Participate in final salute to honor a Black Hawk County veteran

Mr. McMullen, who had no known surviving family, will be escorted from Locke Funeral Home at Tower Park in Waterloo to Des Moines. In partnership with the Des Moines-based nonprofit Final Salute, the procession will then proceed to the Iowa Veterans Cemetery in Adel for final entombment.

Final Salute is dedicated to providing dignity, respect, and proper burials for unclaimed individuals, especially veterans. The group prioritizes reuniting remains with family and, when that is not possible, securing a permanent and honorable resting place. The October 3 ceremony follows last year’s designation of October 4 as Unclaimed Veterans Recognition Day. To date, Final Salute has honored 84 unclaimed veterans.

"Honoring our veterans doesn't end when their service does," said Yolando Loveless, director of Black Hawk County Veterans Affairs. "When a veteran has no loved ones to claim them, it becomes our responsibility as a community to ensure they receive the respect and military honors they deserve. We hope the community will join us in this final act of gratitude."

Be part of this meaningful tribute

To properly honor Mr. McMullen, Black Hawk County Veterans Affairs is working with Locke Funeral Home to organize a communitywide event. The public is invited to join the caravan on Saturday, October 3. The caravan will leave at 7:00 a.m., traveling from Waterloo to the ceremony in Des Moines to show the community's gratitude for a life of service.

The Final Salute is a formal expression of gratitude offered to those who have served in the United States Armed Forces. For questions, coordination, or additional details, please contact the Black Hawk County Veterans Affairs office.