Ever since Casey Kasem died of Lewy body dementia in 2014, there has been an unending battle between his daughter Kerri Kasem and his widow Jean Kasem over his final resting place. Kerri recently announced her intention to move his corpse from its present site in Oslo, Norway, to a new location.
The 52-year-old clarified that the relocation was not happening right away but is being strongly considered. Her siblings also agree with her, joining her to accuse Jean of abusing their father and refusing him his final wish to be buried in California.
Kerri Kasem vows to honor father Casey Kasem’s last wish
Although Kerri acknowledged the beauty of Norway, she admitted to feeling anger and anxiousness each time she visited his grave and is now set to correct that. She noted that Jean’s decision to enter his body in another country has deprived his family, friends, and fans in the U.S. of paying tribute to him as they would like.
Kerri promised to lay him finally at Forest Lawn in California where he lived in the last six decades. She visited the grave for the first time on the 10th anniversary of Casey’s death in June, noting that it was unmarked until a resident from Texas embellished it with a plaque. The stranger-turned-friend also decorated the spot with American flags as a sign of his roots.
Family feud
The legal battle between Jean and Casey’s children has been no surprise to the public since the dismissed death lawsuit against Jean. They also accused her of preventing access to their father before his passing and causing them emotional distress. Jean responded swiftly by denying the allegations and claiming the Kasem children were acting out of greed.
She added that Kerri and her siblings, Julie and Mike, were taking out their frustrations on her since being cut off from Casey’s finances due to their affiliations with the Church of Scientology in 2012. Most accusations against Jean were ruled false, while her claims were proven by their demand for Casey’s $2 million life insurance policy. Meanwhile, the Kasem trio called Jean out for inconsistent reports and remained determined to move Casey’s body out of Europe.