Coffee Bunker "Brothers" Made Sure Veteran Buried With Honor

Coffee Bunker buries veteran with honors who likely died in sleep in parking lot
He was found dead in his SUV at a Tulsa Wal-Mart.
Tulsa World
By COREY JONES World Staff Writer
May 17, 2015

Blackburn said Marcussen was a broadcaster in Los Angeles — “did a couple of commercials and things” — but ended up divorced, falling on hard times and moving far from his home.

For one airman, his military brethren were able to step in and offer a final goodbye when his family couldn’t.

His body was found inside his SUV in April after several weeks parked at a south Tulsa Wal-Mart.

Presumed dead of natural causes, he was a veteran and regular of the Coffee Bunker.

Ronald Ralph Marcussen had fallen on hard times, but life was on the upswing for the 48-year-old before his death. After being homeless, Marcussen had recently found an apartment on the west side of Tulsa.

He held a job as a pizza delivery man on the other side of town, and had just purchased the white Mitsubishi Endeavor where his body would later be discovered on a mattress in the back seat.

Marcussen’s death had a deep impact on Scott Blackburn, who described the Air Force veteran as a pleasant man who had a positive effect on anyone he met.

So as Coffee Bunker’s executive director, Blackburn worked to ensure Marcussen would receive a military funeral and be laid to rest with honors.

That ceremony took place Thursday morning at Fort Gibson National Cemetery.

“I can’t imagine he had an enemy in the world,” Blackburn said.
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