04/19/2019
29 unclaimed Veteran's cremains will be transferred into custody of Douglas County VSO. Tomorrow, Fri. Apr.19, delegates will officially inspect, identify and relabel the cremains. At approx. 10:30 am, cremains will be loaded into a hearse and respectfully covered by US flag. Hearse will be escorted by Sheriff’s Deputies and Roseburg Police to Douglas County Courthouse for transfer of custody ceremony outside the Douglas County Veterans Service Office. The route and courthouse destination will be lined with United States Flags, FELLOW VETERANS and local Honor Guards. Once at the courthouse there will be a short ceremony before the urns are removed from the hearse and secured in a locked room at the Douglas County Courthouse. The public is welcome to attend the transfer ceremony, but we request that they please maintain a respectful distance.
Douglas County VSO, Mary Newman-Keyes Named ‘Next of Kin’ for Unclaimed Veterans Cremains
Press Release: April 18, 2019
The Douglas County Board of Commissioners are honored to be part of an effort organized by the Douglas County Veterans Forum (DCVF) to honor United States Military Veterans whose cremains have been left unclaimed and forgotten. The DCVF has been working diligently with local, regional and national organizations to obtain permission to get the cremains released and prepared for a proper military burial. The procedure to render honors and conduct a military inurnment for these veterans, requires the transfer of custody of the cremain urns to a public official for respectful care and storage until the official ceremony can transpire. Mary Newman-Keyes, the Douglas County Veterans Service Officer was honored to be selected as the custodian of the cremains, and will be designated as ‘next of kin’ to the unclaimed veteran cremains. At this time, 29 unclaimed cremains, one of largest collections found in Oregon, have been identified as those belonging to United States Veterans from Douglas County. The cremains are from soldiers, sailors and airmen that served in World War I, World War II, the Korean Conflict and Vietnam War, some have been on a shelf for over 44 years stored in a secured vault at Wilson’s Chapel of the Roses in Roseburg.
“The incredible importance of these veterans being laid to rest next to their fellow brothers and sisters in arms cannot be overstated. We are deeply honored to be involved in helping them receive complete and justified military honors,” stated Commissioner Tim Freeman. “Additionally, we would like to thank the DCFV and specifically Jim Little, Carol Hunt and Larry Hill for their unwavering commitment to honor our forgotten Veterans.”
Tomorrow, April 19, a group of 6 local veteran delegates will make their way to Wilson’s Chapel of the Roses at 9 am to officially inspect, identify and relabel the cremains. Then at approximately 10:30 am, the veteran’s cremains will be loaded into a hearse, each urn will be respectfully covered with a United States flag. The hearse will be escorted by Douglas County Sheriff’s Deputies and City of Roseburg Police Officers to the Douglas County Courthouse for the transfer of custody ceremony outside the Douglas County Veterans Service Office. The route and courthouse destination will be lined with United States Flags, fellow Veterans and local Honor Guards. Once at the courthouse there will be a short ceremony before the urns are removed from the hearse and secured in a locked room at the Douglas County Courthouse. The public is welcome to attend the transfer ceremony, but we request that they please maintain a respectful distance.
On Tuesday, May 14, 2019, the first of three full military services will be performed for the cremains of those Veterans who served our country in World War I. The ‘honor ride’ processional for the four WWI soldiers will begin at the Douglas County Courthouse at 11:00 am, when the urns will be placed in a horse drawn carriage and accompanied by four Army National Guard soldiers as they make their way to the Roseburg VA National Cemetery for their final military honors and inurnment ceremony. More details about the processional and honors ceremony will be released later this month. ; ;
