Honoring Those Who Served
- Specialized Merchandise
- Service for U.S. Veterans
- Assistance with All Veteran matters: ordering VA flags, filing of claims, notification
We are deeply dedicated to serve the Veterans in our community. Our staff realizes the importance of military service – and the necessity to honor the personal commitment of Veterans. We are the only funeral home in the area to stage a “Patriots Walk” at the cemetery during veteran services. It is a beautiful way to honor the life of the serviceman or woman in your family, and we’d be honored to tell you more about it. Speak to one of our professionals today to learn the details, by calling (828) 464-3031
All Veterans’ families will be relieved of the burden of completing and filing all the necessary paperwork to receive Veteran’s benefits. Our staff will obtain the flag to drape the casket, the grave marker, and arrange military honors at burial in the cemetery of your choice; including burial at the local national cemetery should that be the desire of the family. We will also assist you in processing the paperwork for the military burial at sea option.
To honor a person’s service in defense of our freedoms, we can arrange for our nation’s veterans to be honored with several military observances. We proudly display a large magnetic decal representing the official seal of the specific branch of military service on the side of the funeral coach.
In recognition of the service provided by the veteran, we are proud to offer a live rendition of Taps played by a Bugler at the cemetery. We can also contact the local American Legion to provide a color guard, taps, clergy, and even a gun salute. We have contacts with all branches of the military so arrangement can be made easily and efficiently. We can assist in ordering a veteran’s cemetery marker as well as a Presidential Certificate honoring the life of the veteran.
Veteran's & Family Memorial Care
The Patriots Walk
Our staff also creates a display of small American flags lining the pathway leading from the funeral coach to the gravesite. Upon completion of the service, the family is encouraged to retain the small flags for family members as a remembrance of their loved one.
Tell Your Story
Because we believe that a veteran’s memories of military service are worth preserving, we have recently begun a wonderful program to record their stories. We offer this program at absolutely no charge to veterans and their family members.
Because of the 1973 fire which destroyed millions of service records of our service men and women, we encourage you to schedule an appointment with a specially trained interviewer to share your memories and stories to help to restore the service history.
You are the witnesses to the events that have shaped our nation’s history. As surviving family members, you may have the only existing record of their service including travel orders, separation documents and other listings.
We also invite you to come in to meet with one of the specially trained interviewers to share the stories that have been handed down through the generations. Upon completion of the interview, the participants will be presented with unlimited complimentary DVD copies of their recorded history. Please contact us at Willis-Reynolds Funeral Home and Crematory at (828) 464-3031 to schedule an appointment for this unique opportunity.
What is included in Veteran’s burial benefits?
Burial benefits available include:
- A gravesite in any of the 125 national cemeteries with available space
- Opening and closing of the grave
- Perpetual care
- A Government headstone or marker
- A burial flag
- A Presidential Memorial Certificate
All are at no cost to the family.
Some veterans may also be eligible for Burial Allowances. Cremated remains are buried or inurned in national cemeteries in the same manner and with the same honors as casketed remains.
The VA suggests that if burial will be in a private cemetery and a Government headstone or marker will be requested for the veteran’s grave, that the family apply for one in advance so that the application can be placed with the veterans military discharge papers for use at the time of need.
Gravesites in Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) national cemeteries cannot be reserved in advance; however, reservations made prior to 1962 will be honored. Families are encouraged to prepare in advance by discussing cemetery options, collecting the veteran’s military information including discharge papers, and by contacting the cemetery where burial is desired.
Frequently asked Questions regarding Veterans
Burial benefits available for spouses and dependents buried in a national cemetery include burial with the veteran, perpetual care, and the spouse or dependents name and date of birth and death will be inscribed on the veteran’s headstone, at no cost to the family. Eligible spouses and dependents may be buried, even if they predecease the veteran.
Upon the family's request, the law requires that every eligible veteran receive a military funeral honors ceremony to include folding and presenting the United States burial flag and the playing of Taps. The law defines a military funeral honors detail as consisting of two or more uniformed military persons with at least one a member of the veteran's parent service of the Armed Forces.
All you need to do is inform the funeral director of your wishes, as it is our responsibility to request military funeral honors on behalf of the veterans' family. Please be aware that local Veterans’ organizations may assist in the provision of military funeral honors at local cemeteries. When military funeral honors at a national cemetery are desired, they are arranged prior to the committal service by the funeral home.
The VA furnishes upon request, at no charge to the applicant, a Government headstone or marker for the grave of any deceased eligible veteran in any cemetery around the world.
Flat markers in granite, marble, and bronze, and upright headstones in granite and marble are available. The style chosen must be consistent with existing monuments at the place of burial. Niche markers are also available to mark columbaria used for inurnment of cremated remains
A Presidential Memorial Certificate is an engraved paper certificate, signed by the current President, to honor the memory of honorably discharged deceased veterans.
It is given as an expression of the country’s grateful recognition of the veteran’s service in the United States Armed Forces.
Eligible recipients include the deceased veteran’s next of kin and loved ones, and more than one certificate may be provided. Our staff will assist you in the completion of the required paperwork.
Burial at Sea is a means of final disposition of remains that is performed on United States Navy vessels. The committal ceremony is performed while the ship is deployed. Therefore, family members are not allowed to be present. The commanding officer of the ship assigned to perform the ceremony will notify the family of the date, time, and, longitude and latitude once the committal service has been completed.
Should you desire a burial at sea, our staff will prepare the required paperwork.