Dearborn To Honor Two Veterans With Memorial Day Funeral

DEARBORN, MI— Two veterans finally will be laid to rest with military honors after passing away years ago.

Through the efforts of the Dearborn Allied War Veterans Council (DAWVC) and the Missing in America Project, the veterans will be honored on Memorial Day, May 27, and then will be interred at Fort Custer National Cemetery.

Despite dying years ago, the veterans had not been interred for unknown reasons. The DAWVC has actively sought out the cremains of veterans who die without resources, or who outlive family and friends, and remain in funeral homes awaiting their final resting place.

On May 27, the Memorial Day Parade will be preceded by the funeral procession at 9:40 a.m., which will carry the cremains of the veterans in a casket on a horse-drawn caisson down Michigan Avenue.

Military honors will be offered for the men during the Remembrance Ceremony following the parade at noon. The ceremony will take place at the Veterans Park and War Memorial in front of the Henry Ford Centennial Library, 16301 Michigan Ave.

The DAWVC has sought out the cremated remains of veterans in need of burial as part of the Missing in America Project (MIAP), a national project that aims to locate, identify, and inter the unclaimed remains of veterans.

“It’s a way to give back and to ensure that these guys are not left forgotten,” said Stephen Fletcher, Michigan coordinator for the MIAP and a former DAWVC commander.

The Vietnam-era veteran who will be honored during the Memorial Day service is:

• Robert Leroy Agner, Jr. He served in the U.S. Navy during the Vietnam War era from July 25, 1974 – Aug. 19, 1974. He then served in the U.S. Army from July 20, 1976 – Aug. 31, 1976. He was born on April 5, 1956, and died on Dec. 19, 2013. He was 57.

The WWII veteran who will be honored is:

• George Nick Kasun, U.S. Army. He served during World War II from Jan. 23, 1942 – Oct. 25, 1944. He was born on June 9, 1912, and died on May 10, 2015. He was 102. It is expected that family members will attend the funeral procession and ceremony in Dearborn on Memorial Day.

The funeral procession will be carried out with participation from the Detroit Mounted Police Division, Metro Detroit Police and Fire Pipes and Drums, the Henry Ford, Voran Funeral Home, and Heritage Life Story Funeral Home.

The DAWVC Ritual Team and the U.S. Reserve Funeral Honors Team will conduct the military service honors.

The 2019 parade marks the 95th year the City of Dearborn has hosted its Memorial Day Parade in order to honor those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to the country.