Funeral hails LV WWII vet at Arlington
WASHINGTON -- The chaplain said he was "a little extra proud" to be doing the funeral of Richard H. "Dick" Case of Las Vegas on Monday at Arlington National Cemetery.
After all, Case and Capt. Chaplain Stanton Trotter were both paratroopers.
"Then I found out that he jumped on D-Day, so I was even more proud," Trotter said.
The chaplain jumped during the 50th anniversary re-enactment of D-Day and so did Case.
Case also jumped on the 60th anniversary re-enactment in 2004 when he was 83.
On March 29, he died at the age of 87 at Nathan Adelson Hospice in Las Vegas. He had been unconscious since March 6 when he choked on a piece of steak during dinner at a friend's house.
Case's ashes were buried at Gravesite 6190 in Section 60 in between drives named after Sgt. Alvin York and Gen. Omar Bradley.
About 30 people, including Rep. Shelley Berkley, D-Nev., attended the service which occurred on a hot, humid summer afternoon.
Case's wife, Betty, who died in 2003, was Jewish and according to Jewish tradition, family members placed small stones on and around the box with Case's remains.
"It is something we do to let them know we love them and we will always remember them. A stone is always living. A stone never disintegrates," said Ruthe Blum of Cleveland who was Case's sister-in-law.
At the end of the service, Trotter presented a U.S. flag to Case's daughter, Stacy McCrary of Colleyville, Texas.
"I think my dad would be very proud that everybody came together to be here. He's been a part of a lot of different people's lives," McCrary said.
Sitting beside McCrary was her sister, Victoria Ganser of Reno.
Referring to the lengthy procession to the gravesite, which was led by a horse-drawn carriage, Ganser said, "There was so much effort on their part to really honor him."
Contact Stephens Washington Bureau reporter Tony Batt at tbatt@ stephensmedia.com or 202-783-1760.
