Anyone from the public is invited to the funeral for Sarasota veteran Edward K Pearson

Pearson passed away on August 31 and the cemetery was not able to find any family

The funeral for Pearson is not the first time the public has been asked to attend a veteran’s funeral

The general public has been invited to a funeral for Sarasota, Florida veteran Edward K. Pearson. The public invitation was made after it was discovered Pearson has no family.

Funeral For Veteran Edward K Pearson

There is not a lot of information readily available about Pearson. He passed away on August 31, at the age of 80 according to his obituary. The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday, October 1, at 12:30 pm at Sarasota National Cemetery 9810 State Road 72.

Pearson’s funeral is not the first time the public has been asked to attend a funeral for a veteran with no family. In January “scores of people turned up for Joseph Walker’s funeral in Texas.” Walker died last November at the age of 72. The Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery announced funeral plans for Walker but did not expect anybody to attend aside from staff.

Other Public Funerals For Veterans

Due to the heavy media coverage of Walker’s funeral relatives came forward and contacted the cemetery officials. “We are grateful that Mr. Walker’s next-of-kin presented themselves after the funeral, and we were able to present Mr. Walker’s flag to them,” said Karina Erickson of the Texas General Land Office told NPR.

In February around 100 people gathered at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery to honor three veterans that died. Family members could not be located for Alberto Vasquesz, 67, Gil Vargas, 65, and John Flynn, 61.

Earlier this month in Tennessee, a United Air Force veteran who died with no known friends or family had a funeral open to the public. After the Gateway Funeral Home and Cremation Center made a post looking for friends or family of Lyndon Badgett. Badgett had lived at the Tennessee State Veterans’ Home in Clarksville but passed away at Tennova Healthcare.

The post began receiving attention from all over the country from people that wanted to show their respects to Badgett. Badgett’s hearse was guided by a police and motorcycle escort to the cemetery. All the people that came to pay their respects were not able to fit inside the cemetery’s chapel. Gateway Funeral Home Director Wade Winkler said the experience was “a little overwhelming.” Winkler received Badgett’s flag and said he plans to hold on to it until he is able to locate a member of Badgett’s family.