World War I veteran finally laid to rest 45 years after death

RANDOLPH CENTER, Vt. (InvestigateTV) - On a typical day at the Vermont Veterans Memorial Cemetery, the only sound on these hallowed grounds is an American flag flapping in the gentle breeze and birds chirping from a distance.

“It is definitely interesting,” said Collin Johnson, who makes sure the Randolph Center cemetery’s grounds stay pristine for the over 6,000 veterans and their spouses who are buried there.

Three men were laid to rest recently. Private Edward James Irwin was one of them. His final goodbye comes almost 45 years after his death. He served in the Army during World War I from 1917 to 1918.

You may wonder why a World War I vet who died in November 1981 is finally going to be laid to rest. Well, it goes back to Walter Ducharme’s funeral business in Rutland.

Ducharme bought Clifford’s Funeral Home last year. Everything came with the business, including a basement with rows of cremated remains.

“The family didn’t pick up, or there was no one to take care of the matter,” Ducharme said.

One caught Ducharme’s attention -- Mr. Irwin. Very little was known about the man other than he was born in New Jersey in 1897 and served during World War I. Why he came to Vermont or if he had any living relatives to collect his ashes remains a mystery.

He died in a nursing home in Rutland. Irwin was just days away from turning 84.

For over a year, Ducharme became a desktop detective, dealing with different government agencies.

“They did come up with his right Social Security number, his right VA file number, the right date of birth, but the name was wrong,” Ducharme said. “It was frustrating, it was very frustrating for sure.”

It took over a year before everything matched up.

“We could not find any family members left; we couldn’t even find any close friends,” Ducharme said.

The word, though, got out about Private Irwin’s saga. Elaine Manghi-Buck heard the news at her church. “I’m here to honor this veteran,” said the Brookfield woman. “It seems to be important to be here.”

The Combat Veterans Motorcycle Association also roared in for the service after hearing the news at their American Legion.

“Yes, yes, it’s remarkable, we’re honored to be here,” said the association’s Ed Barton.

Total strangers treated Private Irwin like family. What was going to be a simple service at the grave site moved into the chapel.

“He has been on a bit of a journey for a long time. He’s a World War I veteran, and it’s our great pleasure to find him a final resting place,” said Robert Burke with Vermont Veterans Affairs.

“This is what we do, we show up for each other,” said Chris Noble, the deacon of Our Lady of the Valley Church. “Most of you, maybe all of us, didn’t even know him. But we know what he stood for, and we know what he did. And we honor that service.”

“We don’t know a lot about him, but as the deacon said, he was a human being,” said United Church of Bethel Rev. Tom Harty. “We ask you to grant him everlasting peace.”

“Thank you for your service, and sorry that it took so long to get you where you needed to be,” Ducharme said.