Homeless Veteran buried with dignity

Homeless Veteran Gets Military Burial
Miri Marshall-KFOX Morning News Traffic Anchor/Reporter
POSTED: 12:39 pm MDT March 27, 2008

EL PASO, Texas -- Family and friends wiped tears as they bid farewell to Navy Veteran Steven Lee Osborn Monday at Fort Bliss National Cemetery.

“We’re all gonna (going to) miss him,” said Osborn’s friend Besi Nicholes.

Osborn, 48, died of pneumonia. He was known for loving the desert and polishing trucks.

“He was a really a neat guy.” Said Nicholes. “He really was very humble, kind, loving, very understanding."

Osborn was homeless and last living in Socorro’s Tent City. He was one of more than 270,000 homeless veterans living on the streets.

The Dignity Memorial Program paid for Osborn’s burial arrangements. The program is sponsored by Kaster-Maxon & Futrell Funeral Home. Dignity Memorial pays for the military burial of homeless veterans.

"Instead of being buried in a pauper's grave they will be buried here at the national cemetery,” said Dignity Memorial spokeswoman Mary Slawson. “They served their country and did what they did for our country, then we need to give back to them."
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