Who is Service Corporation International and Dignity Memorial? Our Purpose Service Corporation International is dedicated to compassionately serving families at difficult times, celebrating the significance of lives that have been lived, and preserving memories that transcend generations, with dignity and honor. Our Brand SCI introduced the Dignity Memorial brand in 1999 as the first national brand of funeral, cremation, and cemetery services in North America. As the largest provider of funeral, cremation and cemetery services, the Dignity Memorial network cares for more than 300,000 families each year through our 1600 funeral, cremation and cemetery providers. Our Company Service Corporation International (NYSE: SCI), headquartered in Houston, Texas, is North America's leading provider of death care products and services. At March 31, 2013, we owned and operated 1,437 funeral homes and 374 cemeteries (of which 213 are combination locations) in 43 states, eight Canadian provinces and the District of Columbia. Through our businesses, we market the Dignity Memorial brand which offers assurance of quality, value, caring service, and exceptional customer satisfaction. For more information about Service Corporation International, please visit our website at www.sci-corp.com. For more information about Dignity Memorial, please visit www.dignitymemorial.com.
The Veterans Planning Guide How Does Dignity Memorial Assist Our Veterans? The Veterans Planning Guide is a full-color, 56-page guide designed to educate veterans about their VA burial benefits as well as the benefits Dignity Memorial providers extend to members of two veterans service organizations (American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars). The guide also contains useful information about military funeral honors, information on the importance of advance planning and several detachable forms, including applications to veterans service organizations and forms necessary to receive military medals, a U.S. flag, Presidential Memorial certificates, military records and other VA burial benefits.
The Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall The Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall is a traveling, three-quarter scale replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. The faux-granite replica stands 240 feet long and eight feet high and is inscribed with the names of more than 58,000 Americans who died or are missing in Vietnam. Free and open to the public 24 hours a day, the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall is dedicated to the veterans of the Vietnam War and honors all U.S. servicemen and women. The Dignity Memorial network of funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers created the replica as a service to those who might never visit the nation s capital to experience the original memorial firsthand. Each year, the Dignity Memorial Vietnam Wall tours the country, making 10-14 weekend stops in communities served by Dignity Memorial providers. Since its inception in 1990, the traveling monument has been displayed in more than 200 cities across the country, allowing millions of visitors to experience the healing power of the memorial.
How Does Dignity Memorial Assist Our Veterans? Free Seminars to Veterans and their Spouses. Dignity Memorial funeral, cremation and cemetery providers take our commitment to providing exceptional service very seriously. To us, that includes educating veterans on all the burial benefits offered by the U.S. Dept. of Veterans Affairs so veterans and their spouses will know the facts when making funeral and cemetery arrangements. Conducted by trained, experienced funeral professionals, the Dignity Memorial Veterans Seminars are filled with essential funeral and burial information for veterans and their spouses. Seminar guests will learn the burial benefits offered by the VA and the importance of making funeral and cemetery arrangements in advance. 10 Important Facts About Your VA Benefits Dignity Memorial providers take the responsibility of helping veterans receive the benefits they deserve very seriously. For that reason, we ve compiled a list of 10 Important Facts About Your VA Burial Benefits as a guide. This guide is available to all veterans at our Dignity Memorial locations nationwide.
Homeless Veterans Burial Program
The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program provides dignified burial services for eligible homeless and indigent veterans to ensure they receive the honors in death that their service in life merited. The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program was founded upon the belief that every veteran deserves a dignified and honorable burial. The program is a cooperative effort among Dignity Memorial funeral, cremation and cemetery service providers, the. Department of Veterans Affairs, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, local medical examiners, coroners, veterans advocates and veterans organizations. Through the program, homeless or indigent veterans who have no family to claim them are identified and provided with a proper military burial. Participating Dignity Memorial providers provide preparation of the body, transportation, clothing, casket and coordination of the funeral service. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs provides eligible veterans with the opening and closing of the gravesite, a headstone or marker, a graveside ceremony and burial in a National Cemetery/State Cemetery Currently available in 35 metropolitan areas across the country, the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program has provided burial services for more than 1,400 homeless veterans since the program s inception in 2000.
Dignity Memorial Homeless Veteran Burial Program Participating Cities and Number of Services Held. Los Angeles 516 Kissimmee, FL 8 San Diego, CA 175 St. Louis/East (IL) 6 San Antonio, TX 137 Oklahoma City, OK 5 Chicago, IL 114 Mobile, AL 5 St. Louis/West (MO) 82 Knoxville, TN 5 Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX 69 Toms River, NJ 4 Houston, TX 59 St. Joseph, MO 3 Louisville, KY 43 Snellville, GA 3 Kansas City, MO 40 Orlando, FL 2 NYC 35 Cape Coral 2 Palm Beach County 21 Portland, OR 2 Charlotte, NC 17 Detroit, MI 2 Witchita, KS 16 Waco, TX 1 Denver, CO 14 Pompano Beach 1 Tampa Bay, FL 13 Naples 1 Phoenix, AZ 12 Long Island 1 El Paso, TX 12 Sarasota 0 Ocala, FL 12 Fall Church, VA 0 Total Number of Services=1418
Homeless Veterans Burial Program Berry Funeral Home has provided services for four veterans in 2013 Sergeant Roger Wayne Campbell-US Air Force Recruit Seaman Jerry Michael Black US Navy Private David Joseph Grover-US Marine Corp Airman William David Hansard US Air Force
Sgt. Roger W. Campbell Dignity Memorial was notified on March 18, 2013 by the East Tennessee Regional Forensic Center that veteran Roger W. Campbell was left unclaimed for over two weeks. Sgt. Campbell had a sister in Middle Tennessee but she was financially unable to bury her brother and could not accept custody. Sgt. Campbell was not completely homeless. He had a small apartment and a drivable automobile. Without intervention from Dignity Memorial, Sgt. Campbell would not have been claimed and would not have received Military Honors.
Seaman Recruit Jerry Michael Black Jerry Michael Black was found in Knoxville at a storage building, frequented by the homeless community, on March 7, 2013. He was taken to the East Tennessee Regional Forensic Center and remained there until the Homeless Veterans Burial Program was notified on April 10, 2013. During the month he was at the Forensic Center. Autopsy Tech Janice Hoffner was able to identify him as a veteran and obtain a DD 214 from his Naval service aboard the USS Norton Sound. No family was identified by the Knoxville Police Department or the Forensic Center. A graveside service was held on April 11, 2013 with full military honors at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery. There were over 150 people in attendance from all branches of the military. The flag was presented to the Forensic Center for their dedication to our veterans.
I just read the article in the Bluefield Daily Telegraph about Jerry Michael Black. I think from the description I read that Michael was my brother. My Mother was from Elkhorn. She died from cancer when I was 17 right after I had my first child. I have always wondered what happened to Michael. I am his oldest sister. Altogether there was 9 of us. We didn't all grow up together. We had a family reunion years ago and got all the brothers and sisters together and that's the last time I ever saw him. I asked again recently if anyone ever heard from him. It breaks my heart that he died homeless. Is there a picture of him by chance? I was so proud to see that he had the Military service. I asked several times if anyone heard from him or knew where he was. I searched on Facebook. Thank you for the closure. Brenda
Private David Joseph Grover- United States Marine Corp Blount County Veterans Service Officer Nathan Weinbaum contacted us on May 19, 2013 concerning Private Grover, who he learned of from a local veteran that had allowed Mr. Grover to live at a small apartment on his property. Private Grover served from February to July 1969 and was honorably discharged. Private Grover was disabled with no means to pay for a burial. His mother in Maryland was contacted and agreed for David Grover s friend to arrange for his burial at the East Tennessee Veterans Cemetery. A Graveside service with Military Honors by a three man detail from the Marine Corp was held on May 23, 2013.
For more information about the program or any other services Dignity Memorial provides to our Veterans. Call 1-800-DIGNITY Visit our webpage at Dignitymemorial.com Email: jeffrey.berry@dignitymemorial.com Berry Funeral Home (865) 577-6666