As we remember ...

'Unknown' soldier finds place in the Heart (of Texas)

   Remember the story of Eleanor Rigby? According to the Beatles' song, she "died... and was buried, along with her name. Nobody came."
   Such was nearly the fate of a gentleman who quietly passed away during the month of October. (I do not recall the year with certainty but know it was within first decade of Twenty-First Century.) Given the global population is fast approaching ten billion, people live and die anonymously every day.

    This man, estranged from his son, had no other known family, not many acquaintances, and fewer friends. His part-time caregiver had power-of-attorney; she and those who transported him to and from medical appointments probably knew him as well as anybody.

    Though loath to speak ill of the dead, it seems evident the man lacked even rudimentary social graces.
    His health status had declined to the point he faced the certainty of spending his remaining days in the nursing home. His little dog was placed with a family known to his caregiver and Mr. S. was taken to the Brady West [nursing home] facility.

    He really didn't want to go and apparently had no intention of staying: he died that same evening. 

    Events proceeded rapidly - there were no funds to embalm him, so he would have to be interred within 24 hours. It was thought a pauper's grave would be his final resting place but, going through his papers, his attendant found documentation of United States military service. There is a section of Rest Haven Cemetery (on Hwy 87, in Brady, Texas) set aside for McCulloch County (Texas) veterans who die impoverished. City of Brady workers dug a grave.

      With some hastily made phone calls, a small funeral cortege was assembled. This included a preacher, the caregiver and her husband, one or two veterans and their wives. Also standing in attendance were a couple members of Brady City Council, as well as the funeral home workers who had delivered the body. Two women brought flowers from their yards.

      Those gathered offered the solemn dignity which all God's children deserve. A few words were spoken, a short silence observed, then there was a quiet dispersal as the grave was closed. A small flag was placed as a temporary marker.

It had seemed a pauper's grave was all that was in view.

He got flowers and a flag; as a vet'ran, 'twas his due.

________

   It has been more than a decade since a member of the writing group I attended, related this incident and asked if I could write it up for the Brady Standard-Herald, where I worked as proofreader and occasional columnist. The couplet used to close, was my contribution to a dead soldier's memory. The woman who told me about this was one of the city council members in attendance and she also brought flowers. She died earlier this year.