My (F) BF's family is going against grandmother's dying wish about burial location - i feeling morally conflicted

My boyfriend's grandmother is currently dying and I'm feeling very conflicted about the family's plans. Her dying wish is to be buried in Italy in a private mausoleum she built, where her husband is currently laid to rest. However, since she has no remaining family in Italy, her son (my BF's dad) is planning to have her buried in the States where her son, sister, and grandchildren can visit.

Some important context: When they first learned she was dying, her sister actually paid for a cleaning service in Italy to clean both her house (which has been empty for a few years since grandma moved to the US permanently) and the mausoleum. This shows they initially planned to honor her wish to be buried in Italy.

Now the plan has changed. Everyone in the family is on board with burying her here - her son, her sister, and my boyfriend all agree. The dad is actually going tomorrow to file a deed for a plot/crypt. The sister is even planning to buy a two-person crypt so she can eventually be buried with her sister (the grandmother). I should note that I've learned there's nothing in her will or testament that legally requires them to fulfill her wish about being buried in Italy.

My boyfriend has been very open with me about all of this, but I know this doesn't directly involve me, and I have no say in the matter. I'm really struggling with how to process my feelings about this. While I understand their practical reasons and that they want to keep her close, I feel deeply uncomfortable about them going against her final wish to rest beside her husband.

I don’t know how to handle these feelings. I know it's not my place to say anything, has anyone dealt with something similar?

Posted Aug 14, 2025, 12:42 AM UTC

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