Community Makes Sure No Veteran Is Buried Without Support
Honoring veterans who stand without family, the community lifted the moment with the crack of a ceremonial gun salute after the officiant asked whether anyone was present for Air Force Staff Sgt. Leslie Marlan Gunnarson. The silence lasted only a second before volunteer honor guards raised U.S. flags, bagpipes sounded across the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery, and residents stepped forward to give the veteran his final honors.
For more than a decade, the Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery has ensured the community never lays a service member to rest alone. Through its unaccompanied veterans program, staff, volunteers, and South Texas residents have built a tradition rooted in respect, compassion, and unwavering commitment to those who served.
A Final Farewell for an Air Force Veteran
On Nov. 14, dozens gathered in the spirit of honoring veterans who stand without family, paying tribute to U.S. Air Force veteran Leslie Marlan Gunnarson, born July 15, 1958. Gunnarson served from 1976 to 1983 and earned the Air Force Good Conduct Medal with one Oak Leaf Cluster. With no next of kin, he became the latest veteran to receive the community’s support through an unaccompanied burial.
“Maybe they don’t have a family, but as a community, we are that veteran’s family,” said Nueces County Veterans Services Officer J.J. De La Cerda. “We try not to leave anyone behind.”
How the Program Began
Creating Dignity Where There Once Was None
When the cemetery opened in 2011, staff buried several veterans without family present—quiet burials with no witnesses and no military honors. De La Cerda, then the cemetery’s assistant director, said it “felt ugly.” The staff believed every veteran deserved more.
By 2015, they formalized a program to ensure that unaccompanied veterans received full honors, complete with taps, flag presentations, and the presence of uniformed military personnel. The Coastal Bend effort became the first of its kind in Texas, inspiring similar programs across the state and the country.
“We’re really proud that we did something here that people understood,” De La Cerda said. “A veteran should be honored to the fullest.”
Why Some Veterans Become Unaccompanied
The Complex Realities Behind These Stories
State officials say the reasons are varied. Contrary to public assumptions, homelessness is rarely the cause. Instead, many cases involve:
- Family estrangement
- Mental illness or long-term health conditions
- The death of all immediate family members
- Relatives who have become disconnected and cannot be found
Although staff always search for next of kin, they sometimes cannot find anyone. What matters most, program leaders say, is ensuring dignity.
“That’s our key, overarching commitment to the veteran,” said Texas State Veterans Cemeteries Director John Kelley.
Coordinating Honorable, Respectful Services
The Coastal Bend State Veterans Cemetery staff manages every unaccompanied burial with a commitment to honoring veterans who stand without family by their side. They work closely with the volunteer Coastal Bend State Cemetery Memorial Services Detachment, which provides military honors for all local veterans.
Kelley praised the group’s dedication, noting, “Corpus Christi’s team is the most organized and really sharp at what they do. I cannot give them enough praise.”
Still, the staff believes military honors alone are not enough. They design each service to include witnesses—community members who stand in for the family a veteran may no longer have.
The Public Steps Forward
A Growing Tradition of Community Support
Local organizations play an essential role. The Patriot Guard Riders form flag lines at ceremonies, and members like Carlos Chavez have attended since 2012. “For the unattended, we’re always here,” he said.
The cemetery also invites local officials, nonprofits, and residents. Some ceremonies draw hundreds.
Since 2015, the Coastal Bend cemetery has held about 75 unaccompanied veteran burials. Before the program began, fewer than 10 such burials occurred.
Across all Texas state veterans cemeteries, staff have interred 283 unaccompanied veterans since 2015.
Ordinary Citizens Become Part of a Veteran’s Story
Community member Gloria Armstrong has attended for eight years. After realizing no one said “thank you” to these veterans, she began writing and performing original poems at the ceremonies. Others craft handmade memorial crosses or come to stand in solemn support.
Sometimes, public notices allow relatives lost to time to rediscover a connection. “That’s the beauty of social media,” De La Cerda said.
“No Veteran Left Behind”
State Veterans Land Board Chairwoman Dawn Buckingham echoed that mission, saying Texans remain committed to ensuring every veteran receives respect and dignity at the end of life.
In the Coastal Bend, that commitment is evident every time the community gathers—strangers becoming family for a veteran who served.