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200 Attend Funeral Of Korean Vet From Colorado Who Died Without Family

LONGMONT, Colo. (AP) - A Korean War veteran from Colorado who died without relatives to arrange his funeral has been laid to rest with full military honors after a funeral home stepped in to help.

The Times-Call reports that Carroll-Lewellen Funeral & Cremation donated the casket and about $6,000 in services for U.S. Army Sgt. Robert P. Buddecke's funeral on Thursday at Fort Logan National Cemetery in Denver.

Robert Buddecke
Robert Buddecke (credit: Robert Buddecke)
Robert Buddecke
(credit: Robert Buddecke)

Word of the donation spread and about 200 people, many of them veterans, attended the service.

Assistant cemetery director Kevin Johnson says it felt like everyone there was his family.

Robert Buddecke
Robert Buddecke (credit: Robert Buddecke)
Robert Buddecke
(credit: Robert Buddecke)

Renita Henson worked with Buddecke as a nurse. She said he was most proud of being his second wife's caregiver before she died.

The government provided the plot, headstone and casket vault.

(© Copyright 2016 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)

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