The sound of a bugle playing Taps could be heard Tuesday at the Omaha National Cemetery as Vietnam War veteran Stanley Stoltz of Bennington was laid to rest. 73 year old Stoltz died last week in hospice care. Good Shepherd Funeral Home posted his obituary stating that Stoltz had no known family and asked that the public attend the service.
That obituary received national attention and hundreds of people showed up to pay their respects. Amy Douglas was one of them and said, “This is the kind of reception that our Vietnam veterans deserved when they came home from the war. So the fact that he gets this kind of reception when he goes home is fitting. Is very fitting.”
Many of those attending were veterans who said Stoltz had a very large family. That is what veterans are – family.
The service was held at 2 p.m. but started about ten minutes late as people continued to arrive. Vehicles were backed up to I-80 near Highway 50 where the cemetery is located.
Some family was eventually found and Stanley’s brother attended the service.