DES MOINES – Iowa Governor Terry Branstad signed a bill passed by the Iowa legislature that helps provide a final resting place for all veterans.
HF 2266 addresses a problem that goes unnoticed by many: the unclaimed remains of veterans who died alone.
“We’ve created a process for funeral homes with unclaimed cremated remains to work with the Iowa Department of Veterans Affairs to identify them,” Iowa Democrats say. “If the remains of a veteran, their spouse or their dependent remain unclaimed, a veterans’ organization will make arrangements for inurnment at the Iowa Veterans Cemetery.”
Until this bill was passed, Iowa funeral home directors faced obstacles, at times, in releasing remains. Now, a veterans’ organization can stop of when cremated remains go unclaimed by family, giving respect and closure to a veteran’s life.