explained.
They won the lawsuit, and the borough appealed the decision.
"The 3rd circuit court in Philadelphia has now said that the body will remain here in the town where he's buried," she said.