With more than 60,000 homeless veterans in the U.S., many whose remains are unclaimed at their death risk burial in paupers’ graves. Through the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program, a Fort Wayne veteran won’t be among them.
– John Pawlowski, died on Mar. 05, 2016 at the age of 69. He served in the United States Army.
Mr. Pawlowski will be honored with a public memorial service on Wednesday, March 30 at 1 p.m. at Klaehn, Fahl and Melton Funeral Home, located at 6424 Winchester Road in Fort Wayne. A graveside service with full military honors and interment will follow immediately at Lindenwood Cemetery located at 2324 West Main Street in Fort Wayne. Visitation hours for Mr. Pawlowski are 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. prior to the service.
Chaplain Terry Vice will officiate the services. Additional participating organizations include Safe Haven for Veterans who will receive the flag in lieu of family, Patriot Guard Riders, American Legion Post 241, American Freedom Riders and active service members of the United States Army.
This veteran passed away with no legal next-of-kin to make his funeral arrangements. That’s when Klaehn, Fahl and Melton Funeral Home, an honored Dignity Memorial® provider, stepped in to see to it that Mr. Pawlowski receives a burial befitting veterans of our nation’s armed services.
“The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program is a cooperative effort designed to ensure that veterans who are homeless, indigent and have no family receive the honors in death that their service in life merited,” said Lareta Beckman, funeral director at Klaehn, Fahl and Melton Funeral Home.
Bill Hopkins, funeral director at Klaehn, Fahl and Melton Funeral Home, added, “We’re honored to be able to give Mr. Pawlowski the dignified military service he deserves. We invite the community to attend the service to honor a man that dedicated part of his life to the service of his country.”
Working with various local agencies, the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program ensures homeless veterans receive dignified military burials when they die. Founded in 2000, the program operates in select cities across the country and has conducted more than 1,600 services for homeless veterans since its inception.
The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program is one of many efforts of the Dignity Memorial network to honor and support our nation’s veterans and active military. Other initiatives and programs include the Veterans Planning Guide, educational veterans’ seminars and special pricing for members of veterans’ service organizations.
About Klaehn, Fahl, Melton Funeral Home
Klaehn, Fahl, Melton Funeral Home is a proud Dignity Memorial® provider in Fort Wayne. The Dignity Memorial network of more than 2,000 funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers is North America’s most trusted resource for funeral and memorialization services. Dignity Memorial providers offer an unmatched combination of products and locations serving families with care, integrity, respect and service excellence to celebrate a life like no other. For more information, visit www.klaehnfahlmeltonfunerals.com.
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