NEWS RELEASE - State Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake to Hold Committal Service for over 100 Veterans on November 16

Washington State Department of Veterans Affairs News Release


November 2, 2022

         

Spokane County – The State Veterans Cemetery, Medical Lake will hold a Forgotten Heroes committal service for over 100 Veterans, on November 16, 2022 at 1:00pm.  

WDVA works closely with Veterans service groups, funeral industry partners, public administrators and other concerned citizens to ensure the dignified burial of unclaimed veterans.  Collectively we work to locate, positively identify, and inter eligible veterans and family members.  These organizations work tirelessly throughout the year researching military service records and vital records to locate unclaimed veterans eligible for burial at the Washington State Veterans Cemetery.  Once identified, the logistics of claiming and coordinating the transfer to the state’s Veterans Cemetery in Medical Lake begins. 

Over the coming days unclaimed Veterans remains from throughout the state will be escorted to the Washington State Veterans Cemetery, Medical Lake where the cremains will be ceremoniously turned over to the Department of Veterans Affairs for interment.  These individuals will be interred in their final resting place with full military honors following a community committal service.  The committal service will take place at 1:00pm on Wednesday November 16, 2022, and is open to the public.  This will be the largest number of unclaimed or abandoned remains received by WDVA for interment at one time.  It may also be the largest in the nation for the Missing in America Project (501c3), who partnered in the research effort with WDVA and Dignity Memorial.  As a reminder, pets or the use of any tobacco or vaping products are not allowed on the premises.  

The Washington State Veterans Cemetery is open to the public 7 days a week, from 8am to sunset.  Interments are held Monday through Friday and are scheduled by contacting the cemetery staff.  For additional information regarding the ride and the interment service please contact the cemetery at 509-299-6280 or visit www.dva.wa.gov/Cemetery .

###

Media Contacts
Rudy Lopez
Cemetery Director
(509) 299-6280

rudyl@dva.wa.gov

Heidi Audette
Communications and Legislative Director
(360) 791-8966 – cell

heidia@dva.wa.gov