The other day, I got a message from Rush DeWade, the chaplain of VFW Post 4695 in Hurst, Texas. Someone had dropped off a box of ashes that were the remains of Ollie Eugene Worley, a World War II veteran with a dog tag and a note; “This is a WWII veteran, served honorably. Can you please give him the burial he deserves?”
Chaplain DeWade wrote to us on our Facebook page for help to locate family before the ceremony they had planned for him. I immediately contacted Zach Fike at Purple Hearts Reunited and within hours, Major Fike had found surviving members of Worley’s family.
It looks like his son and some of his nieces and nephews will be at the ceremony, 26 years after his death. So, if you are in the Dallas/Fort Worth area;
Worley’s remains will be buried at 12:30 p.m. Monday on Lane C at DFW National Cemetery
Stellar work, guys.
Glad his family got the word.
My question is….who dropped the ashes off? His family didn’t know about it? where were the ashes before? strange?
So where were these remains for the past 26 years? Funeral home somewhere?
That’s part of the mystery.
Sometimes, a family member just can’t let go. And the cremains sit on a shelf, until that person lets go, or passes on.
The finder might give them over to a vet org, hoping to spare others a kerfluffle, or simply to do the right thing at last.
Rest in Peace, sir.
I hope that is the case. There was someone who could not let him go – could not bear the thought of him being gone.
Sad – but at least he was loved.
I prefer that to the thought that his ashes were found in a storage shelf somewhere because no one cared and he’d lost touch with his siblings.
Agreed. I wonder if that family member might show up at the cemetery? Just couldn’t let go. I get it.
I had no idea Funeral Homes have unclaimed cremains stored in basements, etc. Maybe not in this case, but…
Total Funeral Homes Visited – 2,022
Cremains Found – 14,367
Veterans Cremains Identified – 3,250
Veterans Interred – 2,998
http://www.miap.us/
Bravo Zulu to Chaplin DeWade and the Hurst VFW Post, Major Pike of Purple Hearts Reunited, and of course, our own Jonn Lilyea for bringing this to a successful ending. Rest in Peace Ollie Eugene Worley.
Goodness, it got dusty in here again.
Rest in peace, Sir.
What everyone else said. Someone had conscience enough not to make the cremated remains just disappear. He or she did the right thing and knew that fellow Veterans would do what would be proper and appropriate for the deceased. Makes me proud.
From WFAA in Dallas, “Worley passed away in 1990, and the family had long thought his ashes had been taken care of. They said a son had them until his death, and then a friend had them, but he recently passed away, too”.
http://www.wfaa.com/life/mystery-box-containing-ashes-of-wwii-vet-to-be-interred_/371076384
Rest In Peace Brother.
Rest in peace, Ollie.
Good to know that someone left him where he’d be found, instead of lost forever.
Thank you Jonn. It’s nice to know there are those here, now, that are willing to help those that are no longer here. A Worthy and Just cause. I’m sorry I can’t attend in person, but I’ll be there in spirit. Good job, America. And thank you, Ollie.
Thank you Jonn for all that you do for us veterans, God Bless you and your family`