part of efforts

DAVE GORGON

One thousand old and worn American flags were retired in style and with dignity during a patriotic funeral service, thanks to the efforts of the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in Southgate and the Michigan Memorial Funeral Home.

The flags were collected from the Veterans Court at the 28th District Court in Southgate and placed in two large cremation boxes. On July 16, dozens of veterans gathered at the VFW on Dix-Toledo Road, where the boxes were placed in a Michigan Memorial hearse and driven in procession to the funeral home in Huron Township.

After a complete funeral service, during which the boxes were strapped together and draped with a large American flag to look like a casket, the flags were cremated onsite.

The events of the day were orchestrated by Bill King, commander of the Southgate VFW, and Craig Roe, vice president and general manager of the funeral home. Participants included dozens of members of the VFW and VFW Auxiliary, the Downriver Veterans

to retire 1,000 American flags during special funeral

Honor Guard, the VFW District 4 Riders and other interested observers. Some served as pallbearers; some were moved to tears during the ceremony.

“It was treated from beginning to end like a funeral,” Roe said. “It flowed very nicely. Everything tied together perfectly. We’re so happy with how the day went.”

King had approached Roe with the concept, saying it was important for the flags to be retired properly. King said the post wanted to honor the flags’ service.

“As a veteran, you go into the military and pledge your allegiance to the flag when you enlist,” said King, who served 20 years in the Army. “When you’re in the military, you serve that flag. And that same veteran will someday rest under that flag. I think because of those reasons, the flag is very important to the veteran and the flag should be equally important to every citizen.”

King and Roe worked out the details. The Michigan Memorial hearse contained military decals. Motorcyclists from the District 4 Riders served as escorts for the hearse, turning heads of other drivers along the way to the funeral home. Honor Guard members stood guard. Veterans filled the funeral home during the ceremony. Flags from all military branches flanked the flag-covered boxes of flags. Bill Peters, chaplain of Post 9283, honored the flags with a reading about “Old Glory.” Honor Guard members fired a 21-gun salute and played Taps. After the cremation took place, Michigan Memorial provided food and beverages for the participants.

“Michigan Memorial Funeral Home and its owner are very patriotic and believe in the respect the flag deserves,” Roe said. “We support the veterans and very much appreciate their service to our country. That’s what the flag represents.

“It was a great honor to be asked by these veterans to do this. We feel very privileged to be allowed to be part of this service with them.”

King said the vision of the VFW and the funeral home came together for a wonderful event.

“A couple guys said being there and watching it all take place touched them as much as when they have to go to a funeral for a friend,” King said. “They were really touched by it.”

King said the dignified ceremony was a change from other much simpler ceremonies in which flags are burned.

“There was nothing that wasn’t done right,” he said. “Everyone was touched by the reverence and the honor that was afforded the flags… It gave a really good idea that being in the military is more than a guy carrying a gun.”

Bill Schaffer, president of the 4th District VFW Riders, said his members from throughout the Downriver area were honored to participate as both escorts and pallbearers.

“This was a first for us,” he said. “It was nice to see somebody do it right. Frank Mentzer, treasurer of the Downriver Veterans Honor Guard, said “Michigan Memorial really stepped up. It was really, really nice.”

Plans called for at least some of the ashes to be placed by the veterans memorial outside the Southgate post, where bricks honor Southgate veterans who were killed in the Vietnam War.

“I think it’s just one more way to say that those flags served our country, and we will always protect them,” King said. “We will make sure the flag is honored always.”