Hundreds attend funeral of Korean War vet with no family in town

Hundreds of people across our region gathered to pay their respects to a man they've never met.Family members were not able to attend the funeral of a 90-year-old Korean War veteran Hezekiah Perkins, so the community made sure he got the sendoff he deserved."When I got here and they told me this was for Hezekiah, I started crying," William Weincam said.Weincam, a veteran himself, frequently visited Perkins at the nursing home where he was staying.Perkins died just weeks ago on May 4.Since his family couldn't make it to say their goodbyes, Spring Grove Cemetery wrote a Facebook post, encouraging members of the community to come honor his life, and they sure did.Cars were in line for hours on the way to the burial plot."When I first entered Spring Grove they told me, 'At least 400 cars are ahead of you,' and that was OK, because I just wanted to show support," Gretchen Graves said.Dawnya Martin worked at the nursing home Perkins lived in for years. She didn't recall many visitors coming to see him during his stay, so she called the turnout "amazing."Perkins was laid to rest with military honors, as his family requested.

Hundreds of people across our region gathered to pay their respects to a man they've never met.

Family members were not able to attend the funeral of a 90-year-old Korean War veteran Hezekiah Perkins, so the community made sure he got the sendoff he deserved.


"When I got here and they told me this was for Hezekiah, I started crying," William Weincam said.

Weincam, a veteran himself, frequently visited Perkins at the nursing home where he was staying.

Perkins died just weeks ago on May 4.Since his family couldn't make it to say their goodbyes, Spring Grove Cemetery wrote a Facebook post, encouraging members of the community to come honor his life, and they sure did.

Cars were in line for hours on the way to the burial plot.

"When I first entered Spring Grove they told me, 'At least 400 cars are ahead of you,' and that was OK, because I just wanted to show support," Gretchen Graves said.

Dawnya Martin worked at the nursing home Perkins lived in for years. She didn't recall many visitors coming to see him during his stay, so she called the turnout "amazing."

Perkins was laid to rest with military honors, as his family requested.