Veterans Brought to Final Rest - Cremated Veterans Honored At LI National Cemetery

By James B. Teese

St. James Photos by James B. Teese

National Cemetery Photos by Grace Colucci

In military parlance, the time was 0700 hours, a fitting reference to mark the beginning of ceremonies that would give special meaning to May 19, 2012: Armed Forces Day.

Then, at the St. James Funeral Home on Middle Country Road, the engines of the motorcycles broke for a moment the early morning quiet as members of the Patriot Guard Riders arrived at the Saint James Funeral Home to be greeted by the Maher family, licensed funeral directors and proprietors of the funeral home.

Patriot Guard Riders escort Hearse to LI National CemeteryAs the riders parked by a parked hearse, a respectful quiet began again in anticipation of the mission to commence — a Veterans Honor Mission to bring to final rest at Long Island National Cemetery the remains of cremated Veterans, remains which had been in the secure custodial care of the Mahers.

St. James was one of fifteen such morning gatherings.  Fifteen Long Island funeral homes were preparing for trips to the National Cemetery to bring the ‘cremains’ of 63 Veterans, as well as five spouses and a son, to their final rest.

The cremains of the Veterans had been in care for years.  Many of the 63 Vets had served in World War I.  One Army Veteran, Winfield S. Rowland, who died in 1913, had served in the Spanish-American War!

From each funeral home, a hearse traveled to the ‘muster area’ off the Long Island Expressway to form a procession down Route 110 to the cemetery, with police and fire department escorts, and under ladder arches flying U.S. Flags.  At the intersection with Smith Street in Farmingdale, members of the St. James Fire Department Hook & Ladder Company were a part of that effort, along with other volunteer firefighters.  Former Captain Lou DeStefano along with firefighters Alyssa Byrus and Lt. Mitch Corace were on-hand to salute.

At the Cemetery, a formal program was held, with VA, Cemetery, military,East Meadow Fire Department
At LI National Cemetery each urn lovingly borne by Veteransand elected officials were in attendance, joined by hundreds of patriotic Long Islanders, including fire and police personnel, uniformed service men and women, family, and friends.

Traditional honors included prayers, the Pledge of Allegiance, a local choir’s singing of The Star-Spangled Banner, the playing of “Taps,” and a rendition of a newer classic, “Proud to Be an American.”

St. James to Pinelawn

En route to the Northern State Parkway along Route 347, patrons of the Touch of Class Car Wash stopped, with some offering salutes as the escorts and hearse passed.

“People along the local route stopped, watched, and wondered,” noted the Mahers.  “Then we knew…a long overdue, earned honor was finally beginning to be given.”

From Middle Country Road, Ken and Kerry Maher drove the hearse behind Patriot Guard Riders and Suffolk County Police Department.

St. James FD’s Lt. Richard D. Weisse, Jr. and Fire Fighter Christopher Wrenn drove Engine #1 in the line while taking up the rear of the Honor procession through the local streets to the highways.

Engraved urns containing the “Cremains” of Veterans Walter Olsen and Frank Hayes await escortPrior to leaving, the engraved urns were set prominently on a table in the funeral home foyer, laid beside folded American Flags.

When all were ready, Ken Maher, also a Deacon, led a prayer and farewell for the pair of St. James Veterans.A respectful crowd gathered to be a part of the Veterans Honor Mission, as Funeral Director and Deacon Ken Maher delivered remarks prior to the urns being placed in the hearse for the trip to Pinelawn

At the conclusion of the brief service, the urns were carefully borne by members of the local John W. Cooke VFW Post #395, Commander Frank Todaro and George Johnston.  Each urn was slowly secured in the waiting hearse.

            Repositioning as one with their flags, other Veterans and residents formed lines through which the hearse would leave the driveway to depart on its Mission.

            “We will honor any Veteran, especially one that has been well, ignored, for so long,” said Todaro of his participation.

            Knights of Columbus member Lou Ruocco, who lives in Centereach but attends Saints Philip and James Roman Catholic Church in St. James, thought the mission was significant.

“It was an honor to come here and do this for the Veterans.  It’s a nice thing,” he said.

            Terry Roche, from Kings Park, came with his family.  A Marine Corps Veteran, he said the Mahers and the government “were doing the right thing.”

“We had a good representation from St. Philip and James [parish]” he said.

Younger generations were also on hand.

Lauriann Kormylo of Smithtown, a student at Our Lady of Mercy, said “It was a really good honor and I didn’t want to miss it.  I thought it was important to be here.”

The Mahers wished to thank other organizations and members of the community, including members of the Saints Philip & James school and families, the Junior Catholic Daughters, the Saint James Fire Department, the Officers of our Fourth Precinct of the Suffolk County PD, the members of the John W. Cooke VFW Post #395, the members of the Knights of Columbus Council #12839, the Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts.

“From a funeral home perspective to be finally able to secure a person’s rightful due, the justice in this is gratifying.  We are all so proud to have been a part of this group of caring people going outside of themselves for others,” said Betty Maher.

Local Vets of WWI

            From St. James, two Veterans, both of whom served during World War I, were honored.  Their information comes from Betty Maher’s research to gain clearance for their inurnment.

Walter R. Olsen, a Private First Class in the United States Marine Corps, lived at of 204 Jefferson Avenue, Saint James with his wife, Dorothea Thoms Olsen for more than a decade.  The couple had a daughter, Joan Olsen Golder, and three grandchildren.

Olsen was born in New York State on March 28, 1895 and died in Smithtown General Hospital on May 5, 1976, at the age of 81.  He retired as a Bank Manager for Chemical Bank.

            Frank Hayes, enlisted in the U.S. Army on June 8, 1917, rose to the rank of Corporal, and was separated “for the convenience of the government” on May 19, 1919.  His ashes were brought to the National Cemetery exactly 93 years to the day later!

Hayes lived at 198 Jefferson Avenue, Saint James with his wife, Gertrude Huhn.  They also had a daughter, Andrea Evangelista.  He was a trucker for the Domino Sugar Company.

Hayes was born in New York State on December 9, 1896 and died on March 14, 1984 at the Veterans Administration Medical Center, Northport at the age of 87.

A Simple Conversation

            The Veterans Honor Mission started “as a simple conversation over dinner at a Nassau-Suffolk Funeral Director Association meeting,” said Kerry Maher, daughter of Ken and Betty Maher.

            She and others concurred with the prior president that unclaimed cremated remains deserved their final rest, especially those of Veterans.  A place of honor at a National Cemetery could be found, they believed.Each urn was laid to rest in the columbairum at Long Island National Cemetery, with a suitably engraved stone for each Veteran’s niche.

“Time does take a toll,” Kerry explained, “families move away, people ‘lose touch’, and other family members pass, leaving some remains with us.”  Kerry, a Board member for the Association, Kerry brought the idea home for a family discussion.

            The funeral director from whom the Mahers purchased the Saint James Funeral Home in 1977 had offered custodial care of the cremains entrusted to both the Darling and Swenson Funeral Homes of Smithtown when those homes closed, noted Betty Maher.

“A bond forged as far back as the early 1900’s continues to this day,” she said.

Betty Maher then pursued the often tedious research to verify the status of the Veterans, sometimes aided by records from the Northport VA Medical Center.

            With identities confirmed and clearances gained, Betty obtained assistance from the Batesville Casket Company, which donated the urns.

“This entire experience has been absolutely incredible,” Betty said.  “From a patriotic view, to be able to help Veterans whom we’ve never met, those who fought for us even though they never knew us is a humbling experience.”

The Mahers continue to care for and protect other cremains.

“If a family is interested in possibly finding and claiming their relatives, we will do whatever it takes to return these people to their families.  We’re hopeful that there are other families who may remember and call to bring their loved ones home to their rightful places.”

“As long as we have not been approached by families, these people will remain with us,” the Mahers declared.