A homeless veteran will be buried with dignity on Tuesday with military honors. A funeral service with military honors will be held for Norman Eugene Smith on Tuesday at the Georgia National Cemetery in Canton.

Smith died homeless at the age of 62 and had served in the U.S. Army for two years. He earned the National Defense Service Medal and was a sharp shooter. Smith had no legal next-of-kin to make funeral arrangements so Parkway Garden Chapel, a Dignity Memorial Provider, stepped in.

With more than 150,000 homeless veterans in the U.S., many whose remains are unclaimed at their death, they risk burial in paupers’ graves. Through the Dignity Memorial® Homeless Veterans Burial Program, Smith veteran won’t be among them.

Working with various local agencies, the Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program ensures homeless veterans in more than 35 cities receive dignified military burials when they die. Begun in 2000, the program has served more than 1,000 veterans to date.

The Dignity Memorial Homeless Veterans Burial Program is one of many efforts of the Dignity Memorial network to honor and support our nation’s veterans and active military.