Pvt. Calvin Coolidge Cherry Jr. Born March 24, 1951, the Oak Ridge native served in the Army Nov. 1, 1976, to April 1, 1977. He was awarded the Marksman Badge for Rifle (M-16). He died April 16, 2016.
By the time they died, for whatever reason, there was no one to claim them.
But fellow veterans and community members will make sure they're remembered for their service to this country.
A memorial service June 6 at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on Gov. John Sevier Highway will honor the lives of four veterans who died this year.
It's the sixth year Berry Funeral Home has had such a ceremony, said general manager Jeff Berry, part of a national program of the funeral home's parent company, Dignity Memorial.
Berry said nationally, Dignity has sponsored more than 2,000 services. In Knox County alone, at least 36 veterans have been honored in this way, he said.
Berry said the funeral home works closely with the Regional Forensic Center to identify those whose bodies were unclaimed but who might be eligible for burial in the Veterans' Cemetery, because of honorable discharge from military service. They're cremated and the cremains stored in urns until interment at the joint ceremony.
Berry helps coordinate with local veterans groups to organize a funeral with full military honors, including the handling of the flag, color guard and firing party. The June 6 service, at 1:30 p.m., will include Army, Navy and Air Force veterans; representatives from Army and Navy reserves in Knox County and Air Force reserves in Nashville will assist, Berry said.
"If we did not step in, they'd probably never have that military funeral, that gravesite with their name on the marker, which they deserve," Berry said.
Berry said veterans often travel great distances to pay their respects at the ceremonies, occasionally even from other states.
"The last thing we can do is make sure they're not forgotten," he said. "Sometimes, I walk by these markers and read the names … and think, 'Yeah, we got the person the honors they deserve.'"
extracted from - "Military burial planned in Knox County for four unclaimed veterans" appearing in the Knoxville News Sentinel-Local section, 30 May 2016 by Kristi L. Nelson
By the time they died, for whatever reason, there was no one to claim them.
But fellow veterans and community members will make sure they're remembered for their service to this country.
A memorial service June 6 at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on Gov. John Sevier Highway will honor the lives of four veterans who died this year.
It's the sixth year Berry Funeral Home has had such a ceremony, said general manager Jeff Berry, part of a national program of the funeral home's parent company, Dignity Memorial.
Berry said nationally, Dignity has sponsored more than 2,000 services. In Knox County alone, at least 36 veterans have been honored in this way, he said.
Berry said the funeral home works closely with the Regional Forensic Center to identify those whose bodies were unclaimed but who might be eligible for burial in the Veterans' Cemetery, because of honorable discharge from military service. They're cremated and the cremains stored in urns until interment at the joint ceremony.
Berry helps coordinate with local veterans groups to organize a funeral with full military honors, including the handling of the flag, color guard and firing party. The June 6 service, at 1:30 p.m., will include Army, Navy and Air Force veterans; representatives from Army and Navy reserves in Knox County and Air Force reserves in Nashville will assist, Berry said.
"If we did not step in, they'd probably never have that military funeral, that gravesite with their name on the marker, which they deserve," Berry said.
Berry said veterans often travel great distances to pay their respects at the ceremonies, occasionally even from other states.
"The last thing we can do is make sure they're not forgotten," he said. "Sometimes, I walk by these markers and read the names … and think, 'Yeah, we got the person the honors they deserve.'"
extracted from - "Military burial planned in Knox County for four unclaimed veterans" appearing in the Knoxville News Sentinel-Local section, 30 May 2016 by Kristi L. Nelson
Pvt. Calvin Coolidge Cherry Jr. Born March 24, 1951, the Oak Ridge native served in the Army Nov. 1, 1976, to April 1, 1977. He was awarded the Marksman Badge for Rifle (M-16). He died April 16, 2016.
By the time they died, for whatever reason, there was no one to claim them.
But fellow veterans and community members will make sure they're remembered for their service to this country.
A memorial service June 6 at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on Gov. John Sevier Highway will honor the lives of four veterans who died this year.
It's the sixth year Berry Funeral Home has had such a ceremony, said general manager Jeff Berry, part of a national program of the funeral home's parent company, Dignity Memorial.
Berry said nationally, Dignity has sponsored more than 2,000 services. In Knox County alone, at least 36 veterans have been honored in this way, he said.
Berry said the funeral home works closely with the Regional Forensic Center to identify those whose bodies were unclaimed but who might be eligible for burial in the Veterans' Cemetery, because of honorable discharge from military service. They're cremated and the cremains stored in urns until interment at the joint ceremony.
Berry helps coordinate with local veterans groups to organize a funeral with full military honors, including the handling of the flag, color guard and firing party. The June 6 service, at 1:30 p.m., will include Army, Navy and Air Force veterans; representatives from Army and Navy reserves in Knox County and Air Force reserves in Nashville will assist, Berry said.
"If we did not step in, they'd probably never have that military funeral, that gravesite with their name on the marker, which they deserve," Berry said.
Berry said veterans often travel great distances to pay their respects at the ceremonies, occasionally even from other states.
"The last thing we can do is make sure they're not forgotten," he said. "Sometimes, I walk by these markers and read the names … and think, 'Yeah, we got the person the honors they deserve.'"
extracted from - "Military burial planned in Knox County for four unclaimed veterans" appearing in the Knoxville News Sentinel-Local section, 30 May 2016 by Kristi L. Nelson
By the time they died, for whatever reason, there was no one to claim them.
But fellow veterans and community members will make sure they're remembered for their service to this country.
A memorial service June 6 at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery on Gov. John Sevier Highway will honor the lives of four veterans who died this year.
It's the sixth year Berry Funeral Home has had such a ceremony, said general manager Jeff Berry, part of a national program of the funeral home's parent company, Dignity Memorial.
Berry said nationally, Dignity has sponsored more than 2,000 services. In Knox County alone, at least 36 veterans have been honored in this way, he said.
Berry said the funeral home works closely with the Regional Forensic Center to identify those whose bodies were unclaimed but who might be eligible for burial in the Veterans' Cemetery, because of honorable discharge from military service. They're cremated and the cremains stored in urns until interment at the joint ceremony.
Berry helps coordinate with local veterans groups to organize a funeral with full military honors, including the handling of the flag, color guard and firing party. The June 6 service, at 1:30 p.m., will include Army, Navy and Air Force veterans; representatives from Army and Navy reserves in Knox County and Air Force reserves in Nashville will assist, Berry said.
"If we did not step in, they'd probably never have that military funeral, that gravesite with their name on the marker, which they deserve," Berry said.
Berry said veterans often travel great distances to pay their respects at the ceremonies, occasionally even from other states.
"The last thing we can do is make sure they're not forgotten," he said. "Sometimes, I walk by these markers and read the names … and think, 'Yeah, we got the person the honors they deserve.'"
extracted from - "Military burial planned in Knox County for four unclaimed veterans" appearing in the Knoxville News Sentinel-Local section, 30 May 2016 by Kristi L. Nelson
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