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Why Are We Honored to Care for Veterans? Here's one reason:

We are honored to be a care provider to Veterans.  Corbett Funeral & Cremation offers superior Burial and Cremation services to veterans and their families throughout Oklahoma and surrounding counties.

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Shortly before establishing Corbett Funeral & Cremation in 2005, I was the managing director for a large funeral home here in Oklahoma County. It was at this firm that on one ordinary Oklahoma fall day, a man in his late 70’s walked into my office and sternly asked, in a distinctive New York accent, to speak “…to whoever is in charge of this here joint ”. My first reaction as the one in charge was to cringe and think, “Crap! What did my guys do wrong”. Thankfully it was nothing like that. In fact, how this seemingly random encounter ends is nothing short of amazing.

As this gentleman and I began chat, I learned that his name was Tony Rosetano and he wanted to “take out one of those prepaid plans for he and the Misses”. Being that I was a kid with a father born and raised in New York City, it was easy for me to spot another New Yorker in my midst. As a New Yorker by familial association, I of course goaded Mr. Rosetano by asking if he was from Jersey. “What! Na, I’m a New Yorka”. I told him that my father was a from The City and grew up on Riverside Drive. “No kidding” he said.

When we got into the details of his preened funeral plan, Tony stressed the importance that he have military honors at his funeral. I told him we would absolutely make sure he received military honors and asked him, given his age, if he was a WWII veteran, to which he answered yes. I said my dad was too. “Where you in the European or Pacific Theater?” “European” he said. I said my dad was Army and served over there too, with the 398th. “I was Army too” (Army Air Corps to be exact) he proudly stated, sitting a little taller in his chair. “Yeah” he replied, “small world.” Small world indeed. Just how small was what I was about to find out.

As we discussed burial plans for he and his wife a little more, Tony again asserted the importance of having military honors at his funeral, this time he shared with me that he “…was a guest of the Germans for a while”, a POW. This is getting eerie I remember thinking, “Really? My dad was a POW, three times as a matter of fact.” I then began, perhaps a bit selfishly, telling Tony more about my dad.

“ Yeah, he escaped two times and when the French underground couldn't get him out he was captured hiding in a bar in occupied Paris.” Tony became like a statue, not moving and fixed on my every word. “Not only that”, I said. “They were going to make an example out of him so they put him on the “Death Train” through France and Germany in the dead of winter.” When I said that, all the color drained from Tony’s face.“Are you okay?” I asked. He replied with a wave of his hand and said to “Go on”. I told him that “of the 300 souls that boarded that boxcar only two got off alive once they arrived at Stammlager XII A in Lumburg, Germany.”

I continued on, telling him my dad had only God and another GI to thank for helping him make it through that long ride from hell. Tony, looking me square in the eye, leaned into me, placed his tired hand on mine and quietly asked something that brings me to tears even to this day, “Are you Frankie’s boy?” Wait a minute! I thought to myself. How did Tony know my dad was called Frankie during the war? I hadn't even told him my dad’s name.

As it turns out it truly is very small world. This man, someone whom I had never met, someone who played a crucial role in my life, and who seemingly walked into my funeral home randomly one day to make his plans was just bringing full circle HIS plan for he and I.

Tony, you see, was the other survivor from the boxcar.

Tony would stop in here at Corbett Funeral & Cremation from time to time and we would visit about everything: New York, family, my brother in the Navy, my time in college ROTC and not taking my officer commission because of a girl and his giving me a hard time about it. We however, never talked about the war again; we now had a special bond and some things were just understood.

This is only one of the many reason why we are proud to serve our veterans and their families.

As a honored providers to Veterans our staff has been extensively trained to handle every detail of making burial and cremation arrangements for veterans. This includes answering questions about military protocol, assuring that legal requirements are met, and providing whatever equipment, facilities and services that may be needed.

Our mission is to reduce funeral costs for veterans and their families. To this end, we proudly offer specially created funeral, burial, and cremation plans designed to honor the courageous men and women who have honorably served our country. These special packages are also available for the spouses of honorably discharged veterans, as well as their dependent children. Our knowledgeable staff of professional caregivers stand ready to help you obtain these benefits already paid for by your honorable military service.

Almost all honorably discharged veterans who served in any of our Armed Forces branches (wartime and peacetime) are entitled to burial in a National Cemetery… a benefit which includes cemetery lots, opening and closing fees, a grave marker, concrete grave liner or vault (when casketed burial is selected), and perpetual care at absolutely no cost. A $17,645 value per married couple. This benefit applies not only for the veteran, but also for the veteran's spouse and any dependent children.

Cash Benefits for Veterans

Veterans and their families may be eligible for various cash benefits to assist with funeral, burial, and memorial costs. If a veteran's death is connected to a VA disability, the VA will reimburse up to $2,000 for funeral or cremation expenses. Additionally, if the veteran is buried in a VA national cemetery, the VA may cover the cost of transporting their remains.

For non-service-connected deaths, the VA will reimburse $893 for burial or cremation expenses, and $893 for a plot allowance if a National Cemetery is not used. If the death occurs at a VA hospital or contracted care facility, the VA will also reimburse for transportation of the remains.

All veterans with an honorable discharge, as well as their spouses, are entitled to free cemetery property, headstones or markers, open/close of the grave, and perpetual care at a National Cemetery. If the veteran is not buried in a national cemetery, the VA will provide a headstone or marker, or reimburse up to $231 for a private headstone.

https://www.va.gov/burials-memorials/veterans-burial-allowance/

Burial allowance amounts for service-connected death

• Death must be connection to a VA disability. If so, up to $2,000 is reimbursed for funeral/cremation costs.
• If the Veteran is buried in a VA national cemetery, the VA may also pay for the cost of transporting the veteran’s remains.

Burial allowance amounts for a non-service-connected death

• VA will reimburse $893 for burial or cremation.
• VA will reimburse $893 plot allowance if they don't use a National Cemetery
• If the death occurs at a Veterans Administration (VA) Hospital or contracted care facility the VA will reimburse for transporting the veteran’s remains.

Headstone for Maker Allowance Amounts

All Veterans with an honorable discharge and their spouses are entitled to:

• Free cemetery property at a National Cemetery.
• Free Headstone or Marker at a National Cemetery.
• Free Open/Close of the grave at a National Cemetery.
• Free Perpetual Care at a National Cemetery.
• If the Veteran is not buried in a national cemetery the VA provide a headstone / marker or will reimburse $231 for a private headstone.
  

Qualifications:
1. Honorably discharged veteran serving any length of time before 9/7/80.
2. Veterans entering service after this time must serve 24 months of continuous active duty or for the full time for which the person was called to active duty.

In Loving & Honored Memory